Good Grief , where do you live?

Vancouver BC Canada

My husband works in insurance and says here in NZ $2500-3000 per square metre is standard. (Roughly $250-300/sq ft) but that doesn't include demo. Also we live in an active earthquake zone so if we wanted to build we would have to add an extra $50,000 for a rib raft foundation and site specific geotechnical testing compared to a standard foundation allowed on other cities.

It doesn't help me personally. I was simply curious about costs in different areas. Thought it was an interesting topic

Hi Alison,
That is similar to myself (also in Vancouver). We have just finished a build, and are about to start another house build at approx 275 per foot. That price will include a wine cellar and a rooftop deck. You must be building very high end at 300 per foot! May I ask what features your new build will have?

Interesting as I don't think our expectations are all that high.

We are doing a modern build with an open concept interior on the main floor. A one bedroom suite downstairs plus a bathroom and media room for our use. Upstairs is four beds and two baths.

The $300/sq foot includes design and permits too as well as landscaping.

If this isn't on track I would love to hear about other specific local options. Saving money sounds fabulous!

Can get a nice home for about $135 SF in suburban Houston, Texas.

Suburban Houston home.

Yes - similar to Hal in the midwest US - a bit more than $100 sq. ft, and a lot would depend on the finishes - high end or just regular. The biggest factor here is the price of a lot which can range from $30,000 to $300,000. I am not sure why anyone buys the most expensive lots because they are not far from the less expensive ones.

One can get a large older home in a small town in the Midwest for less than $100 a sq ft. -and if it is a fixer or has a "dated" interior, even less.

Here is a 2452 sq ft home offered for $50,000 in Centerville, IA.

http://www.oldhousedreams.com/2015/11/03/1895-queen-anne-centerville-ia/

or this one at $92,700 for 2700 sq ft.

http://www.oldhousedreams.com/2015/09/03/woodbine-ia/

Vancouver is one of the most expensive cities to live in so makes sense the cost / sq. ft. is also among the most expensive