etru_scan Posted April 17, 2007 Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Hey ! I figured some one out there might have a better idea that i do about these things, and asking is always so much more fun that digging through the internets. SO, to anyone with experience in this area... How much does it cost to build a house ?? And.. because i know thats a ridiculously wide open question, i'll have to admit i dont even know what the main qualifiers are to add to that to make it a proper question.. Other than i guess.. " Of moderate size " .. and " Not anything fancy " .. and " outside of the GVRD, but inside of BC " I have this bit of a fantasy that having one built might actually be a bit cheaper than buying one, but im not really sure.. If anyone can drop some knowledge, even ballpark style, i'd appreciate it v. much . Housing market is fucking redonkulous in Vancouver. Im lookin for alternatives, cause i cant stomach paying 300K for a postage-stamp condo out in the burbs that i cant even paint the color i want cause some asshole strata says so.. know what i mean ? Just cant get with that. tia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crilix Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Oh man, it's crazy out here in Calgary. From what I've been hearing, it's almost the same amount to RENT a two bedroom apartment as it was for my uncle to have a construction firm build his house ten years ago. Things are really frikkin' expensive - Some people are buying motor homes and essentially camping out year-round because it's cheaper. How they manage when it's -30c out, I dunno. I don't have any advice or tips for building houses, but I know living costs are so expensive out here I'm gunna move home and go to school. -Cril Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saber Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 My ladies parents make good money building houses and selling em. At least as far as I know. http://www.fnfclan.com/uploads/uploads/emoticons/default_smile.png Of course they build the house themselves, so no labour costs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berzerker Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 To build from scratch your looking at around 200k for a decent abode. That doesnt include land. Berz out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etru_scan Posted April 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 yeah, calgary is booming so they're bound to be making ( developers that is ) as much money off of the n00bs as possible while the getting is good. Im mainly curious cause i cant believe it's actually cheaper to buy a pre-built home on a lot than it is to have it made.. but.. maybe it is ? gotta look into it. Edit Oop - simulpost ! Berz - thats kinda what i thought - Thats for the city tho, right ? Think it would be MORE to do it out in the sticks, like penticton or fukin 100 mile house or some shit like that ? Im guessing yea, it would be more expensive cause stuff has to GET there.. but i dunno.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tekmo Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Cody should know, he built a house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berzerker Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Steve when your dealing with that amount of wood and supplies its not biggie for delivery. If you were out in the sticks they will have stores out there too. I get wholesale at Dicks Lumber if your interested in buying some sticks http://www.fnfclan.com/uploads/uploads/emoticons/default_biggrin.png Berz out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnglishBob Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 I've been out of construction for over 10 years, but a good guide back then was that a house cost to build about 1/3 rd of it's sale value...throw the land in there and there was usually a 30-40% profit margin... so a 300k house would be around 200k ish. Of course if you can throw some labor at it yourself you drastically cut costs, the labor costs as much as the materials a lot of the time. The first 7 years of my career was as a cost accountant for a construction firm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etru_scan Posted April 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 ...I get wholesale at Dicks Lumber ... yeaaa, i heard that about you.. I've been out of construction for over 10 years, but a good guide back then was that a house cost to build about 1/3 rd of it's sale value...throw the land in there and there was usually a 30-40% profit margin... so a 300k house would be around 200k ish. Of course if you can throw some labor at it yourself you drastically cut costs, the labor costs as much as the materials a lot of the time. The first 7 years of my career was as a cost accountant for a construction firm. Huuh ! i must have forgotten about that, Craig.. Thats good to know, i might have to throw some better questions at you as i form them up. I've just kindof given up on owning a house in the city.. its just.. not going to happen. I dont make near enough money to own the house i want, and even though between cara and i we can manage a decent mortgage.. whats 300K get you ? Sweet. Fuck. All. And thats for like, what..a condo, in a strata co.. maybe 1000 square feet.. MAYBE a little yard.. i just cant do it. So even if it's only saving a little money, it just feels like the right thing to do. I could not live with myself if i went into debt for the rest of my natural life and yet some moron strata fuck had the power to tell me what color my mailbox should be. Or what kind of fuel i can use in my BBQ. Just.. not going to happen. you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 I'm glad you asked this, I've been curious myself. Edmonton is in the middle of a boom and it seems everytime I turn around house prices have doubled. I'm looking at buying a house myself but building one is a possibility too. The problem with building one in an economy like edmonton isn't getting the material, time or space, its getting the people to do it. There is so much construction going on here its impossible to find skilled workers to do stuff. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etru_scan Posted April 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 Thats another thing im worried about.. Having some morons slap together 200K worth of material, largely unseen to you.. thats kinda terrifying imo.. This is a long-term thing, so ill add info as i get/source it.. Anyone else interested in pitching in please feel free ! lol http://www.fnfclan.com/uploads/uploads/emoticons/default_smile.png Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Posted April 19, 2007 Report Share Posted April 19, 2007 I don't have any first-hand experience, but my grandparents had their house built about 8 years ago so I could fire off questions to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayhem Posted May 26, 2007 Report Share Posted May 26, 2007 Hey there steve-o, a good rule of thumb is about $125-150 per square foot for the average home to build, more depending on the products you choose for finishing. (granite counters, fancy taps etc.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digits Posted May 26, 2007 Report Share Posted May 26, 2007 Hey there steve-o, a good rule of thumb is about $125-150 per square foot for the average home to build, more depending on the products you choose for finishing. (granite counters, fancy taps etc.) Exactly.. It's going to be cheaper for you to build.. It's just the cost of the land that might fuck you.. If you can get land at a decent price somewhere, you're better off building. You'll get the house you want and it'll generally be cheaper. I'm wanting to build a house too but finding land for a decent price is tedious. I think my dad's house was $200 a square foot and it's a completely decked out 2800 sqft bungalow. With a crazy expensive roof too (not normal shingles, it was like 30K for his roof).. So the max you'd be looking at is probably $200 a sqaure foot. IF you do build, get in touch with me, I can get you the hookup on some real nice showers/bathtubs/sinks/flooring, basicaly the majority of the shit you'd need for the inside of the house prices way cheaper than the typical store. Here's some examples http://www.elitedistributors.net/_mgxroot/page_10766.html . I don't know if they have prices or anything on that site, but my dad is one of the people who distributes for them so he can probably get you some deals beyond the listed prices. Just contact me when the time comes. My dad was sent a disk with like 1000 different types of showers/bathtubs/toilets/sinks on it that they were deciding on which ones to produce next. Some of them were really neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etru_scan Posted May 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2007 Hey there steve-o, a good rule of thumb is about $125-150 per square foot for the average home to build, more depending on the products you choose for finishing. (granite counters, fancy taps etc.) Exactly.. It's going to be cheaper for you to build.. It's just the cost of the land that might fuck you.. If you can get land at a decent price somewhere, you're better off building. You'll get the house you want and it'll generally be cheaper. I'm wanting to build a house too but finding land for a decent price is tedious. I think my dad's house was $200 a square foot and it's a completely decked out 2800 sqft bungalow. With a crazy expensive roof too (not normal shingles, it was like 30K for his roof).. So the max you'd be looking at is probably $200 a sqaure foot. IF you do build, get in touch with me, I can get you the hookup on some real nice showers/bathtubs/sinks/flooring, basicaly the majority of the shit you'd need for the inside of the house prices way cheaper than the typical store. Here's some examples http://www.elitedistributors.net/_mgxroot/page_10766.html . I don't know if they have prices or anything on that site, but my dad is one of the people who distributes for them so he can probably get you some deals beyond the listed prices. Just contact me when the time comes. My dad was sent a disk with like 1000 different types of showers/bathtubs/toilets/sinks on it that they were deciding on which ones to produce next. Some of them were really neat. Wow, $200/Sq foot musta scored him a phat pad alright.. I wouldn't be looking at anything so insane, for sure.. Thanks for the follow up info too, btw - i really appreciate it. I was talking this through with the wife some more, and then we kindof realised something that could easily be a deal breaker.. On the whole subject of paying for it all, right.. Sure, we can get a mortgage for something in the high 200's, low 3's.. but.. I dont think you can get a mortgage on 200K worth of unbuilt house !! I imagine people that go that route have a chunjk of change handy to secure a thick ass loan with/line of credit.. but i dont think i could make that happen.. I'd need to take advantage of every break new home buyers get, like usuing your rrsps, etc.. so.. all of a sudden i think the idea is dead in the water. Does anyone know anything much about that aspect of it ? So much to ponder, faahhh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.