For Creekside - in the SE US - sq feet = heated sq feet. A custom house has 3 car garage, decent sized deck with a screened porch. There is no workshop. The basement (since unfinished) is not counted in the math.

I am making those assumptions and I expect that is what Athens is looking at. I would expect all these things in a sq foot estimate (in this part of the country). If she has plans for a 2,000 sq foot unattached workshop or garage - this would be a totally separate line item. If she was not building a garage - that would be a deduction.

My point is only that, if you know the region, you can make enough assumptions to come up with a cost comparison. Particularly if the region is the SE which is fairly homogenous in regards to home building at the higher levels.

Now that being said, most houses are not built with an architect and she knows that and is not including that $$$ in her budget. Someone else had a good point that an architect could really bring her costs up by designing windows (etc.) that might cost big money to build.

I'll make some more assumptions and Athens can point out if I am wrong - painted wood trim, 10+ foot ceilings downstairs, 9 foot up, semisolid wood doors.

Another big cost consideration is 1 story, 1.5 story and full 2 story. You can easily surpass $200 if you build a ranch, particularly with a basement. A better way to look at square footage cost is that 1st floor space is say $300, 2nd floor space is $100. Unfinished basement is about $25 and you can finish for another $25. So the cost/sq foot heirarchy is building a ranch is the most expensive, 1.5 less so and 2 story, and finally finishing the basement . No wonder you see so many 2 story houses.....

Thanks again. I have actually looked at a good amount of this architects work. He has been in multiple magazines (Southern Acccents, Veranda, Traditional Home), has a book which I have, and has built a couple of houses I have been in. He also designed the Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Christmas House, which I am going to see next weekend.

I am not interested in huge picture windows or stained trim. Paint grade solid core doors are fine - they don't have to be solid wood - and I understand from friends who have built that you can find nice looking ones which are not expensive. We want a traditional farmhouse type look - french doors across the back of the den, large double hung windows, wide plank floors, open flowing plan, etc. We won't be doing elaborately carved moldings because it is not our style but expect to have substantial crown molding. We will not be using MDF - can't stand that stuff. If it means a smaller house to get these things, that is fine.

I am happy with standard quartz vanities in a stock size in the kids bath and mud bath, if it means I can get some of the other things I want. I am not doing waterworks faucets, or other super high end items. Happy with ceramic hex tile in the kids baths, etc.

I guess we will see where it all shakes out, but David has given me great hope that we can get it built for 200 a square foot since he seems to be under that with a similar size house. Frankly, a few dollars a square foot more is fine, but I just don't want to be building a 350 dollar a square foot house.

Thanks again for all the input.

David - you are right on on your assumptions. We are not finishing the basement, and it will likely be two story (possibly 1.5 but likely 2 because husband doesn't like the clipped ceilings).

I am aware of the high cost of windows and know that can put the budget out of reach. However, they are very important to me. I know from personal experience that there are several good looking, high quality options other than Marvin which are likely out of our price range. They will be simulated divided light not true divided light, I am sure.

Thanks again!

We are in the SE. When we solicited proposals for our build, all the builders went to great lengths to ask us not to compare their proposal's price per square foot with some imaginary standard or median price per square foot for the area. One in particular went so far as to denounce the entire concept.

I found it mildly amusing, as I had already decided it was an essentially worthless concept for comparing disimilar houses.

There are many other things that can raise the "price per heated square foot" besides quality level. For example, a wrap around covered porch, common but not ubiquitous in the SE, costs substanially as much to build as heated space, yet isn't counted in the magic number. An extremly high pitched roof, currently all the rage, also costs a lot more than a more reasonable pitch, thereby raising the price per square foot without adding anything to the quality level of the home.

I'll say it again, comparing the price per square foot of disimilar homes in different areas is essentially an exercise in futility, especially in the custom home market.

This is similar to the finishes we want - a house he designed. Not too tricked out - just nice. He said we could build this quality house in our price range. Again, we can cut corners in some places where we are happy to compromise.

This house is in Atlanta, which is a slightly higher cost building market.

Here is a link that might be useful: Shingle house

Don't rule out Marvin. I have seen them priced below lesser windows on more than one occasion; everything depends on the size of the local supplier but I would avoid Home Depot & Lowes. The Andersen 400 Woodwright is a good value from the right supplier.

I just realized you are probably from Athens, GA. The cost of materials should be about 5% less than the national average and the cost of installation should be about 30% less. That means labor intensive activities can be considered if they have a lower material cost, like in the old days.

David - You stated "A better way to look at square footage cost is that 1st floor space is say $300, 2nd floor space is $100. Unfinished basement is about $25 and you can finish for another $25. So the cost/sq foot heirarchy is building a ranch is the most expensive, 1.5 less so and 2 story, and finally finishing the basement."

So does that mean a ranch with a walk out basement would be the least expensive to build?

I think he means a ranch with a walk out basement is the most expensive. The first floor is most expensive per square foot. You can get the same square footage in a 2 story home with a smaller footprint on the first floor, smaller foundation, less roofing material, etc.

I have heard this too - 2 story square colonials are the cheapest and one story ranch rambler the most expensive :)

A ranch with a walkout basement is certainly not the most expensive. It is one of the least expensive. A finished walkout basement doubles the heated square footage of the ranch without a finished walkout, but doesn't come anywhere close to doubling the cost to build.

It may or may not be more expensive ot construct than an equivalent sized two story on a slab or crawlspace, but it will cost less to heat and cool because of the moderating effects of the below grade portion.

Athens - just so you know, that pictured house is a bit more high end than I am talking. Wide plank flooring is a great example of "what do you mean by wide". We have 4 inch wide floors, that picture is like 8 inch. I think our hardwoods were $8.50 installed, and I assume that picture is more like $20 a sq foot although I could be wrong.

Shoot me an email and I'll send you a link in case the included link doesn't work.

Here is a link that might be useful: House pics

The included link didn't work - just popped me into my shutterfly account.

The pictured house is very similar/identical in finish to the one we almost bought by the same builder/different architect in our town. It was priced at less than 200 a square foot. Maybe there were some hidden things I didn't see but it had an ipe screened porch, wide reclaimed pine floors, super ultra high end kitchen, marble baths with limestone floors (6 of them), etc. Maybe the cost of building here is less . . . I know we have a couple of extremely affordable all custom cabinet options around here who are excellent - benefits of living in the country, I guess!

As far as the floors go, I am willing to compromise there with standard red oak if it saves a significant amount. To me, the stain is just as important as the flooring, and I have seen another home of his with red oak in a pretty stain and it is lovely. We also will not be doing the vaulted keeping room. Not a fan of vaulted ceilings, and while that one is pretty it looks pricey and I would rather spend the money elsewhere (and take advantage of the upstairs space). We are likely, however, to use the same chimney set up and the french doors on either side opening up to the screened in porch . . .

I'll send you an email!

Ok - I have done some investigating! Attached is the house he built for Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles in Atlanta. When you subtract out the lot (750,000 tear down), it is running about 350 a square foot. That is not taking out landscaping/pool/courtyard/etc. and is in Atlanta which makes it more expensive than where we are building. I am sure this would be more expensive in the Northeast but that gives you an idea of what 350 a square foot gets you down hear - ultra high end :). And I bet they weren't shopping on ebay for faucets :) And I assume that they are selling it for more than it cost to build, and that the builder made a profit as well.

Anyway, this is so off the charts more elaborate than we are building :) I can't imagine what the lighting alone cost . . much less the rest! This does not show the bathrooms, which are carrera marble, waterworks fixtures, etc.

Also seperate pool house, wine cellar, saltwater pool, stone potting shed, nanny suite with kitchenette, steam shower, etc. etc. etc.

Oh, and David - where do I find your email?

Here is a link that might be useful: Bill Baker Christmas House listing

athensmomof3 - Where did you see the square footage of the house in order to calculate the $350 a square foot? I didn't see it in the listing.

A bedroom is considerably more costly per s.f. than a kitchen but where you put the bedroom makes less of a difference. It is not practical to cost individual rooms in different configurations but RS Means has been doing s.f. cost comparisons of building types for many decades.

According the RS Means s.f. cost data, you should be able to save about 10% by making a 1-story house into a 1 1/2-story house and you should be able to save about another 5% by making it into a 2-story house. A 2 1/2-story house should cost about the same per s.f. as a 1 1/2-story house and a 3 story should cost only slightly more than that.

A bi-level house (lower level half in the ground) would cost about 5% less than a 2-story house and I assume that would be roughly equivalent to a walk-out basement design.

In general, a 2-story house (with a minimum of wings) would provide the best value in terms of initial overall price and comfort. A New England Saltbox or a Greek Revival house would probably be good historical examples of that idea.

I would not put living spaces below grade to save money; I would rather live in a simpler and/or smaller house and use the basement for storage or a workshop. There was a House of the Future at the '64 NY World's Fair and it was underground with fake windows, "daylight" artificial lights and scenic photos in recessed window wells. I got out of there as quickly as I could but someone must have loved it.

I once heard a speaker talk about price per SF. He said pricing a house by the square foot is like buying a car buy the pound....The Ford and The Lexus probably waeigh about the same but are not likely to cost nearly the same. Many hear have said it but Style and complexity of home, amount of decks porches and exterior detail affect price. Pitches over 8/12 usually jump because the roofers cant walk on it without using ladder jacks. Is it a 2,3,4+ car garage, Quality and size of garage doors, Height, style and detail of ceilings. 10' ceiling and above usually require 8 foot doors and window heads and 2x6 walls/insulation. Quality of windows and exterior finish as well as quality of roof materialare big $$ variables. Then flooring, cabinet, moulding choices. Applainces vary so much from owner to owner and are huge variables as well. Ranches are typically more expensive buut walkouts make that come down some if finishing it. Resale for ranch plans can be better as it doesn't cut out the 30-40% who want first floor master and all spaces accesible. This is a personal choice. But yes ranches have larger excavation, foundation, siding,roof and so on. Framing can be quicker and allow for varied ceiling heights though! Lighting/electric plan and be large difference. Like anything quality and quantity of lighting and switches are big variables. No matter what you do be sure to bid everything you want up front and try to be thorough. Changes in the field add change orders( usually.. depending on contract) The big thing I have experienced is this. At the begining its you, the drawings, the builder and a contract. This is financial at this point. Once construction start it becomes emotional...ie Wow honey the kitchen looks great with plastic laminate counters but wouldnt it really be great with granite or butcher block. Repeat this with the many finsihes and fixtures that usually get bid to meet you budget. Thats when change orders and costs get out of control. If you can be pretty sure about your choices and budgets up front you will have better luck staying in the budget at the end. Landscape is usually the first thing to get cut or reduced when budgets get out of control. The thing to be sure of is that you know what things are specified, bid or given allowances for and if they are reasonable. Most builders are forced to put in the minimum or just above in the many areas people never think about until its under construction to compete for the job. Then the clients say... But I wanted a hose bibb on all 4 sides and I wanted 30 recessed cans not 20. I thought built ins were included in the walk in closet not wire shelves and so on and so on. So do your homework, make lots of notes about what you want and/or expect.Its easier to cut back up front and know it than it is to have to pay more $$ later or not get it because you can't afford it and don't get the choice of where to cut possibly. Its a long and sometimes complicated game and you want to play it the best you can! Good Luck to all who choose to build.

athens.....you mentioned you are going to paint all of the trim instead of staining. You said you 'didn't want MDF but are going to use ALOT of crown. Go with MDF for crown and baseboard..not around windows and doors! MDF does not shrink or expand like wood(no gaps) and is 50% less(cost of material) than wood. Not alot of saving but some! It also 'should' save some on labor as it's easier to work with. If you do use this, be sure you let the GC KNOW that you KNOW this. Most would try to charge the same for both....I hate to say it!

I have lived in a house with MDF baseboards and crown and was not at all happy. A slight nick by a sloppy housekeeper in a baseboard turned into a mess, and this would not have happened with wood. I also have mdf cabinets right now which are 13 years old and look awful. Thank goodness I can replace the doors and drawer fronts easily and inexpensively as they are from a local cabinet maker, and I am getting ready to do that again for a few doors. The boxes are wood and have held up very well. I know they are builders grade, but still - water and MDF do not mix! I would rather pay the extra for wood and save somewhere else, or have a smaller square footage.

Have you had it and lived with it for a while? This is our forever house - we are 40 and plan on living there for at least 30 years - so I really want it built to last.

Oh and deke - according to the paper, the house is 12000 square feet :)

And macv - I agree! I wouldn't live or sleep in the basement for anything. What do you think about putting a guest bedroom and bath in a full walk out basement though? We had been toying with the idea, and have seen it done very nicely. There would be windows on 2 sides of the bedroom as well as a french door leading out to the outside patio from the bedroom, and 10 foot ceilings (unless our budget says 9) in the basement.

Our thought is to have a seperate living space for guests, with the extra den down there (and hopefully a fireplace) and a bar fridge and coffee maker, etc. This would also allow us to have more folks stay with us(if we did a pull out sofa or something). That way we could put a whole family down there :) Also, we live in a university town so it is not uncommon for folks to bunk with us for football games - we had 6 of my husband's college buddies stay with us last year in our tiny house, which was very interesting! I would have loved to throw all those guys in the basement :)

Would this be an exception to your rule about bedrooms, or do you still think we should put the guest bedroom upstairs (there will likely be room)

"MDF does not shrink or expand like wood"

MDF and wood both expand and contract a small amount with changes in humidity. MDF moves less than wood only if installed with a very rigid adhesive and that is additional work.

MDF and wood both swell if they get wet but MDF swells more and does not shrink back as well as wood. Therefore, MDF should not be used in very humid climates or in areas likely to get wet (basements, bathroom base, garages, etc.) It can be damaged by a steam carpet cleaner and outside base corners are easily damaged.

MDF is OK for crown mouldings but why bother if the rest of the trim is wood? In my area poplar is the material favored by most professionals. The profiles are nicer, the surfaces more durable, and the additional cost is a fraction of the 100% mentioned earlier. Also, custom matching of existing trim is possible therefore poplar is the favored material in renovations.

If you so use MDF, always wear a respirator/mask when it is being cut.

I personally love the guest bedroom in the lower level. Walkout or not, however a full walkout makes it ideal. It allows you and them to have privacy. It gives them a sense of having a suite to themselves and is usually very comfortable for all involved. If they want to stay up later watching tv or get up earlier... no big deal. Also a wet bar /kitchenette down there also allows them a bit more freedom to feel at home and feel less like they are intruding!

Hi Athens,

I am in Alpharetta - actually Milton these days, or Crabapple if you please - and we built our home in 2001. You are going to have to really work at it to get construction costs up to $200/SF.

Please keep in mind that folks post here from all four corners of the country. I have home cost estimating software that I used to project our costs. Average construction costs are 1.00 by definition and cost factors range from 0.72 to 1.34. Athens is 0.78 and even expensive Atlanta is only 0.86.

Bill Baker is outstanding. You will be pleased with his design I am sure. As for the builder, you clearly want to hire a builder who has the experience to build Baker's plan. There is so much detail and originality that some builders will not have "been there done that", lol.

But...talk to at least three builders. Two excellent builders are Bill Grant who builds primarily in Dunwoody and Beecham Builders who build in Buckhead. I have no connection to either but both are fine home builders. Landscape architects, you may want to talk to Land Plus. Their work is incredible.

Don't let yourself get locked in to believing that your house will cost X-$ to build. The market for contractors and subs is soft and many construction materials have fallen in price over the past few years. Make the market work for you and make it competitive for the builders. Good luck. Nothing is so much fun or as frustrating as building a home.

John - thanks for the tips. We are very happy with Bill and have actually talked with Alec already at Land Plus and have a contract from him which we have not signed. He has been up and looked at our property and I think we are on the same page. He has worked with Bill extensively and we are familar with several projects he has done. He is also working on a project in Athens for some folks we know right now, although we didn't realize it until we met with him.

Thanks for the building recs. We have also been recommended Rob Merrit by both Bill and Alec of Land Plus. He has built several houses for folks we know as well, and he has worked with Bill and Alec on multiple, multiple projects (easily 20). Both recommended him highly so he is in the mix as well since we are sure to reduce any miscomunnication between the three since they have worked together so many times. We plan on getting several bids and will definitely consider those you suggested. I am familiar with Beecham and they build a beautiful house.

Thanks again for the encouragement about the price point. This is all very new to me so I don't have any idea where the kind of house we want to build comes in.

You have all been very helpful!

Your idea for having a guest suite in the walkout basement is a great one! My daughter just bought a two story home with a full walkout basement in Athens. On this lower level is a den with fireplace, game room, workshop and guest suite with a small full bath. This is where us grandparents stay when visiting, and we find the arrangement ideal. They also have the den set up with a hide-a-bed, so further guests could be accommodated for game weekends or holiday visits. There are three bedrooms on the second story, and one of them is a guest room at present, but we prefer the privacy of the lower level and don't feel as intrusive there as we do when we're upstairs.

Good luck on your build!

Athens,

We are at about the same stage as you and about the same price range. I would say that for what you are proposing with the team you have, you should count on $250/sq ft.

One thing we are doing is getting "preliminary pricing" from several builders. This is standard procedure for our architect and I highly recommend it. That way before you spend the money on the full blown plans, you can see if you are in budget. We are making modifications now based on the preliminary pricing. This is all done before the expense of having the wiring, plumbing, framing, etc. drawn up.

We are also finding out which builders are willing to get creative in helping us build within our budget.

I love Bill Baker's houses, and thought of using him, but the trim and level of detail were a bit too rich for our blood. Be careful of that. Also, Land Plus tends to come in over budget according to the folks around here who have used them. I guess what I'm saying is for both the house and the landscaping plan, make sure you can afford the design before you get too far along.

Good luck with your build. With the team you are assembling, it will be beautiful!

We can afford 250 just don't want to! Don't want to be house poor after all is said and done. Thanks for the tips. I undestand from folks that Athens runs about 10-15 percent less than Atlanta, so I guess that is a good thing.

We are just at the very beginning - pencil sketch on graph paper stage. . . We actually have a very affordable budget from Land Plus which is set. The only hitch is there is hourly portion at the end to have them manage the installation . . . The benefit of that I guess is that it goes in right, and they do the bidding out with no markup. The hourly rates is where I see it could get out of control though . . .

I had never heard of preliminary pricing (this is all very new) but thanks for the tip!

I agree, his trim in some of these houses is phenomenal, but thankfully for the budget now what we are interested in. We are considering a panelled library but that will go if we are over budget, and he is considering board and batten in our keeping room which is not too expensive (parent's just did it at the beach, and materials are cheap and labor in Athens is cheap) . . . lots to think about!

I have an acquaintance who built built one of his houses but she is unfortunately not a good comparision - much larger house, and no budget to speak of - waterworks faucets in all bathrooms, including the 3 year olds, etc. . .

I feel pretty sure we can get the level of trim we want in our price point. Trim and windows are very important to me - they can make or break a house in my opinion. That was one of the main reasons we went with Bill - the trim even when not elaborate (he has a similar sized house to ours in his book which just has crown moulding, base moulding, and wainscoting up the stairs), is absolutely in proportion and right. He has a fantastic eye. We asked Bill and he seemed to think so too. Can we get the panelled library??? Doubt it but we will see!

Good luck with it all. I hope you keep posting; I'll be interested to follow your progress.

We are a bit further along. We have preliminary drawings and have spreadsheets back from 3 builders. Although the architect assured us that we would be within budget and the builders whose houses we toured said they could build within our budget, we were 20% over budget across the board. I'm so glad we are doing the preliminary pricing! Time to cut and trim and get creative! We are building a clapboard "new old house" type of house with hardi-plank, so it's not as if we have an expensive style or fancy finishes. It's just like the grocery bill: all the little numbers add up to a lot!

We are likely building a similar house - new old house type. . . You will love the hardi plank. My parents have substituted through the years their pine siding with Hardi Plank (they are in Vinings) and this last paint job did all the dormers, and two whole sides of the house as well as intermittent boards between. It has been a great choice - matches their old siding perfectly and you cannot tell which board is which.

I am afraid you are not unusual with that 20 percent number! I hear that a lot. I expect there are a few things you can cut which will not be missed, and there are great looking ceramic tiles now for ancillary baths. My mom recently redid their beach condo on a budget and I would have sworn the hex tile in my brothers bath was travertine - nope, Daltile Stone Glen.

As far as windows go, not sure what you are considering, but my parents replaced all windows in their (large) house with Lincoln windows from Randall Brothers. They have been very very happy with them and whoever installed them. They look great and they have had no problems at all with them. They are a smaller company so don't get the press that the big guys get, but they did lots of research and talking to folks who had used them and didn't run across anyone with a problem.

Keep me posted on any great money saving finds you come across - I am very sure we will need them!!!!

Hi---This is my first post here---and I'd like to keep in touch with you, Athensmom. We are in similar situations! I have 2 boys, 10 & 11, and we're hoping to start construction soon on our 'dream' house, although I like to say Final House....We have renovated many times before, but never built from scratch. Our plan is finished (took us 5 years, with a good residential designer) but our ASID Int. Designer has been our biggest help, even with the floor plan.

We love our GC, and we looked particularly for one who would build only our house (or mostly so) and be very in tune to budget-wise ideas. Our house will be fairly different from yours.... it's a box, 2-story traditional Georgian, or antebellum....fairly formal and historic in style.... This is a coastal NC home, on the Intracoastal Waterway, on a long plantation-style lot (not huge). We own the lot, so it's not figuring into our cost, either.

Our house is odd in that it's very highly customized with no concern for resale, although our layout is normal enough that resale shouldn't be a problem (our ID & GC agree). The weird things we're doing are an indoor pool, spa room, and large 15' x 20' offices for me & husband (mine is a craft room, near the kitchen), his is a formal office where he'll meet business associates occasionally. Our sf is nearly 8000.

We are determined to come in under the 200/sf figure. Like you, we can afford more, but our main concern is the economy in the next few years, and severe inflation that may come. We are hoping to pay this project down as much as possible as fast as possible, then enjoy our house for the next 40+ years. We hope.

We are finding, so far, that in our area, everyone is starving for work. The suppliers are starving for the sales. The first thing we've gotten a quote on is brick & the foundation "stone"....we have ended up with our number 1 choices (high end look) at lower than our lowest estimates. The brick supplier is very hungry for the job.

I am very willing to do some legwork and get quotes, and I'm an avid internet shopper. I'm also willing to travel to Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, SC etc. to find the right things for my taste.

I've chosen my kitchen granite (DH-Dear Husband & I both flipped totally) and I fear it may be hard to find. The only granite house I've been to so far has said they will not stock anything "exotic" for years again....they're only getting what they know they can push out the door fast. I am willing (and fear I may have to) travel southern states to locate it.... ?

For wood floors, my first thought is wide-plank antique heart pine, but that's still flexible. (We had a historic bldg with those floors, and adored them.)

On a previous project, we ordered tile from FL at a good discount, and our builder mentioned doing that, also.

Like you, we have certain areas where we want to splurge, and other areas we're willing to use lesser materials, but aiming for a high-end look...

I came to this board looking for some "friends" to confer with through this project, so I hope you can stay in touch & share ideas with me on saving-ideas & resources.

I get so excited when I find a "Winner"...something that I love & am positive about, for a design solution....and I'm feeling a bit tired and overwhelmed from the decisions....If all my possible choices were sat in front of me, I could choose easily, but there are so many sources online and in other cities, that I fear making a choice, then finding a more beautiful solution later...

Thanks!
Elizabeth

Yes, we did Hardi Plank on our current house after the earthquake shook the brick siding off. We have loved the Hardi Plank. Now our only question is whether to spend the extra bucks on the Artisan. Given that we have to cut so much, we may have that decision made for us.

I found a neat money saver on this forum over the weekend: "faking" 8 ft. doors in the upstairs by framing for an 8 ft. opening, installing a less expensive 6'8" door and making up the difference with a solid transom.

I also bought my 48" range off of Craiglist for 1/3 the cost.

I imagine I'll be giving the Buckhead tile stores a miss and heading up to Dalton.

When you come see the Christmas house, you should stop by for a cuppa. I'm just up the street. We can compare notes.

Buckhead - we absolutely need to compare notes! However, the real reason we are headed to Atlanta Saturday is to drop the kids off at my parents and meet friends for the SEC Championship game :) We will be swinging by the Christmas house on the way to meet our friends and won't have much extra time.

I do think it is a great idea to share the bargains we find though as it seems like we are on the same page as far as the type of house we are trying to build :)

Go Dawgs! Email me and we can continue the discussion off list. ahm at saf dot com

I imagine I'll be giving the Buckhead tile stores a miss and heading up to Dalton.

We shopped the tile stores in Dalton and gave them a pass. Our tile setter got better prices from the local Dal Tile store, plus we didn't have to pay shipping from Dalton. Our build is 100% tile on the main level, so it made a huge difference. The tile setter ordered the tiles, and the builder paid for them. No extra mark ups involved.

We did get our cabinets from Wood Hollow in Dalton. The savings on them over the local dealers more than paid for all our tile.

Thanks for the tip, Creek Side! I will definitely check out Wood Hollow. Where is local for you?

We are in the general Knoxville area.

Oh wow, this thread is helping me to put our constructions costs in perspective, thank you! My dad is a builder, so he has been our GC, which I'm sure makes a big difference. Plus we have not set out to build what you will be building, Athensmom. It sounds like it will be gorgeous! We are in east Cobb county (GA) on 4 acres and our construction costs are coming in around $100/sq ft. We are a young family, early 30s, so even at $100/sq ft I have been nervous all along. We broke the bank buying 4 acres in our school district, so the construction costs had to be contained. Ya'll are helping me to be more appreciative that it could have been much more.

In terms of finishes, we have saved and splurged like others.

A few splurges: standing seam metal roof, 10' wide double-story front and back porches running the full width of the house, true divided-light wood windows, wood french doors onto porches from all rooms, hardwood throughout house, separate (but connected) 3-car garage with full apt above, indoor pool (an Endless pool), some good lighting (circa), premium floor finishes (waterlox), Shaw sink, nice faucetry (Perrin & Rowe/ Lefroy Brooks), low VOC premium paint (interior and exterior).

Lots of savings: residential designer for custom plans (not architect; I think we paid $7-8K total for the plans), white oak for flooring, simple paint-grade custom cabinets, some MDF trim (I know it stinks but I've made peace!), Hardi siding (not artisan), some lighting bought at outlets (Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn in Dawsonville), solid core (but not wood) interior bedroom doors, internet shopping on plumbing and fixtures, lots of Scott's & Lakewood shopping (3 sets of solid mahogany interior 8' French doors for $1200!), simple landscaping (lot was already well planted, luckily).

And of course I am sure that my Dad as GC is big savings. But, we are paying him a monthly and 5-10% on construction costs to cover his time, so it is still a line-item for us.

Athensmom, your house will be gorgeous and I hope you will post photos and progress. We are nearing the end of our build with an expected CO around Jan 15. We started this time last year, and have had many weeks-long rain delay. Best wishes on your build!

katrina-$100 sq/ft is very impressive for the finishes that you have! Any possibility of pictures?

ditto Katrina - sounds fabulous and I would love to see pictures. I will be doing lost and lots of Scotts and Lakewood shopping too so any hints on folks I shouldn't miss out there would be very appreciated!

Thanks for the email address - I'll email you!

Also, we are not planning on doing granite but I have lots of friends who have gotten good deals on slabs in Elberton GA

Oh wow, this thread is helping me to put our constructions costs in perspective, thank you! My dad is a builder, so he has been our GC, which I'm sure makes a big difference. Plus we have not set out to build what you will be building, Athensmom. It sounds like it will be gorgeous! We are in east Cobb county (GA) on 4 acres and our construction costs are coming in around $100/sq ft. We are a young family, early 30s, so even at $100/sq ft I have been nervous all along. We broke the bank buying 4 acres in our school district, so the construction costs had to be contained. Ya'll are helping me to be more appreciative that it could have been much more.

In terms of finishes, we have saved and splurged like others.

A few splurges: standing seam metal roof, 10' wide double-story front and back porches running the full width of the house, true divided-light wood windows, wood french doors onto porches from all rooms, hardwood throughout house, separate (but connected) 3-car garage with full apt above, indoor pool (an Endless pool), some good lighting (circa), premium floor finishes (waterlox), Shaw sink, nice faucetry (Perrin & Rowe/ Lefroy Brooks), low VOC premium paint (interior and exterior).

Lots of savings: residential designer for custom plans (not architect; I think we paid $7-8K total for the plans), white oak for flooring, simple paint-grade custom cabinets, some MDF trim (I know it stinks but I've made peace!), Hardi siding (not artisan), some lighting bought at outlets (Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn in Dawsonville), solid core (but not wood) interior bedroom doors, internet shopping on plumbing and fixtures, lots of Scott's & Lakewood shopping (3 sets of solid mahogany interior 8' French doors for $1200!), simple landscaping (lot was already well planted, luckily).

And of course I am sure that my Dad as GC is big savings. But, we are paying him a monthly and 5-10% on construction costs to cover his time, so it is still a line-item for us.

Athensmom, your house will be gorgeous and I hope you will post photos and progress. We are nearing the end of our build with an expected CO around Jan 15. We started this time last year, and have had many weeks-long rain delay. Best wishes on your build!

athens....you're building a 12,000sf mansion but are NOT going to use granite...???????

I am not building a 12000 square foot mansion . . . less than half that. I just don't care for granite - not my thing. Too shiny and most of them have too much going on for my taste. I am a travertine/limestone/marble/soapstone girl . . .

Okay, I could never figure out how to post photos to the site here (I am not savvy) but I think I can embed a link to my mac.com account where I have a few stored.

Also- a caveat - I *just* noticed that the original post indicated "high end" which is not our house, so my cost figures are really not comparable. I don't know how I missed that when I first read the posting, sorry all; I hope this reply is still relevant.

The house is 6290 sq ft (porches add another 2410) and the finished space above the garage is 1175. You will see the garage to the left of the house. (You drive around the back of the garage.) Ceilings are 10' on basement and main floor, 9' on second floor. (Garage apt is 10'.)

I thought of a few items I did spend more money on that I was not prepared for...like wood-mould brick (Old Virginia Brick) on the walk-out basement level (not visible in these photos) and the masonry fireplace. My DH wanted three true masonry-built fireplaces (only God knows why they had to be "true," the boxes with masonry surrounds and chimney look great to me), and the labor cost of doing that really blew my mind.

I also thought of a few other "saves" ... Anyone on a tight budget like mine might find these useful, but they are more time-consuming so if I were building a dream house on a dream budget I might pass!

I bought my marble direct from a Ga quarry, because I had my heart set on "Georgia White" which is similar in color to Carrara but is harder and less porous (so better in a kitchen application, though still not perfect) and is from Georgia (Tate). It has been a bit of a PITA because it is no longer quarried, so the only slabs were the ones still in the yard, and the quarry is not really set up for individuals walking in and buying half a dozen slabs. (They are more of an institutional source.) But, I got a beautiful material at $22/sq ft which was far less than similar marbles quoted from fabricators.

For windows, I really wanted true divided lights, and I love casements. But, I restricted myself to casements in the places where I could see really using them (kitchen and master bath) and I put double-hungs everywhere else because they saved $$. Also, I have not accounted for window treatments/drapery in my budget.

I have saved a ton on appliances by shopping at discount stores over a long period of time and so far, I have not made a compromise in what I wanted. For example, higher-end panel-ready units often sit at discount stores because people who shop scratch & dent discount stores are usually not buying custom cabinet panels. So the stainless dishwashers sell quickly but the panel-ready ones sit there and get marked down. I bought my new DW - Kitchen Aid, stainless-tub, panel-ready, hidden controls, etc. for $199. I got a built-in Jenn-Air panel-ready fridge for $1300. I did compromise on my cooktop - I wanted the Viking 36" induction because it has true knobs not touch controls, but I saved $2200 by buying a discontinued Siemens 36" all-induction at 50% off. The icemaker was discount because it had a nick on one side of the door that is hardly noticeable (and won't hold a candle to the havoc my toddler will bestow anyway). I won't buy the ovens discount because I really want the white Viking ovens, one convection and one steam. (A girl can have one perfect appliance, right?)

And, the tile I used in the shower surrounds and kids' & guest bath floors is super-basic white ceramic (3"x6" and penny rounds). For mudroom and utlity rooms, instead of Peacock Pavers (Athensmom, they look great, get samples, they are gorgeous) at $6/sq ft I used gray pavers at $2.25/sq ft for mudroom floors. Savings on the tile all around.

At the outlets (up 400 near Dahlonega), I found amazing deals on hardwired light fixtures. I bought 7 solid brass sconces for the stairwell for $7/ea, which was probably my greatest find. So, I saved enough that I could then go a little overboard with Circa Lighting in the areas that meant the most to me.

Sorry for the very long post! I hope this info is helpful to those of you with budget constraints. Like I said, someday perhaps I will not spend the kind of time that shopping discount requires, but then again, it has been really fun!

I will try to remember to post updated photos. I hope in 6 weeks we are complete, and then I can share the final finishes and interiors. At this point, if we stay on track in these last 6 weeks, the per sq ft construction cost is just under $72, so not in the high end category for sure. I will keep ya'll posted if there is interest.

Here is a link that might be useful: New house photos (mid-October)

Very very helpful!!!! I am with you - I am fine with a white ceramic tile in kids baths . . . to me they age very very well and aren't at all trendy. Not sure that is what I will do but I sure don't think it is a mistake!

I got the Peacock Pavers samples and they are great but I didn't realize they needed such a large grout line - I hate grout! :) can't keep it clean and just not a fan. I am going to call them and ask them a few questions about grout lines/sealing/etc. I just thought concrete = practical but maybe not!

I love the casements too and requested some for our house but only where practical. We will likely do double hung most places - although I would love to crank open my kitchen sink casement :)

I too love the carrera marble but I am a perfectionist which might mean marble is not the best choice for me. I will definitely check it out!

It sounds like you have been very practical with your purchases, which is my nature. It is very encouraging that you are where you are on a price point - and it sound like your finishes are fabulous. . . thanks for posting!

PS. I just looked at your pics, and LUCKY YOU! Fabulous house! I love the whole authentic "built over time" different siding look :) Perfect for your location.

Your helper is adorable too! How old is he? We have 3 boys and our youngest is 4 - they look about the same age.

You give me tremendous hope! Our high end title is only high end because I didn't think we could do it for less than our budget. We would be totally happy in your house though :) Just want a pretty house that ages well, and that is what you seem to be building. . .

P.S. You had a very talented residential designer!!! It has a very Historical Concepts/Spring Island/Ford Plantation look. Was that an inspiration?

My very favorite house ever was a family compound on Spring Island designed by Historical Concepts, with seperate bunkies for each family. Ripped it out of Southern Accents knowing we would never be able to built it but you have achieved a similar look. Congrats!

Thanks for your encouragement! It has been a really fun and really scary process, and although I have tried to enjoy all of it...now that we are in the final weeks I can't wait for it to be over. Plus we are renting a house after ours sold, so I am itching to be in our house finally.

Yes, Jim Strickland's designs are absolutely an inspiration...I love their work and I totally copied from them. Our designer made my napkin scratches (made over a weekend by the pool in Highlands NC two years ago!) into a reality for us and we have been pleased. Do you have Russell Versaci's books? If not, you would be inspired by them, I am sure.

The color of the garage was an experiment, so it may change soon. It looks much darker in the photos than it is in life, but it is still more of a "statement" than I wanted to make. I just wanted it to recede, because the roof line of the garage is somewhat high for the fact that it is an ancillary building. I'm not 100% on it yet, but I like that it adds a little whimsy to an otherwise boxy, trad design. We'll see. I don't mind a little "wonky" element here and there. It will help to let people know we are not taking ourselves too seriously!

My helper is my 2 and a half year old nephew...he had a ball with the masons but they probably did not have as much fun with him!

Don't you miss Southern Accents? So sad.

athens.....sorry!....I mustta been speed reading when I saw that 12,000sf....I went back and saw it was the house you were talking about built in Atl.....:(

Since you do plan on staying in this house a very long time...have yu considered ICF or geo?

athensmom-
The architect you are using looks great! Love the link to his website. I saw that someone above mentioned Bill Grant for a builder and I wanted to second that. My sister lives in Atlanta in one of his beautiful homes (she and her husband built it), and we would KILL to have him building for us here. The year after their house was finished, we were there for a Fourth of July celebration and Bill went by on a golf cart in a little parade. Everyone in their neighborhood was cheering and bowing down to him, while my husband and I looked at each other commenting, "if that were our builder, everyone would be throwing stuff!". 6 years later, he still follows up with them and takes care of things in their home. They plan to build with him again someday.

Doesn't sound like there's much of a recession going on.