The QuickBuildCost calculator is built on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) survey of what it costs to build a typical new single-family home. The latest edition put construction at $162 per square foot, split across 36 cost lines from building permits to the final clean-up.[1] It is the best public breakdown there is, but it describes prices at the end of 2024, and NAHB only runs the survey about every two years.
Until the next edition arrives, the calculator gives you two ways to bring those figures up to date: a single inflation adjustment you can set yourself, or our line-by-line update, which moves each of the 36 lines with the federal price index that best matches it. This page explains the second method, every index we used, what the different finish levels add, and when new data is due.
Key takeaways
- NAHB 2024 put construction at $162 per sq ft. Updated line by line to September 2026, we estimate about $174.52 per sq ft, 7.7% higher.
- Since late 2024, the broad federal index for single-family building materials is up 11.7% and construction wages are up 8.0%.
- Finish level matters more than inflation: on our 2026 rates, a basic finish comes to about $162 per sq ft and a luxury finish about $240.
- NAHB has not announced its next survey. On its two-year cycle we expect it in early 2027. The next federal price data is due November 13, 2026.
Why the 2024 figures need updating
NAHB emailed its 2024 questionnaire to a sample of 4,000 builders and ran the survey toward the end of 2024. The results were published on January 20, 2025.[1] The previous edition, for 2022, was published on February 1, 2023.[2] Before that the survey ran in 2019, 2017, 2015 and 2013, so the gap between editions is usually two years.[1]
Prices have kept moving in the meantime. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes a monthly producer price index (PPI) for the goods that go into single-family homes. From the October to December 2024 average to September 2026, that index rose 11.7%.[4] Average hourly earnings for construction workers rose 8.0% over the same period, from about $36.28 to $39.20.[5]
When new data arrives
NAHB: no date announced. If NAHB keeps its two-year cycle, a 2026 survey would be published around early 2027. That is our estimate, not an NAHB announcement.
BLS price indexes: October 2026 data is due on November 13, 2026, and November data on December 15, 2026.[3] We refresh the factors on this page as new months are published.
Two ways to adjust the calculator
In the calculator, open Cost data and choose one of these:
- NAHB 2024, adjusted for inflation. Keeps NAHB's published breakdown and raises every line by one percentage that you choose. We suggest 9.9%, which is half the 11.7% materials change and half the 8.0% wage change. You can type any figure, for example one your builder gives you.
- QuickBuildCost 2026. Updates each line separately with its own index, so lines whose materials barely moved stay close to the 2024 figure and lines that rose sharply go up more.
The two give different answers. The line-by-line update comes to 7.7%, less than the 9.9% blanket figure, because many of the specific materials in a house, such as concrete, gypsum board and insulation, rose far less than the broad goods index. That index weights in energy and many other products, some of which rose much faster.
| 2,000 sq ft house, construction only | Rate per sq ft | Construction cost |
|---|---|---|
| NAHB 2024 as published | $162.00 | $324,000 |
| NAHB 2024 + 9.9% inflation | $178.04 | $356,076 |
| QuickBuildCost 2026, line by line | $174.52 | $349,046 |
How we update each cost line
NAHB's figures include everything a builder pays for each item: their own labor, subcontractors and materials.[1] So each line has to move with both material prices and wages. For every line we:
- Took NAHB's 2024 share of construction cost for that line.
- Picked the BLS index that best matches the line's main material, for example softwood lumber for framing and gypsum products for drywall.
- Measured the index change from its October to December 2024 average, to match when NAHB ran the survey, to September 2026, the latest month published.
- Treated half of the line as materials and half as labor, and moved the labor half with construction wages.[5]
Government fees work differently. Permit, impact, water and sewer fees are set locally and don't follow material prices, so we moved them with the Consumer Price Index (up 6.2%), which is the general measure of inflation.[6] Architecture and engineering moved with the PPI for architectural services (up 1.7%).
The assumption to know about
The 50/50 split between materials and labor is our assumption. NAHB doesn't publish the split for each line, and the true share varies: drywall finishing is mostly labor, appliances are mostly product. If your builder gives you a real figure for a line, enter it as a quote and it replaces our estimate.
All 36 cost lines and the index behind each
The material change is the index movement from late 2024 to September 2026. The line change blends it with the 8.0% wage change, except for the four fee lines, which move with their index only. Each index name links to its data on FRED, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis database that republishes the BLS series.
| NAHB 2024 line | Share | Index used | Material change | Line change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building permit fees | 1.8% | CPI, all items | +6.2% | +6.2% |
| Impact fee | 1.5% | CPI, all items | +6.2% | +6.2% |
| Water & sewer fees, inspections | 1.5% | CPI, all items | +6.2% | +6.2% |
| Architecture & engineering | 1.5% | PPI architectural services | +1.7% | +1.8% |
| Other site work | 1.4% | PPI single-family construction inputs (goods) | +11.7% | +9.9% |
| Excavation, foundation, concrete, retaining walls & backfill | 10.0% | PPI ready-mix concrete | +2.3% | +5.2% |
| Other foundation costs | 0.4% | PPI ready-mix concrete | +2.3% | +5.2% |
| Framing (including roof) | 11.6% | PPI softwood lumber | +7.9% | +8.0% |
| Trusses | 3.0% | PPI wood trusses | +3.8% | +5.9% |
| Sheathing | 1.5% | PPI plywood | +12.8% | +10.4% |
| General metal & steel | 0.4% | PPI structural and architectural metal | +15.2% | +11.6% |
| Exterior wall finish | 5.7% | PPI brick and clay tile + PPI asphalt roofing and siding | +3.0% | +5.5% |
| Roofing | 3.9% | PPI asphalt roofing and siding | +3.3% | +5.7% |
| Windows & doors (including garage door) | 3.7% | PPI wood windows and doors | +5.8% | +6.9% |
| Other exterior | 0.1% | PPI single-family construction inputs (goods) | +11.7% | +9.9% |
| Plumbing (except fixtures) | 6.3% | PPI plumbing fixtures and fittings | +12.7% | +10.4% |
| Electrical (except fixtures) | 6.4% | PPI wire and cable + PPI wiring devices | +21.9% | +14.9% |
| HVAC | 6.3% | PPI air conditioning equipment | +10.0% | +9.0% |
| Other systems | 0.2% | PPI single-family construction inputs (goods) | +11.7% | +9.9% |
| Insulation | 1.6% | PPI insulation | +2.7% | +5.4% |
| Drywall | 3.3% | PPI gypsum products | +2.0% | +5.0% |
| Interior trim, doors & mirrors | 3.0% | PPI wood windows and doors | +5.8% | +6.9% |
| Painting | 2.6% | PPI prepared paint | +7.9% | +8.0% |
| Lighting | 1.3% | PPI lighting fixtures | +8.1% | +8.1% |
| Cabinets & countertops | 4.5% | PPI wood cabinets and countertops | +6.8% | +7.4% |
| Appliances | 1.8% | PPI household appliances | +2.2% | +5.1% |
| Flooring | 3.6% | PPI carpet and rugs + PPI hardwood lumber | +5.7% | +6.9% |
| Plumbing fixtures | 1.9% | PPI plumbing fixtures and fittings | +12.7% | +10.4% |
| Fireplace | 0.6% | PPI heating equipment | +9.4% | +8.7% |
| Other interior | 0.2% | PPI single-family construction inputs (goods) | +11.7% | +9.9% |
| Landscaping | 2.2% | PPI single-family construction inputs (goods) | +11.7% | +9.9% |
| Outdoor structures (deck, patio, porches) | 1.1% | PPI softwood lumber | +7.9% | +8.0% |
| Driveway | 2.3% | PPI ready-mix concrete | +2.3% | +5.2% |
| Clean up | 0.7% | PPI single-family construction inputs (goods) | +11.7% | +9.9% |
| Other final steps | 0.2% | PPI single-family construction inputs (goods) | +11.7% | +9.9% |
| Other costs | 2.1% | PPI single-family construction inputs (goods) | +11.7% | +9.9% |
Weighted by NAHB's shares, the lines add up to a 7.73% increase, which takes $162 per square foot to about $174.52. Electrical rough-in rose the most, because wire and cable prices are up sharply. Among the building lines, concrete, drywall, insulation and appliances rose the least.
What basic to luxury finishes add
NAHB describes the average new home, so its figures sit at what most people would call standard finishes. Choosing cheaper or more expensive finishes changes a handful of lines a lot and leaves the structure, systems and fees alone. The calculator's finish level adjusts these thirteen lines only.
For each line we took published installed-cost ranges for a low, middle and high product tier, used the middle of each range, and divided by the middle tier. The middle tier is treated as standard. Premium sits halfway between standard and luxury where no single product fits.
| Line | Basic | Standard | Premium | Luxury | Tiers compared |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinets & countertops | ×0.55 | ×1 | ×1.56 | ×2.04 | Stock, semi-custom, custom cabinets; laminate, quartz, granite, marble tops |
| Flooring | ×0.69 | ×1 | ×1.58 | ×2.54 | Standard vinyl plank, luxury vinyl plank, engineered hardwood, solid hardwood |
| Exterior wall finish | ×0.81 | ×1 | ×1.50 | ×2.00 | Vinyl, fiber cement, fiber cement to brick, brick |
| Roofing | ×1 | ×1 | ×2.00 | ×3.00 | Asphalt, architectural shingles, metal, clay or concrete tile |
| Windows & doors | ×0.82 | ×1 | ×2.00 | ×2.27 | Aluminum, vinyl, fiberglass, wood windows |
| Interior trim & doors | ×1 | ×1 | ×1.33 | ×1.74 | Hollow-core, solid-core, solid wood doors |
| Appliances | ×0.44 | ×1 | ×1.73 | ×2.45 | Budget, mid-range, high-end kitchen packages |
| Plumbing fixtures | ×0.41 | ×1 | ×1.66 | ×2.33 | Toilet, faucet and shower sets, budget to luxury |
| Driveway | ×0.85 | ×1 | ×1.56 | ×2.12 | Asphalt, concrete, concrete to pavers, pavers |
| HVAC | ×0.84 | ×1 | ×1.25 | ×1.70 | SEER 14, SEER 15, SEER 18, SEER 20 systems |
| Outdoor structures | ×1 | ×1 | ×1.24 | ×1.47 | Pressure-treated wood deck, pressure-treated to composite, composite |
| Fireplace | ×0.62 | ×1 | ×1.75 | ×3.85 | Electric, prefab wood-burning, masonry, mason-built brick |
| Painting | ×1 | ×1 | ×1.22 | ×1.43 | Standard paint job, standard to premium, premium paint job |
Put together, the finish level moves the whole construction cost much more than two years of inflation has:
| Finish level | NAHB 2024 basis | QuickBuildCost 2026 basis | 2,000 sq ft (2026 basis) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $148.18 | $159.69 | $319,378 |
| Standard | $162.00 | $174.52 | $349,046 |
| Premium | $198.70 | $213.71 | $427,419 |
| Luxury | $236.29 | $253.92 | $507,842 |
Where the tier prices come from
- Cabinets: $100 to $300 per linear foot installed for stock, $150 to $650 for semi-custom and $500 to $1,200 for custom.[7]
- Countertops: laminate $8 to $27, quartz $15 to $70, granite $15 to $140 and marble $15 to $190 per square foot, plus $10 to $30 per square foot to install.[8]
- Flooring: standard vinyl plank $2 to $7 and luxury vinyl plank $3 to $10 per square foot installed[9]; engineered hardwood $4.50 to $16 and solid hardwood $5 to $28.[10]
- Siding: vinyl $3 to $12, fiber cement $5 to $13.50 and brick $9 to $28 per square foot. This page was last updated in 2022, so we use it for the ratio between materials, not the prices.[11]
- Roofing: asphalt shingles $3 to $7, architectural shingles $4 to $6, metal $7 to $13 and clay or concrete tile $10 to $20 per square foot installed.[12]
- Windows: about $450 installed for aluminum, $550 for vinyl, $1,100 for fiberglass and $1,250 for wood.[13]
- Interior doors: hollow-core $30 to $400, solid-core $70 to $500 and solid wood $160 to $590 or more each.[14]
- Driveways: asphalt $7 to $15, concrete $8 to $18 and pavers $5 to $50 per square foot.[15]
- Kitchen appliance packages: $1,200 to $2,100 budget, $2,100 to $5,400 mid-range and $5,400 to $13,000 high-end.[16]
- Bathroom fixtures: toilets $200 to $400, $400 to $800 and $800 to $2,000; faucets $50 to $150, $150 to $400 and $400 to $1,000; showers or tubs $500 to $1,500, $1,500 to $3,500 and $3,500 to $8,000 for budget, mid-range and high-end.[17]
- HVAC: air-source heat pump systems at $1,600 to $4,900 for SEER 14, $1,800 to $5,900 for SEER 15, $2,900 to $6,700 for SEER 18 and $3,600 to $9,500 for SEER 20. We treat SEER 15 as standard. The source doesn't say whether these include installation, so we use them only for the ratio between tiers.[18]
- Decks: decking costs $2 to $5 per square foot for pressure-treated wood (average $3.50) and $12 to $22 for composite (average $17), plus $15 to $35 per square foot for labor. Pressure-treated is treated as standard and basic, since nothing cheaper is common. Ipe works out about the same as composite. We use decks as the guide for the whole outdoor structures line, which also covers patios and porches.[19]
- Fireplaces: electric $200 to $3,000, traditional prefab wood-burning $1,900 to $3,300 and masonry $3,500 to $5,600 installed, while an authentic mason-built brick fireplace costs $10,000 or more. Prefab wood-burning is treated as standard. The luxury factor uses the $10,000 floor, so it is a minimum. Gas fireplaces ($2,300 to $10,000) span too many tiers to place.[20]
- Painting: $2 to $3 per square foot for a basic job (walls only), $3 to $4 for standard (walls, ceilings and trim with good paint) and $4 to $6 for premium (extensive prep and high-end paint). A new house needs every surface painted, so basic stays at the standard price and the premium job sets the luxury level.[21]
These guides publish consumer prices that include the installer's margin, so we only use them for the ratio between tiers, not as dollar amounts. Lighting and landscaping also vary with taste, but we couldn't find national prices split by quality level for them, only prices by fixture type or project size, so they stay at the national average. Enter a quote for those lines if you plan something special.
What this research can and can’t tell you
This is a planning update, not a new survey. It assumes the mix of work in an average house is the same as in 2024 and that national price changes reach every region equally. Neither is exactly true. Local labor shortages, tariffs on imported materials and a builder's own buying power can all move your price further than any national index.
Price indexes also only cover goods made or sold in the US market they sample, and some materials, such as much of the luxury vinyl plank sold today, are imported. When NAHB publishes its next survey, we will switch the calculator to the new figures and compare them with this estimate on this page.
For a real budget, use the calculator's quote fields. Any line you price with your own rate or lump sum replaces our estimate, at every finish level. Our guides on interior finishes and comparing builder bids show what to ask for.
Switch between NAHB 2024 and QuickBuildCost 2026, pick a finish level, and add your own quotes for any line.
Frequently asked questions
Which rate should I use in the calculator?
For a current estimate, the QuickBuildCost 2026 rate is the more detailed option, because it moves each cost line with its own price index. Use NAHB 2024 as published if you want to match NAHB figures quoted elsewhere, or add your own inflation percentage if your builder gives you one.
When will NAHB release new construction cost data?
NAHB has not announced a date. The 2022 survey was published on February 1, 2023 and the 2024 survey on January 20, 2025, so if the two-year cycle holds we expect the next one around early 2027.
How much have building costs gone up since 2024?
From late 2024 to September 2026, the BLS producer price index for single-family construction goods rose 11.7% and average hourly earnings in construction rose 8.0%. Updated line by line, we estimate NAHB’s $162 per square foot is now about $174.52, a 7.7% increase.
How much more do luxury finishes cost than basic?
On our 2026 rates, construction comes to about $162 per square foot with basic finishes and about $240 with luxury finishes, roughly 48% more. Most of the difference comes from cabinets, countertops, flooring, roofing, siding, windows and appliances.
How often do you update these figures?
We plan to refresh the index factors as BLS publishes new monthly data, and to replace the base figures when NAHB publishes its next survey. The date at the top of this page shows when the figures were last checked.
Sources
- NAHB, "Cost of Constructing a Home 2024," Eric Lynch, January 20, 2025 Verified
- NAHB Eye on Housing, "Cost of Constructing a Home in 2022," March 2023 (report dated February 1, 2023) Verified
- BLS, Producer Price Index release schedule, 2026 to 2027 Verified
- BLS via FRED, PPI: Net Inputs to Single Family Residential Construction, Goods (WPUIP2311101) Verified
- BLS via FRED, Average Hourly Earnings of Production and Nonsupervisory Employees, Construction (CES2000000008) Verified
- BLS via FRED, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items (CPIAUCSL) Verified
- HomeAdvisor, "Kitchen Cabinet Cost," updated June 17, 2026 Verified
- HomeAdvisor, "Kitchen Countertop Prices," updated June 17, 2026 Verified
- HomeAdvisor, "Vinyl Flooring Installation Cost," updated June 19, 2026 Verified
- HomeAdvisor, "Hardwood Floor Installation Cost," updated June 17, 2026 Verified
- HomeAdvisor, "Siding Cost," updated February 23, 2022 Verified
- HomeAdvisor, "Roof Installation Cost," updated June 17, 2026 Verified
- HomeAdvisor, "Window Installation Cost," updated June 17, 2026 Verified
- HomeAdvisor, "Cost of Installing an Interior Door," updated June 17, 2026 Verified
- HomeAdvisor, "Driveway Cost," updated June 19, 2026 Verified
- Renhive, "Kitchen Appliance Cost," updated September 2026 Verified
- HomeCostLab, "Bathroom Remodel Cost Guide," April 9, 2026 Verified
- HomeAdvisor, "Heat Pump Installation Cost," updated June 19, 2026 Verified
- HomeAdvisor, "Deck Building Cost," updated June 17, 2026 Verified
- HomeGuide, "Fireplace Installation Cost," January 27, 2026 Verified
- HomeGuide, "Cost to Paint an Apartment," September 5, 2025 Verified
Figures last checked October 18, 2026. National averages are a planning guide, not a quote. See our editorial policy and data sources.
