Land, site work and utility connections are on top of that.
Total cost by house size
| Size | Typical total, excluding land |
|---|---|
| 1,000 SF | $170,000 to $350,000 |
| 1,500 SF | $255,000 to $525,000 |
| 2,000 SF | $340,000 to $700,000 |
| 2,500 SF | $425,000 to $875,000 |
| 3,000 SF | $510,000 to $1,050,000 |
The spread inside each row is finish level, roof complexity and site conditions. A 2,000 square foot ranch on a flat lot with builder-grade finishes and a 2,000 square foot custom house with a complex roof on a sloped wooded lot are the same square footage and not remotely the same project.
Where the money goes, by phase
| Phase | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Foundation | $12,000 to $80,000 |
| Framing | $35,000 to $75,000 |
| Roofing | $10,000 to $25,000+ |
| Windows and exterior doors | $16,000 to $50,000 |
| Siding | $12,000 to $35,000 |
| Electrical | $12,000 to $20,000+ |
| Plumbing | $12,000 to $25,000 |
| HVAC | $8,000 to $18,000+ |
| Insulation and drywall | $12,000 to $40,000 |
Material is roughly 50 to 60 percent of total cost and labor is the rest. Phase ranges are from HomeGuide and include labor and material.
Framing is normally 15 to 20 percent of the total build, which makes it the largest single line after the finishes (HomeGuide puts it at 15 to 18 percent), and the one where scope confusion costs the most.
The framing number, from the people who do it
This is the part of the build Mavericks actually performs, so these are quoted numbers rather than published averages.
A 2,000 square foot single-story house, moderate complexity:
| Range | |
|---|---|
| Framing labor | $26,000 to $28,000 |
| Framing material | $36,000 to $56,000 |
| Framing total | $62,000 to $84,000 |
Labor only is the normal arrangement, and labor only against turnkey is compared on its own page. The builder orders the lumber package through their own supplier and the crew assembles it.
The framing scope covers floor systems, walls, roof systems and trusses, sheathing, rough openings, LVL and steel beam and column installation, and house wrap.
Equipment such as a telehandler is quoted as a separate line, not folded into the labor rate. Most builders provide their own.
Full detail is on the framing cost page, and the scope is on the rough framing page.
What the per-square-foot number leaves out
Budgets get broken by the items that are not in the square foot figure.
- Land. Not included in any figure above.
- Site work. Clearing, grading, excavation, driveway. A wooded or sloped lot can add $20,000 or more before anything is built.
- Utility connections. Well and septic where there is no municipal service. Frequently $20,000 to $50,000 together.
- Permits and impact fees. Vary widely by municipality.
- Landscaping and final grade. Usually excluded from the build contract.
- Change orders. Budget for them. A build with zero changes is rare enough that planning for none is planning badly.
What moves the price most
- Finish level. The single largest swing. Same structure, wildly different kitchen and bath.
- Roof complexity. Affects framing, roofing, and every trade that works around it.
- The lot. Flat and cleared versus sloped and wooded is a five-figure difference before the foundation.
- Foundation type. Slab, crawl and full basement are three different numbers.
- Custom versus production. A production builder's repeated plan is priced against known costs. Custom carries design time and unknowns.
Honest scope note
Mavericks is a framing subcontractor. We frame houses for builders and general contractors across Genesee, Oakland, Lapeer and Livingston County. We do not build houses end to end, and we are not a Michigan Residential Builder.
If you are planning a build, you need a builder. If you have one, or you are one, the framing part of that budget is what we can give you a real number on, within 24 hours of receiving plans.