Great video for helping with me understand home builder costs and the best way to approach the quoting process and comparison.

I’m a GC in Southern California. All your advice is well thought out and I can concur with you.

I have a lot in Cotipaxi, planning on building when I retire.

I have thoroughly enjoyed watchig all of your videos.

Fixed price contract builder's in my area do not include allowances. All services and items are spelled out in detail in their contract. This requires the design to be complete with a fully detailed set of architectural drawings and written specifications. This method requires more time and monetary investment upfront by the client in the planning stage but results in much better information and accurate quotes from prospective builders. The other method that builder's in my area use is cost plus which utilizes allowances because the design details and finish selections have not been developed.

It is very hard for a first time homebuilder that knows nothing about fixtures and allowances and all the minutiea of kitchens, baths, flooring, fixtures, carpet etc and what one would want to really ask questions and compare apples to apples. I have no idea what fixtures I want or what flooring or what cabinets. I am going to have to rely on the builders expertise on this. For my area northern NV/CA Lake Tahoe, Reno, Truckee I spoke with what I determined are the three top custom luxury home builders. Each said $500 sq ft. Lot is not included and you are looking at 200-500 range for lots .25-1 acre depending on variables like location andview. I was looking at a nice view lot of the Sierra's in a gated community (monthly HOA $300) and it was $400,000 but it went into contract- still showing. I spoke with another lower tier builder and he said $400-500 sq ft. You can buy a semi custom home from a local or nation builder (Toll Brothers, Ryder etc) that is building a bunch of homes and you can choose from 8 or more floor plans and they send you to an interior designer and then you customize by picking out your flooring, fixtures, cabinets, carpet etc and a house like that sellsfor in the $200- $300 sq ft range. I sat down with a custom luxury builder family operation that I clicked with. That is the best screening process I could apply. It is family owner father I met my age 65, 2 sons, wife team and they do it all. They have been at it for decades and have built award winning luxury homes as well as spec homes. One son is a realtor, wife does interior design, they have architect they use for years, sub contractors and on their website you see their beautiful luxury home product and they get 5 star reviews online. So that is how I choose a builder the best I could do...gut feeling. 😮 I hope it works out. I am just getting started looking for a suitable lot so no financial commitment yet. 24:23

Any thoughts on Amish builders. I'm building in Michigan and just received an estimate from a local, knowledgeable builder. I reached out to a few people in the area to see if his number was the going rate for a custom home in the area. They all said I should get a bid from an Amish builder. Don't Amish builders still get supplies from local suppliers? Are you mainly saving on labor costs?

You are so awesome!! I wish you built in my state ❤

Keep up with the awesome content!

I’m in south Denver metro area. We’ve been quoted $450-$500/ sq ft after infrastructure! We are involving builder with the lot buying process. But is this just for California millionaires. We’re looking at $700-$900 build cost on top of a $300-600 lot cost. Yikes.

Great content

Do know any good builders using ICF or the like in the Washington Olympic Peninsula?

IMHO, price per square foot is useless because you are gonna have a lot of fixed costs that don't depend on square footage. So the price per sqft for a 1000 sqft home is gonna be much different from the price per sqft of a 4000 sqft home. It's much cheaper to add additional bedrooms than a kitchen.

What IF, the cost of custom homes is lower in one State than Another ? For example, TEXAS has nice custom homes from 300k. what would I need to do to build the same type of home in my State ? NM. or would I need to buy the Material from one builder have another construct it ? ANY IDEAS ?

Thanks ,Great content what is the typical profit margin of. a Builder 25% ?

Can you go to a supplier to check out prices. If you want to pick the things yourself can we ask if we can get their discount? What if you want a hidden room with counters and open shelves have them paint and add ultra violet lights hard wired and other outlets? 😊

Unfortunately I was just happy to have one call me back

Any suggestions for very good custom builders in Tampa. Seems like very few who build 3500 sq feet or less with Hugh end finishes and appliances like sub zero/wolf. Thanks