"Hi Carl, I just finished reading your book "Be Your Own House Contractor" and it was great!
I just had a quick question, I was planning on building a new house of 3000 sq ft for the purpose of selling it and I wanted to know if I could do the cost estimating without having all the plans drawn out?
Is it enough to just know roughly how many sq ft the house you plan on building is?
Thanks Carl, M. S"
The key word here is “roughly” because all you can determine without an actual home plan is a very rough cost to build estimate.
The cost to build calculator will give you a very rough cost to build estimate based on zip code and various “Quality Classifications” for any square footage you select and new home options that you select that affect building costs (significantly).
That should give you at least a starting point.
If you are planning to build a “spec house” (Built for sale) do your market research carefully, especially in today’s housing market. Consult with a Realtor in the area in which you plan to build.
Good luck
Carl Heldmann, byoh.com