Cost to build a house = floor area × your local build cost, plus design fees, connections and permits, contingency and land. A 2,200 ft² house at 150 per ft² is 330,000 to build; with 8% fees, 10% contingency, 10,000 for permits and connections and a 60,000 plot, the budget is about 462,000. Interior finishes and major systems are the biggest shares of the build.
My Construction Calculator
Home Construction Cost Calculator
Inputs
Results update as you type.
Diagram updates as you type.
Results
Check the working before you order.
Total budget (with land)
188,800
Cost to build the house (without land)
128,800
Construction
100,000
Site work (7.6%)
7,600
Foundations (10.5%)
10,500
Framing (16.6%)
16,600
Exterior finishes (13.4%)
13,400
Major systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) (19.2%)
19,200
Interior finishes (24.1%)
24,100
Final steps (landscaping, driveway, clean-up) (6.5%)
6,500
Other (2.1%)
2,100
Design fees (8%)
8,000
Contingency (10%)
10,800
Connections and permits
10,000
Land
60,000
All-in cost per m² (without land)
644
A budget estimate, not a quote. Stage shares are US averages; your split will differ with design, site and country.
Price This optional: add your own prices
Your prices are remembered on this device only.
Send Order WhatsApp, SMS or email to your supplier
Split by stage with the NAHB 2024 shares for new US homes: site work 7.6%, foundations 10.5%, framing 16.6%, exterior 13.4%, systems 19.2%, interior 24.1%, final steps 6.5%, other 2.1%
Design fees = 100,000 × 8.0% = 8,000
Contingency = (100,000 + 8,000) × 10.0% = 10,800
House = 100,000 + 8,000 + 10,800 + 10,000 = 128,800; with land 60,000: 188,800
Scan to open this calculationThe code links to this calculator with your inputs, so anyone can scan it with a phone camera and see the same result. Save it for a report, a site board or WhatsApp.Test copy: this code opens the live site, myconstructioncalculator.com, so it works on a phone once the site is launched.
Results are estimates for planning and material ordering only. They are not a substitute for structural design or approval by a qualified engineer. Read the full disclaimer.
Scan to open this calculation with the same inputs.
Generated with myconstructioncalculator.com. Estimates for planning and ordering only; verify against drawings and specifications.
Formula
Construction = floor area × build cost per m² or ft²Design fees = construction × fee %Contingency = (construction + fees) × contingency %House = construction + fees + contingency + connections and permitsBudget = house + land
Worked Example
A 2,200 ft² house at 150 per ft²:
Construction = 2,200 × 150 = 330,000
Fees 8% = 26,400; contingency 10% of 356,400 = 35,640
With a 60,000 plot: 462,040 (183 per ft² all-in, without land)
Where the Build Cost Goes
Stage
Share of construction cost
On 330,000
Site work
7.6%
25,080
Foundations
10.5%
34,650
Framing
16.6%
54,780
Exterior finishes
13.4%
44,220
Major systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC)
19.2%
63,360
Interior finishes
24.1%
79,530
Final steps (landscaping, driveway, clean-up)
6.5%
21,450
Other
2.1%
6,930
Source: NAHB, Cost of Constructing a Home in 2024 (Eye on Housing, January 2025), new US single-family homes. Shares differ by country, design and site.
NAHB counts permits, utility fees and design fees inside site work. If your build cost per m² or ft² already includes them, set Design fees and Connections to 0 so they are not counted twice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I estimate the cost to build a house?
Multiply the floor area by a local cost per m² or ft² from recent builds near you, then add design fees, permits and utility connections, a contingency of 10% to 15%, and the land. This calculator adds them up and splits the build cost by stage.
Which part of building a house costs the most?
In NAHB's 2024 survey of new US homes, interior finishes were the largest share of construction cost at 24.1%, followed by major systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) at 19.2% and framing at 16.6%.
How much of a new home's price is construction?
In the NAHB 2024 survey, construction was 64.4% of the average sales price, the finished lot 13.7% and builder profit 11.0%, with the rest in overheads, commissions, financing and marketing.
How much contingency should I allow?
Around 10% to 15% for a new house with a finished design, more at the concept stage or for a difficult site. It covers changes, price rises and surprises in the ground.
How is this different from the Construction Cost Calculator?
That one prices any building from its area and rate. This one is for a house: it adds land, permits and connections, and shows how the build cost splits across foundations, framing, systems and finishes.
Does the estimate include the construction loan?
No. Use the Construction Loan Calculator to add the interest paid while the house is being built.
Embed This Calculator on Your Website
Free for any website: contractors, suppliers, blogs and schools. Paste this code where you want the calculator to appear. It works in WordPress (Custom HTML block), Wix, Squarespace and plain HTML.
