On average we see cost per square foot range from about $300 – $400 for new homes. Since the very nature of custom construction is unique and variable it can be difficult to establish an average range of cost per square foot. The cost is directly related to the “level of finish” you choose for your home. Therefore, you have significant control of the cost and can make choices to maintain a budget and secure quality construction

The best way to get accurate pricing is to have your project well defined. Complete plans and specifications will give a solid basis for current pricing since the preferred products and finishes have already been identified. This will narrow the window for “guessing” or unrealistic allowances that may significantly skew an overall estimate. If you plan to obtain competitive bids for your project, be sure the bidders follow the plans and specifications exactly. This will eliminate any “corner cutting” to produce an unrealistic or impractical low bid

Certain parts of home construction cost more than other parts. Kitchens and baths are more expensive to build than bedrooms or closets. Likewise, certain elements and finishes of the home will tend to drive up cost significantly. Custom construction typically utilizes higher grade floorings, roofing, countertops, carpets, plumbing fixtures, lighting fixtures, and a host of exterior low maintenance products. In estimating the overall cost of your home, be aware of the selections that will quickly add to the cost. The overall design of the home will factor into the average cost as well. A two-story rectangular shaped home with a simple gable roof will cost less than a home with many jogs or angles in the exterior resulting in multiple roof lines. The careful combination of all these factors in the design phase will produce a balanced result within the budget of the Owner. Another factor that can potentially drive up the cost of your new home is making changes to the plan, design, or finish selections during construction. Making finish selections or design detail decisions while construction is underway opens the door for unexpected changes that can have a ripple effect throughout the whole project. Therefore, you as the Owner, can avoid expensive changes by making choices and decisions during the design phase.

The choice to get multiple bids on your project is completely up to you. For some this is just a standard procedure to hopefully get the best deal. Overall, competitive bidding must be carefully balanced to get a good price, good value, and good quality. In custom home construction the best price will not necessarily be the best quality. Reviewing and comparing bids can be confusing if you are not familiar with building products or building methods. Everyone wants a quality-built home, so they must trust the Builder to use good materials and construction practices. Therefore, selecting a builder becomes more a choice of trust rather than cheapest price. Find someone you can trust and that has a good reputation in the area. Ask for references from previous Owners and take some time to research your options

A change order is a written request by the Owner or the Builder for a change to a construction project already in process. The change order is issued when a customer makes a change that revises the scope of work and the cost of the work ordered by the contract. The change order should outline what the change is, how it changes the contract amount, and how it affects the construction schedule if applicable. Once a change order is processed by the Builder, it must be approved by both the Owner and Builder before the change takes place. While change orders can slow construction progress, they are an important tool to track schedule revisions and budget changes. They also provide a clear way for an Owner to communicate and execute changes to the project – which helps avoid expensive mistakes and misunderstandings.

The choice of what design services to hire is completely up to you. There is no requirement in the State of Washington that a home be designed by an architect. If you have seen and liked a particular architect’s work, it would be a great idea to meet with them and talk about your design. Architects are highly skilled in the design profession and can offer advice and guidance on developing a particular design theme if you are not even sure where to start or what you want in a home design

This is largely dependent on the size and complexity of the home and what type of design/development services you hire. Licensed architect fees typically range from 8-12% of the cost of the construction. Non-licensed home designers can typically develop a new home design, produce all of the technical drawings, and complete the specification package for around 3-6% of the total cost of the construction project. Again, complexity plays a big factor in the cost of the design.

All new home construction will require a building permit from the appropriate county or city building department. For the permit process a complete plan of the proposed construction with specific details is required. With the new building codes, energy codes, and structural engineering requirements, it can be difficult to develop this working blueprint on your own. If you are working with an architect or designer to develop a home design, the result should be a blueprint that’s suitable for permit and construction. At Yonkman Construction, we offer pre-construction services to aid and guide our clients through the project design and permitting process.

The design process can take several months to complete. It all depends upon who you hired to do your design work and the size/scope of the project. It can also depend on the quality of the design and completeness of the plan. Development of an average design can take 3-5 months and can even go as long as 6-10 months. Much of that time involves the client deciding what they really want and settling on their preferred layout and exterior design. Since developing a custom home design is creating specialized space for you to enjoy, we strongly encourage clients not to rush through the design phase. The actual drafting of the final plans is a relatively small percentage of the time investment once the layout and features of the home are decided upon.

Basic structural engineering by a licensed engineer is not required by the building code. In some specific cases, the building code will require engineering if the design varies from the basic design parameters set forth by the code. Architects and home designers typically hire a structural engineer to review the plans and produce structural calculations. Due to the wide range of building design in custom homes, this process will ensure a quality structure.

There are hundreds of choices to make when building a new home. As the Owner makes selections for their project, this information must be recorded. This record becomes the specifications for the project. Most often it is the responsibility of the architect or designer to compile the specifications of a project since they are working with you to make these choices and recommend products and finishes. Since it is nearly impossible to get all the Owner’s choices and selections written into a construction blueprint, the specification manual becomes an orderly way to compile the smaller details of the project. The specifications become a supplemental manual to the blueprints. It is also easier to update the specifications rather than the plan when selections change. In custom home construction, detailed specifications are very important. They provide the guide for cost estimating and resource during construction to ensure that every detail an Owner requested is included in the project. We typically produce a specification package for every new home design that we produce. Our specification manuals can sometimes be 40-50 pages of information detailing every part of the project. During the pre-construction phase we will often consult with the architect/home designer and Owner to develop the specifications manual. We feel that this attention to detail is essential to the quality standard that sets us apart. Specifications are a very important part of the decision of who you hire for design and actual construction. Typically, is the architect or designer’s job to produce detailed specifications for the projects they design, therefore, it’s important to find out what they will provide. How complete will the specification package be? It is inefficient for a builder to have a blueprint that lacks good specifications since so much time is invested into figuring out all the finishes, products, and fixtures for a home as it is being built. This inefficiency is greatly reduced when the home specifications have been determined and approved by the Owner prior to construction. It is an extraordinary benefit to have accurate specifications in the estimating phase of the project. If products, fixtures, finishes, flooring, doors, windows, siding, etc. are all selected ahead of time, it becomes much easier to price out the project accurately.

The answer is, yes. There are thousands of plans available through websites, books, and magazines that are “stock” plans developed by architects and designers. They can be purchased at a reduced rate since the design/drafting cost is recovered through selling multiple copies. The difficulty comes when you want to make a change to a stock plan or update it to local building codes. These things can sometimes be done by the plan seller, but it usually is an extra charge to the basic plan fee. Overall, the decision to buy stock plans must be balanced by the value of the product you get. How complete are the plans? Is a site plan included? Do they include specifications? Will they require engineering? Do they meet local building codes? Will the local building department accept the plans as sufficient for permitting? How many copies of the plans will I get? Is this really the design/layout I want? We believe that custom home construction is all about individuality and creative design. By utilizing a local architect or designer, you will have the flexibility to express your ideas completely and modify your plan as your ideas develop.

A feasibility study is an evaluation of the suitability of your proposed building site for residential construction. The purpose of the feasibility study is to provide you with a report that will give you the assurance you need to build on your site. Knowing potential site issues before you build can save you money and disappointment down the road. In some cases, it may be worthwhile to complete a site feasibility study before you purchase a building site. That way, you will have an opportunity to discover and evaluate unforeseen site issues prior to building the home of your dreams. Major issues a feasibility study looks at: Power Availability Septic and/or Sewer Issues Well or City Water Easements Restrictions and Covenants Zoning Clearing Cost Property Access Required Permits Mitigation / Impact Fees

Distance to Nearest Power Source Distance to Sewer Connection Distance to Water Connection Sloping Topography Drainage and “Perk-ability”

The decision to obtain a feasibility study for your property is a personal choice. There is no requirement to obtain one. It should be noted, however, that your Purchase and Sales Agreement has a Feasibility Contingency Clause. This Contingency Clause puts the responsibility on the Buyers shoulders to verify that the property can be platted, developed, and/or built on. The Feasibility Contingency allows you time to research site issues and feel comfortable with your findings.

Specific building requirements, including setbacks, height limits and restrictions on where your home may be constructed Building Permit availability – what will the County or City ordinances require? Is your property in a development with its own specific Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions? Are there any growth mitigation or impact fees that must be paid? Are the property lines clear and the property corners located? Is my property located in a Critical Area (wetlands, shorelines, endangered species habitat, flood hazard area, archeologically sensitive area, noise zone, etc.)?

You may feel overwhelmed with the research required to answer these feasibility questions. Don’t worry, we can help. At your request we can perform a site review and issue a feasibility study that will cover pertinent building issues. Our professional and experienced staff can review your site and offer sound advice on how to deal with potential challenges. The site feasibility report will give you the confidence to purchase property and build your dream home, knowing you have made a fully informed decision.