How Much Does it Cost to Build a Custom Home?

0:00
0:19 Introduction
1:01 Site Work
3:41 Foundation
4:00 Design
6:57 Bathrooms and Kitchens
8:31 Windows and Doors
9:57 Interior Finishes
14:19 Pre Construction
17:50 Conclusion
20:31 Solar Opportunity
How much does it cost to build a custom home? There's a reason it's not a simple answer you can just find anywhere! Casey breaks it down from the perspective of building in Ottawa, Ontario Canada, to help you feel prepared when budgeting and going into discussions with your contractor!
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Videos produced by The Conscious Builder Inc. are provided for informational purposes only. The information contained in the videos is intended to give general guidance to simplify residential construction projects. Because tools, products, materials, equipment, techniques, building codes and local regulations are continually changing, The Conscious Builder Inc cannot and does not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the information contained therein. Further, The Conscious Builder will not accept any claim for liability related to, but not limited to, omissions, errors, injury, damage or the outcome of any project. It is the responsibility of the viewer to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, codes and regulations for a project. The viewer must always take proper safety precautions and exercise caution when taking on any project. If there are any questions or doubts in regards to the element of a plan, please consult with a licensed professional.

[@ladyslipperland]

Super Thanx ! .....Nova Scotia

[@francesb-p2441]

This is awesome!

[@breannegibson9364]

Thank-you so much Casey for this video, exactly what I needed right now.

[@Theconsciousbuilder]

Thanks for watching Breanne! So glad it was helpful!

[@ZylkaLeftridge]

This was very informative! We have just starting our design for our house here in Ottawa! Can't wait to break ground :)

[@Theconsciousbuilder]

So glad it was helpful! Congratulations on starting your build!

[@joshdillingham1598]

As someone who is 2 years into a self build of a passive house(ish), doing 95% of the work as a one man crew, I love this video! The next time my wife gets frustrated with how long it's taking and asks why we can't just pay someone I'll throw out this $400 /sqft number and let her know our 2000 sqft house would have cost $800k instead of the $110k we are on pace to spend (not including well, septic, land and site work.)

[@Theconsciousbuilder]

This is definitely a great way to save money if you have the time and ability to do it!

[@bryjbry]

Hey, someone confirming my suspicion that you can still build for under $100/sq ft

[@kirankishore9934]

@@bryjbry I think both are right in their own context. Custom vs standard. Owner builder vs hiring a professional. Some cities have huge upfront costs like he said. Average city or Expensive city.

[@latitude48design]

Great video, Casey. I can say through my experience working on projects throughout BC that $400 a square foot is a common starting number. Of course, there are so many variables at play. In certain municipalities, let's say without bare land where you need to buy a tear down, you can easily spend $200-300k in planning, demo, permits, and site services before you even build anything. Deconstruction bylaws (recycling old homes) are becoming more commonplace and carry a big price tag.

[@Theconsciousbuilder]

Thanks so much for watching and for sharing your experience from out west!

[@ericscott3997]

Very well put together breakout on building costs, sets expectations and considerations very well. That said, when you said $400 sqft would be what you described as the starting point (excluding any site prep work or costs, that pretty much kills it for most people ever being able to build custom. It is what it is.

[@Theconsciousbuilder]

Thanks for watching, really appreciate the feedback. Certainly there are ways to build for less, and depending where you live, costs can vary a lot. This is a number that we find helps people budget for a project with eyes open and expectations realistic when working through the design and build process here in Ottawa.

[@cerealkilla4eva]

@@Theconsciousbuilder are you including basement and garage in the estimate? 400 seems to be on the higher end for us in Toronto but it wouldn’t surprise me due to inflation.

[@Theconsciousbuilder]

@@cerealkilla4eva It could depending on the design. You do, however, need to include the basement in the square footage calculation. We always measure to the outside of walls as well for a buffer.

[@raddadization]

It seems most builders will quote low and then ding you on all the upgrades for bath and kitchen such as appliances, tile, cabs and flooring

[@danydufort4562]

Another great edition of the conscious builder, well done ! Don't know where you find the time and energy to get these done, but I salute your commitment. What kind of building envelop is the 400$/ sq ft. based on.

[@Theconsciousbuilder]

Thanks Dany! Glad you're finding these useful, that makes it worth the time and energy. I couldn't do it without the support of my incredible Marketing team! 400$/sq ft is just a starting point to get ppl in the ballpark with a quality home build, if you're looking for more specifics on the costs of different building envelopes, check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGXcdqClltF5iJI

[@bryjbry]

$145/ sq ft here in AZ before Covid, $200+ now

[@dangelocharlton9971]

Great channel. This is awesome and I'm watching all the videos now. Is there a password on the estimating spreadsheet?

[@Theconsciousbuilder]

Thanks for watching, glad you're finding it useful! You can watch the video and get the spreadsheet here: app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/121274?v=7

[@SSSlayShrek]

I really like your approach and your style of presentation. I will be working on a custom home project a year from now. I hope i can use your expertise when that time comes.

[@Theconsciousbuilder]

Thanks for watching! Hope we can help with your project too!

[@MrBaconis]

What would you say about multi unit builds? 5 plex and up.

[@cerealkilla4eva]

Totally different set of rules as there are various plumbing, electric, and HVAC requirements involved that need to be tailored to specific projects and the variability is too great to give any sort of sft rates.

[@MrBaconis]

​@@cerealkilla4evaI suppose more of a general "this aspect will cost more per swft, this aspect will cost less". Obviously way more fixtures, but theoretically some savings on site work and foundation/roof..

[@Theconsciousbuilder]

​@@MrBaconis We don't have any of our own data to work on but if we're talking about the building only, I suspect it will be similar if not more. You'll spend more on interior finishes because you'll have more kitchens and bathrooms taking up a higher percentage of space and you'll also have more HVAC equipment and fire separation requirements. There will be savings on exterior finishes, windows and doors though as you'll have more shared walls.

[@gordoncrespo2045]

$400 Canadian?

[@Theconsciousbuilder]

Yes, we are based in Ottawa ON in Canada

[@JB-ej2qy]

What are you drinking? The Kool aid is not that expensive. Base model 150-200 sq ft 😮😂