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Home > Archive > Building and Construction > June 2007 > Building home in Seattle: Cost/Sq.ft?
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Building home in Seattle: Cost/Sq.ft?
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| Greetings,
I know that the cost per square foot for building a house gets tossed
around way too much. I'm more interested in getting a general feel for
what it costs to build in my area.
I'm looking to build an average quality home around 2500 sq.ft. Can I
get away with building a house between $100-$125 per sq.ft? Of course
I'd be willing to cut corners on materials in order to meet that
budget.
Any figures, personal experiences, or general advice would be greatly
appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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| hawgeye 2007-06-15, 9:25 am |
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"Jared" wrote ...
> Greetings,
>
> I know that the cost per square foot for building a house gets tossed
> around way too much. I'm more interested in getting a general feel for
> what it costs to build in my area.
>
> I'm looking to build an average quality home around 2500 sq.ft. Can I
> get away with building a house between $100-$125 per sq.ft? Of course
> I'd be willing to cut corners on materials in order to meet that
> budget.
>
> Any figures, personal experiences, or general advice would be greatly
> appreciated. Thanks in advance!
You didn't mention who would be doing the work. Get yourself a set of good
detailed prints and specifications. These need to be as specific as
possible.
If you plan on having the work done, give copies to a few local contractors
(that you may want to use) and have them quote on it.
If you plan on doing the work, give the prints and specs to a few suppliers
to quote on materials. You may have to go to several different suppliers
for different materials.
--
hawgeye ©
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| Matt Barrow 2007-06-15, 9:25 am |
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"Jared" <JaredLasater@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1181877138.480718.273630@x35g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> Greetings,
>
> I know that the cost per square foot for building a house gets tossed
> around way too much. I'm more interested in getting a general feel for
> what it costs to build in my area.
>
> I'm looking to build an average quality home around 2500 sq.ft. Can I
> get away with building a house between $100-$125 per sq.ft? Of course
> I'd be willing to cut corners on materials in order to meet that
> budget.
Cutting corners, particularly on materials, is downright STUPID.
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| On Jun 15, 6:24 am, "Matt Barrow" <mbar...@performancehomes.com>
wrote:
> "Jared" <JaredLasa...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1181877138.480718.273630@x35g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
>
> Cutting corners, particularly on materials, is downright STUPID.
Not nearly as "Stupid" as posting answers like that one. It's his
house. If he's weighed the pros and cons and chooses to do this, who
are you or any of us for that matter to call him, or his plan
"stupid". Help him, or shut your trap.
The bad news: I'm sorry, I dont think your'e going to get your 2500 sq
ft house built in Seattle's market for anywhere near 250K. Thats just
my opinion though.
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| RicodJour 2007-06-15, 5:25 pm |
| On Jun 15, 1:51 pm, Jack <messier1...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 15, 6:24 am, "Matt Barrow" <mbar...@performancehomes.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> Not nearly as "Stupid" as posting answers like that one. It's his
> house. If he's weighed the pros and cons and chooses to do this, who
> are you or any of us for that matter to call him, or his plan
> "stupid". Help him, or shut your trap.
>
> The bad news: I'm sorry, I dont think your'e going to get your 2500 sq
> ft house built in Seattle's market for anywhere near 250K. Thats just
> my opinion though.
In other words, in this case, cutting corners on materials is not only
stupid, but unrealistic.
Let's forget the unrealistic budget for a minute, and concentrate on
the cutting of corners. It's unacceptable for a contractor to cut
corners, as they're short-changing the owner. Isn't an owner that
cuts corners building his house short-changing future buyers?
Himself?
It's possible the OP chose a really unfortunate way of phrasing it as
cutting corners is never a good thing. It's also possible that he has
no clue about construction and isn't capable of weighing the pros and
cons. If he'd asked about how to work with a tight budget and what
others have done he'd have gotten less abuse and far more useful
answers.
There's nothing wrong with building something you can afford and
planning on adding on to it in the future. There are all sorts of
ways to plan current construction to facilitate future building.
R
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| Kay Lancaster 2007-06-15, 5:25 pm |
| On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:12:18 -0700, Jared <JaredLasater@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'd be willing to cut corners on materials in order to meet that
> budget.
What do you mean by "cutting corners"? Are you talking about
something like doing the absolute cheapest roof, or are you
talking about using quarter round instead of crown molding,
formica instead of granite counters, decent but not latest style
bathroom fixtures, and similar things that can be changed out
later?
The first strikes me as penny wise and pound foolish, but
I personally have no problem living with quarter round and formica
until it makes sense to replace them.
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| Dennis 2007-06-15, 8:25 pm |
| In the Seattle area, the building cost runs around $300-$476/sq.ft. based on
2005 figures (covering both King and South Snohomish counties).
Median prices ran from $385,000 in the Greenwood area to around $1,375,000
in the Medina/Clyde Hill area. (Thats median price-2005). $125 sq.ft. is
unrealistic unless you already own your own land and plan on buying a
modular.
"Jared" <JaredLasater@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1181877138.480718.273630@x35g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> Greetings,
>
> I know that the cost per square foot for building a house gets tossed
> around way too much. I'm more interested in getting a general feel for
> what it costs to build in my area.
>
> I'm looking to build an average quality home around 2500 sq.ft. Can I
> get away with building a house between $100-$125 per sq.ft? Of course
> I'd be willing to cut corners on materials in order to meet that
> budget.
>
> Any figures, personal experiences, or general advice would be greatly
> appreciated. Thanks in advance!
>
>
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| Matt Barrow 2007-06-16, 3:25 am |
|
"Jack" <messier1199@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1181929911.517402.114170@n2g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> On Jun 15, 6:24 am, "Matt Barrow" <mbar...@performancehomes.com>
> wrote:
>
> Not nearly as "Stupid" as posting answers like that one. It's his
> house. If he's weighed the pros and cons and chooses to do this, who
> are you or any of us for that matter to call him, or his plan
> "stupid". Help him, or shut your trap.
Shut you're own cocksucking trap.
With idiots like you giving him advice, he's create a small disaster.
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| Matt Barrow 2007-06-16, 3:25 am |
|
"RicodJour" <ricodjour@worldemail.com> wrote in message
news:1181934788.820118.119610@u2g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
> On Jun 15, 1:51 pm, Jack <messier1...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> In other words, in this case, cutting corners on materials is not only
> stupid, but unrealistic.
>
> Let's forget the unrealistic budget for a minute, and concentrate on
> the cutting of corners. It's unacceptable for a contractor to cut
> corners, as they're short-changing the owner. Isn't an owner that
> cuts corners building his house short-changing future buyers?
> Himself?
Short sightedness is STUPID, and so many make those errors. This group is
replete with people who acted in such a fashion, then were trying to bail
themselves out.
Jack is one of such idiots since he should know better.
>
> It's possible the OP chose a really unfortunate way of phrasing it as
> cutting corners is never a good thing. It's also possible that he has
> no clue about construction and isn't capable of weighing the pros and
> cons. If he'd asked about how to work with a tight budget and what
> others have done he'd have gotten less abuse and far more useful
> answers.
Oh, the travails of the naieve.
Pennywise, pound foolish is one lesson that seems to necessitate being
learned over and over.
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| Matt Barrow 2007-06-16, 3:25 am |
|
"Kay Lancaster" <kay@hub.fern.com> wrote in message
news:slrnf75knd.r89.kay@hub.fern.com...
> On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:12:18 -0700, Jared <JaredLasater@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> What do you mean by "cutting corners"? Are you talking about
> something like doing the absolute cheapest roof, or are you
> talking about using quarter round instead of crown molding,
> formica instead of granite counters, decent but not latest style
> bathroom fixtures, and similar things that can be changed out
> later?
>
> The first strikes me as penny wise and pound foolish, but
> I personally have no problem living with quarter round and formica
> until it makes sense to replace them.
Evidently several generations of history is unavailable to the ignorant.
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| On Jun 15, 11:12 pm, "Matt Barrow" <mbar...@performancehomes.com>
wrote:
> "Jack" <messier1...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1181929911.517402.114170@n2g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Shut you're own *********** trap.
>
> With idiots like you giving him advice, he's create a small disaster.
"He's create a small disaster?" What nationality is that?
Nice language too. The type of response I would expect from your
likes.
You know it all, anyone who doesn't agree with you is "stupid" Even
those who do agree, if they don't agree completely, and in the way you
want them to agree are also subject to your "wrath". Sheesh. What a
neanderthal.
The guy is building HIS house, not yours. If you don't like the way
he builds it, don't buy it from him. Any of us who have been
homebuilders (30 years here) know he's most likely talking about
sheathing with 15.00 a sheet oriented strand instead of 3/4 inch
plywood, or using asphalt shingles instead of copper, Or Home depot
fixed glass units instead of Pella swing outs, or Prepac cabinets
instead of Aristocrat......I'm confident he doesn't mean using a tarp
for a roof, or old matresses for insulation. HE will correct me if I'm
wrong. Not you.
This group is read by men, women, young and old people. As such, your
reply is disgusting and offensive to others in the group..
I replied the way I did, because your original reply did not address
the question. So it was better left unsaid. The POINT of a forum is to
offer help to one another, not to admire your own words in print.
Somehow you appear to feel better than everyone else, as evidenced by
your replies to each of us.
In what way do you feel better? Are you more successful than me? I
doubt it. Are you physically superior? I really doubt it. Are you more
intelligent? Well, you're reply answered that for you. Maybe you
aren't the conscious of the home building industry. Maybe you aren't
the Dali Lama of the group. Heck........ maybe you are nothing at all.
Its possible, I guess.
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