First I would find out for sure what your costs are going to be for the list of things you have roughly estimated to cost $40,000. Once you nail down those costs then you will have a better idea about what you can spend on the building itself.

You need to find out what building costs run in your area. In some parts of the country, the very cheapest tract homes are more than $100 square foot. It sounds like you want at least a semi-custom home, which could easily be double that.

Yes, the reason those builders are unwilling to change their plans is that by building the same thing over and over, they reduce their cost. If you want more flexibility, you need to find a custom builder, but that will increase your price. If price is paramount, then you'll need to take what's offered.

But then, I don't know what building costs are in Hershey. Maybe $100/sq' is fine for custom built.

Another option is to find someone who'll build you the shell, with plumbing and electrical, and let you finish it yourself over time.

We found that there were a lot of "development" costs that were more than the "estimates" everyone gave us. Some drainage and ditching to control water from uphill were necessary, even so, the (gravel) driveway got trashed from the months and months of truck traffic and had to be resurfaced. The final grading cost way more than we'd been told, and so on. So yes, I'd recommend getting as firm as you can on all those things.

Custom costs a lot more than 150 sf here, and after doing it, I can see why. There are lots of questions that have to be asked and answered. I'm sure it would be faster and cheaper to build our house a second time, but I'm not going to be the one to do it!

We just built a house, and our original idea was to have an indoor wood-burning pizza oven. Our house is high-end, but not huge. Our first realization was that the required space for a pizza oven (this is before we had chosen a manufacturer) would take up too much room in our relatively-large kitchen (especially when you include needed clearances due to the heat involved).

Then we looked into an outdoor wood-burning pizza oven, and before we got too far we found out that in our dry mountain county, this is likely not allowed (county ordinance is not clear). And husband (the pizza guy) decided that he would prefer a gas pizza oven anyway. So we have a beautiful pizza oven on our back terrace, next to the grill. It's wonderful, we use it weekly even through the winter, and it's totally fine for us that it's not in our house.

Also, we were working with an architect who had previously built (as had our builder) houses with interior pizza ovens, so they knew what they were doing on that front.

You've got a VERY expensive want list without the real budget to match. Learn to distinguish wants from needs first of all. Then hire an architect after you've peeled off all of that pie in the sky exensive stuff.

Buy something existing and cheap. Then remodel. If you want to retrofit geothermal, it will be 20-30K, depending on if it's a closed loop, open loop, and vertical or horizontal drilling needed. If you've got the usual PA rock, maybe higher. Or spend that money for your kids college. It'll get better return spent there.

Thanks everyone for your input. The PA home show is going to be in Harrisburg this weekend. It will be a good place to start.

vwtyler, I am glad you at least got a pizza oven. What was the size of your kitchen?

GreenDesigns, yes it is typical PA shell rock, possible horizontal drilling.

lori_inthenw_gw, you said it would be faster and cheaper if you build second time around, what do you mean? can you share some tips?

Thanks all.

Our kitchen is not a standard size/shape, so I've attached the layout - we liked the layout, and would have had to change something a lot to add the oven. FYI, we ended up buying a Kalamazoo oven, mostly because we loved the look; other ovens that I checked out online had better reviews, but hubby preferred this one.

lori_inthenw_gw, you said it would be faster and cheaper if you build second time around, what do you mean? can you share some tips?

If you were to build the exact same house again, you'd spend a lot less time staring at things trying to decide how to make it work, and ripping stuff out because reality didn't match expectations.

Amber, have you been looking over my shoulder for the past 2 years, or what?! You summarized it well.

We didn't have a lot of ripping out, (with one notable example related to a cork floor installed over the wrong underlayment by a tile person who didn't realize some of his decades of experience would lead him astray due to some significant differences in adhesives, in particular.) But yeah, there was a lot of headscratching at various times, and we were a time-and-materials project, although I don't think our GC actually charged us for his "thinking time."

And my generalization might not apply to a straightforward rectangle that's a variation on a house everyone involved has essentially built before. We probably could have made one chunk of our house slightly larger to make it a square instead of a rectangle and had it actually cost less because of how it would have simplified the roof framing. Just one example for usalli, I try not to think that way too often! There was another framing detail that was miscommunicated from the plan that could have made another part of the roof faster. Oh yeah, and I would have chosen a different electrical sub, but that's another story...

Lori, I am living through it now. :P Not a whole lot of ripping out.

Our stairs have been a lot of trial and error. The architect drew them with 6 inches around all sides. He thought it would be cool if they looked like they were suspended in mid air. Sure, that would have been awesome. But the force field required to make them stand up was out of our budget. So the framer built landings and attached them to the walls, but he had to guess at the size and location, so we redid them a couple of times. We then got temp construction stairs while we found a stair company who could figure out how to build the real ones. And then we discovered that on the 3rd floor, the ceiling is lower on the right side, so DH kept bashing his head when he went upstairs, so we had to reverse them to come up on the left side instead of the right. Now we're building the permanent stringers, and the treads from the temp stairs aren't wide enough, and we're not ready for the permanent treads yet, so we're getting a second set of temporary treads. Whee!

It could have been avoided if the architect hadn't been so abstract. But we didn't know before we hired him how "artistic" he was. Something else we could improve if we were to do it again. Except if I ever do this again, I hope someone injects me with happy drugs and locks me in a soft, cushy, pillowed room, while I wear a funky jacket with lots of shiny buckles.

@amberm145 your architect doesn't build things for a living and accordingly has no cost data base to draw from. Unfortunately this resulted in a "surprise" for you during construction. You would have been better served to engage a builder with real world cost experience early in the design process to avoid such surprises.

Actually, Charles, his dad is a builder, and he grew up working in construction. We found him because he built his own house, which he had intended to sell. We loved the house, but the lot was too small, so we hired him to design the another house.

But thanks for the condescension 2 years after the fact.

@amberm145, your experience may have occurred some time ago, but there is a timeless lesson here for others; sharing those is an important part of Houzz. A home designed and built by professionals should not be a collection of trial-and-error construction projects nor surprises. Both outcomes can be avoided by hiring the right professionals and having them collaborate beginning early in the design phase.

Charles, your post has a very arrogant "that wouldn't have happened if you'd hired me" tone to it. Every person here hired professionals. And every person here has had issues.

Not everyone with a license to practice a profession is a "professional." If you contract with a professional to provide professional services you should get them. I don't consider a design that can't be built within your budget or the need to build by trial and error or to spend 40% more than the budget for a home as the product of "professionals." If that makes me arrogant, I'll accept that.

I tried the team approach with the architect and his preferred builder working together from the beginning. Costs spiraled out of control and the two of them were consulting one another about changes and alterations without consulting us, the clients. The whole relationship got weird at the end so we paid them both and took the 95% completed plans to other builders.

We were able to put much of what had been cut back into the program and get a reasonable price for the build which, so far, has been more than 5% less than the reduced scope from the preferred builder.

Sometimes the way professionals steer the project is not to the benefit of the clients.

The question I would have is- How do you find a 'good' architect and builder? I'm sure they all tout themselves as being good. From what I read here and on other forums, the industry seems to be fraught with unqualified contractors and subcontractors. Some parts of the country are worse than others in this regard. I've been in homes here in SC that were built by 'professionals', duly inspected by the county, and yet you can SEE code violations plainly. There's no telling what's going on behind the walls.

Over and over, I read of people building custom homes who either have to put up with errors, or are expected to pay for them, even though they are not their fault. I'm a precision tool maker by trade, and we are not allowed to let anything through that isn't 100% within tolerances (which are extremely tight). Further, many projects have performance contracts, so if we are late, we lose money.

Although my house is 95% DIY, I have had some things done by licensed contractors. The only know flaw so far is non-code compliant plumbing under the slab. The inspector passed it, and it works fine, but it's not code. That was the only plumbing work I had done by a 'professional'. I don't think I could have a house built by others unless you locked me away so I couldn't check the progress.

@mushcreek here's a link to a good article on how to choose a builder:

http://mydigimag.rrd.com/publication/frame.php?i=187284&p=23&pn=&ver=swf

I think you could use a similar process to the one outlined in the above article to choose an architect, too.

In addition to the selection criteria noted in the article, I suggest a credit check of the builder to see if they pay their obligations in a timely manner. If not, it would be a red flag for me. You might also check with various trade contractors in your area. Drywall contractors will tell you who builds the best framed houses; painters will tell you who is meticulous with the interior trim and who isn't.

I can't speak to the code compliance issues in your area, but code compliance in our area is pretty rigorous. It begins with a thorough review of the plans during permit application followed by periodic on-site inspections at key milestones during construction. However, any inspection is a sampling--not a comprehensive review of every construction detail. Despite their best efforts, inspectors can and do miss stuff in the field.

Regarding mistakes in the field, I suspect that a lot of what gets classified as a "builder's mistake" is the product of a miscommunication regarding materials, finishes or construction methods. If the plans are a "basic builder" set of plans or a stock plan purchased from a plan service you'll likely find most materials, components and details aren't well specified. Investing in a well detailed set of plans and specifications and incorporating them as contract documents is the best way to ensure you get what you expect.

I went to the home builders show in Harrisburg last weekend and met with a lovely architect (Allison Ong Shreffler - can follow her in Houzz). We talked about my ideas, she immediately knew what I wanted. However, she was concerned about finding a builder in our area to be able build one the way we wanted. She mentioned about Bridlewood builders who happened to have a boot there. As soon as we started to talk, I knew that this was my builder. They build SIPS homes, very energy efficient etc. It is going to be costly but we will design one within my budget, and add exceptions as I have more finances. We will see how this will work. I agree with Charles for talking to an architect if you are designing your home.

@usalli, kudos to you for putting your team together up front. The collaboration of everyone on the team is important for the project objectives to be met. It sounds like your architect and builder are the right fit for your project.

Best wishes.

I don't think an 20x20 garage is what you really have in mind for what your budget can buy afte all of the rest of the expenses are taken care of.

First, I'm sorry about the divorce.

I live on a farm...so the first thing you want to consider is do you have space for the things you NEED, not the things you WANT.

You don't NEED a pizza oven, but you will need a mudroom. You don't need high ceilings or central vacuum...those are wants. And a basement is not a necessity, either...as for geo-thermal, I think you might want to do some research there, too.

What you will NEED...a back up source of heat and power...especially heat. Will you have a well? Did you know without backup power, the well will not work during a power outage...this means toilets will not flush. Animals will not get watered. Difficult to clean or cook anything, even with bottled water.

A jack and jill bathroom for kids on the weekends...how about a hall bathroom that is also your guest bath? Kids may not need walk-in closets, but they will need a large enough room for desks to do homework and keep enough stuff they feel comfortable staying over.

As for you...realize how much work and expense animals can be...even chickens. Gardening is expensive too, and it all takes commitment. The kids will probably want more than chickens, once they get used to the space...and that means more cost and time. Hey, it's worth it, but be prepared! :)

In the house, make sure you have a large pantry, room for a freezer, lots of work area in the kitchen (especially for the garden produce, wine and cheese) and plan on a dining room table that expands. Kids like to have friends over and people are usually pretty informal in the country...so staying around a few hours to sample that wine can turn into a casual dinner.

Also...while a generator is great (and you should have one) wood stoves or fireplaces in the living room and maybe the bedroom would be a good idea. Remember, if it gets cold, you do NOT want your water pipes to freeze! Insulate everything and try to keep sinks on inside walls if possible. An island sink in the kitchen might be a good idea. And toilets on inside walls, too.

I hope all this helps. Find a builder, who wants to do what YOU want to do, as long as it's feasible with your climate, budget and lifestyle. Best of luck and keep us informed! And post pictures :)

For what it's worth...we are currently in the process of building a simple modern farmhouse in a rural area right now. Three bedrooms, two baths, basement, cathedral ceiling and tongue and groove pine in living area, sheet rock elsewhere, 1800 square feet, wood stove, fiber cement siding, metal roof. $300K, for house only. Only site grading was included. Well, septic, pavement were extra. Spent $20K on first architect, who we thought was great ...until he designed a house that would cost twice our budget to build. Hired second architect on hourly basis. Gave him basic floor plan which he refined. Much more successful approach. Am I glad we are building a custom home? Absolutely. It's an amazing adventure and the attainment of a lifetime goal. Will I be glad when the house is complete and I don't have to spend all my non-work hours doing research and making the next decision in a seemingly never-ending series of decisions? Absolutely.

Unfortunately, the experience related by @hjs is all too common. Folks spend a ton of money on design before they get a good read on construction cost (and no, I'm not bashing architects. It's hard enough for builders to keep up with construction costs and they deal with them daily.)

You've selected both builder and architect up front--a good approach. Both should be aware of your intended budget and work to achieve it from the outset. Once your architect has produced some simple concept plans for your home, your builder will have sufficient information to produce a preliminary construction cost estimate. That will allow changes to be made to the design if needed before you've spent money on detailed design of a plan that can't be built within your budget.

Best wishes for a successful project.

Charles Ross Homes, regarding "folks spending a ton of money on design before they get a good read on construction cost":

Our first architect was the owner of a design/build firm and was going to build the home as well. It would be hard to find an architect and builder who were closer than within the same person.

But I am sure you will have "advice" on that subject as well.

@hjs, not every project will succeed even when you choose a project delivery method such as design/build or integrated project delivery (IPD) which have a much better track record than the design/bid/build method. People are different and so are companies. I would, however, expect a design/build firm to be able to produce a reasonably accurate construction cost estimate early in the design process and at a much lower cost than you incurred. That's what we do in our company and the client's investment to get to that point averages $2,500. Our plans are all produced by our (licensed) staff architect.

While design/build and IPD are gaining traction, there are a whole lot of designers and architects (who are not typically selected by clients on a competitive bid basis) pushing the old design-bid-build approach for residential construction. Often the approach results in design/bid/bust. Last year I was a witness in an arbitration case involving a local architect who charged a whole lot more than yours did designing plans for a home that the low bidder costed at $1.4MM. The client's budget was $700K and the project got scrapped.

Getting your builder on board at the outset may not always produce the desired result, but it sure does improve the odds.

@usalli, hope all is well, would love an update on this project if any, I'm about 1-2 hours south of you and considering a similar build

Typically for homes such as the OP is suggesting, it means: 1) Drilling a well with water treatment equipment; 2) Installing a septic system with clean out; 3) An all-electric home, which in Pennsylvania will most likely mean: 1) a heat pump (direct air vs. ground water), and an automated back-up generator, with sufficient capacity and secondary circuits for well pump, heat pump, circuits for the range, refrigerator and freezer, and lighting/power in key rooms and garage. Having lived for a long time in southeastern Pennsylvania (Chadds Ford) and gone through all of this during rain storms and winter freezes, these are true "needs". A pizza oven doesn't even come close!