For the home builders and contractors among us, when you refer to price per square foot is that price per under roof square foot? In other words, garage and covered porch space gets calculated the same way as living space? Does building additional living space up into attic space save money? I am not sure I am asking that the right way, but say would bonus space above the garage cost less than the same amount of space built on the slab since there's no additional roofing, siding or slab involved?
The numbers I quoted we're based on finished living space. A 1200' house with a front porch and single car garage at 100/ft would be $120,000. Bonus rooms are very cheap square footage. Garages about $45-50/ft. Square ft numbers are deceiving. I just priced a set of townhomes. They were $87/ft. We added 100 sq. ft. And the price dropped to $82 ft. Still have one kitchen, two baths, same amount of lighting, same drive way, windows and doors etc.... That additional 100 ft. Only cost $40/ft instead of $100ft. I give square foot prices as guideline only and bid every single job out which takes 10-40 hrs. or so. Every house is different, but after so long you have the experience to base numbers on comparable jobs you've completed in the recent past. I know guys that bid a house in 15 min. too though. I sleep better not wondering if I'm losing money. Right now in our area, material prices are volatile, and labor prices are going that way also. I've had to preemptively give wage increases to insure I have/keep a labor force this year. Skilled labor is in high demand and the guys know it.
