Free · NAHB 2024 cost data · No sign-up
Estimate the cost to build a house, or find out how big a house your budget can build, from buying land to moving in.
Since Q4 2024, building materials are up 11.7% and construction wages 8.0% (BLS, to September 2026), about 9.9% blended. NAHB published its last survey on January 20, 2025 and hasn't announced the next; on its two-year cycle we expect it in early 2027.
The NAHB average home: mid-range cabinets, quartz, LVP, vinyl windows. Changes cabinets, counters, flooring, siding, roofing, windows, doors, appliances, fixtures and the driveway only.
Leave at 0 if you're your own contractor. NAHB 2024: overhead and profit equal about 26% of construction cost.
| Stage / Item | Amount | % of construction | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. Site Work | $24,624 | 7.6% | NAHB 2024 |
| Building permit fees | $5,756 | 1.8% | NAHB 2024 |
| Impact fee | $4,797 | 1.5% | NAHB 2024 |
| Water & sewer fees, inspections | $4,797 | 1.5% | NAHB 2024 |
| Architecture & engineering | $4,797 | 1.5% | NAHB 2024 |
| Other site work | $4,477 | 1.4% | NAHB 2024 |
| II. Foundations | $34,020 | 10.5% | NAHB 2024 |
| Excavation, foundation, concrete, retaining walls & backfill | $32,712 | 10.1% | NAHB 2024 |
| Other foundation costs | $1,308 | 0.4% | NAHB 2024 |
| III. Framing | $53,784 | 16.6% | NAHB 2024 |
| Framing (including roof) | $37,812 | 11.7% | NAHB 2024 |
| Trusses | $9,779 | 3.0% | NAHB 2024 |
| Sheathing | $4,889 | 1.5% | NAHB 2024 |
| General metal & steel | $1,304 | 0.4% | NAHB 2024 |
| IV. Exterior Finishes | $43,416 | 13.4% | NAHB 2024 |
| Exterior wall finish | $18,468 | 5.7% | NAHB 2024 |
| Roofing | $12,636 | 3.9% | NAHB 2024 |
| Windows & doors (including garage door) | $11,988 | 3.7% | NAHB 2024 |
| Other exterior | $324 | 0.1% | NAHB 2024 |
| V. Major Systems Rough-Ins | $62,208 | 19.2% | NAHB 2024 |
| Plumbing (except fixtures) | $20,412 | 6.3% | NAHB 2024 |
| Electrical (except fixtures) | $20,736 | 6.4% | NAHB 2024 |
| HVAC | $20,412 | 6.3% | NAHB 2024 |
| Other systems | $648 | 0.2% | NAHB 2024 |
| VI. Interior Finishes | $78,084 | 24.1% | NAHB 2024 |
| Insulation | $5,120 | 1.6% | NAHB 2024 |
| Drywall | $10,561 | 3.3% | NAHB 2024 |
| Interior trim, doors & mirrors | $9,600 | 3.0% | NAHB 2024 |
| Painting | $8,320 | 2.6% | NAHB 2024 |
| Lighting | $4,160 | 1.3% | NAHB 2024 |
| Cabinets & countertops | $14,401 | 4.4% | NAHB 2024 |
| Appliances | $5,760 | 1.8% | NAHB 2024 |
| Flooring | $11,521 | 3.6% | NAHB 2024 |
| Plumbing fixtures | $6,080 | 1.9% | NAHB 2024 |
| Fireplace | $1,920 | 0.6% | NAHB 2024 |
| Other interior | $640 | 0.2% | NAHB 2024 |
| VII. Final Steps | $21,060 | 6.5% | NAHB 2024 |
| Landscaping | $7,128 | 2.2% | NAHB 2024 |
| Outdoor structures (deck, patio, porches) | $3,564 | 1.1% | NAHB 2024 |
| Driveway | $7,452 | 2.3% | NAHB 2024 |
| Clean up | $2,268 | 0.7% | NAHB 2024 |
| Other final steps | $648 | 0.2% | NAHB 2024 |
| VIII. Other | $6,804 | 2.1% | NAHB 2024 |
| Construction subtotal | $324,000 | 100.0% | |
| Contingency (10%) | $32,400 | ||
| Total estimated cost | $356,400 |
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How it works
Enter the house size you have in mind to see the cost, or enter your budget to see how big a house it can build.
Every estimate starts from the NAHB 2024 survey, split into the 8 stages builders use, from site work to final steps.
Replace any stage or line item with a contractor quote, then add land, overhead and a contingency.
Plan the whole project
Track every cost from buying land to moving in: 18 phases and 130 line items, with the ones people most often forget flagged.
Price an attached or detached garage line by line, with your state's labor costs.
Price a garage →Turn the total into a monthly payment before you talk to a lender.
Work out repayments →Where every number comes from, and how the calculator uses it.
See the methodology →The guide
The most reliable national benchmark is the NAHB 2024 Cost of Constructing a Home survey. These are national averages across all US regions and home types.
Your own cost depends on where you build, the design, the finishes and current local prices. Building material costs rose 6.7% over the 12 months to July 2026, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (July 2026). The calculator lets you use NAHB 2024 as published, add an inflation adjustment, or switch to our 2026 line-by-line update, and replace any line with your own quote.
Dark bar: QuickBuildCost 2026 rate. Light bar and second figure: NAHB 2024 basis. How finish levels are calculated
A simple rectangular plan costs less per square foot than multiple roof lines, bump-outs or complex angles. When comparing builder quotes, confirm exactly what each price per square foot includes: some builders include landscaping, the driveway or appliances, and others don't.
NAHB splits construction into eight stages, shown as a share of total construction cost. These shares drive the calculator's estimates.
Interior finishes are the largest stage at 24.1%, which is why flooring, cabinets and fixtures move the total so much. Major systems rough-ins come second at 19.2% and don't scale down much with a simpler design.
| Stage | Share | 1,500 sq ft | 2,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. Site Work | 7.6% | $18,468 | $24,624 |
| II. Foundations | 10.5% | $25,515 | $34,020 |
| III. Framing | 16.6% | $40,338 | $53,784 |
| IV. Exterior Finishes | 13.4% | $32,562 | $43,416 |
| V. Major Systems Rough-Ins | 19.2% | $46,656 | $62,208 |
| VI. Interior Finishes | 24.1% | $58,563 | $78,084 |
| VII. Final Steps | 6.5% | $15,795 | $21,060 |
| VIII. Other | 2.1% | $5,103 | $6,804 |
| Construction total | 100% | $243,000 | $324,000 |
Example only, at the NAHB 2024 national average of $162/sq ft. Includes NAHB's site work stage. Excludes land, builder overhead and profit, contingency and soft costs.
The I have a budget tab works backwards. Example: a $500,000 budget, $80,000 land, 10% contingency and about 26% builder overhead and profit (NAHB's 5.7% overhead and 11.0% profit of the sales price, as a markup on construction cost).
That is about 1,871 sq ft on one floor or about 935 sq ft per floor on two. Acting as your own general contractor? Set overhead and profit to 0% and the same budget stretches further.
Two stories share one foundation and one roof, which can lower the cost per square foot. Stairs, stronger floor framing, scaffolding and longer plumbing and HVAC runs add some back. NAHB doesn't publish costs by story count, so enter your builder's quoted difference in the story adjustment field.
House size and cost per sq ft →Get written quotes from at least three contractors for each major stage, all pricing the same plans, finishes and site. Ask for a breakdown by stage: a stage far below the national share may mean scope has been left out or cheaper materials are planned.
How to compare builder bids →Land isn't in NAHB's construction figures, and grading, fill and utility runs can add a lot.
Land clearing and site prep →Building adds land, site work, utility connections, soft costs, loan interest, temporary housing and your time. Buying adds closing costs and any repairs. Which wins depends on your local market, so compare real builder quotes with current listings.
How to compare build and buy →Factory-built savings narrow once land, foundation, site work and delivery are added.
All the ways to save →A construction loan pays out in stages called draws, each released after an inspector confirms the stage is done. You usually pay interest only on what has been drawn. At completion it is paid off with a mortgage or converts to one (a construction-to-permanent, or single-close, loan).
Milestones vary by lender. Check the draw schedule before you start so each contractor can be paid from the right draw. Construction loans explained
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A tiny house can cost $30,000 to $70,000 to build, but where you can live in it matters more. Wheels or foundation, the tiny house code and costs people miss.
Your inputs stay in your browser, so you can come back and refine the estimate as quotes arrive.
Cost figures are national averages from the NAHB 2024 Cost of Constructing a Home survey and are not a quote for a specific project. See data sources and methodology.
