"And, how much per sq. ft. should we expect to spend?"

It is always cheaper to buy existing, even in todays economy.

Yes, I know that is the case, and not really looking for the cheapest. Most of the existing homes need some reno, and I don't want to get into that. However, the max we would like to spend would be $200 sq. ft. Is that do-able in today's market?

Maybe in a super, super low cost of living area, and even then I doubt it. Any major region will be 2 to 3 times that to start with, minimum. That amount is bit over bare bones in a low cost of living area pre-pandemic.

Cost out the square foot price of recent sold in that neiguborhood. Then double that for a new build. My guess is that woukd be way above $200 a square.

Maybe I am missing something, but a recent sale includes the price of the lot, so wouldn't that make the new house more per sq ft since it includes the lot?

Take a recently sold new house. Subtract what a similar lot would go for. Take that remainder and divide by the square feet listed for the house. That should give you a ballpark for a new house in your area. Make sure you look at the finishes and whether you would want lesser or better quality.

For ballpark costs to build you should be talking to general contractors or architects who do custom residential work.

Where are you located?

i assume your answer may be location-dependent. In my town, new build detached homes start at around $360 per sq ft for absolute bottom/basic homes on small lots; where you pick from the 4 plans offered by that builder. however this does include the land - in the builder-owned subdivision.

In my area to have a builder come build 1 home on an infill lot is MUCH more expensive. i think when our neighbors looked into that a couple years ago, it was over $500 per sq ft, not including the land.

In my area they do not "look" for plans, they create them.

What @chispa said x 120% for escalation since the home was started vs when you would start (+18-24 months later)

We built a custom home and moved in 3 months ago. It ended up around $132/ft I believe. We live in a rural area.

Construction costs vary widely based on location. $1000 per square foot isn’t out of the question in some areas and obviously much less in others.

I just made a full price offer on a waterfront condo and didn't get it.

My wife listed a house for $589k a few months ago it was sold for $659k, they had 50 showings in one weekend.

A larger house with a swimming pool in a much better area with a much better school system was listed for $689k was sold for $648 and it was sitting there for over a year.

The market is crazy and prices fluctuate the same from region to region, from town to town, from one builder to another...

You can't go buy anything on here, you have to get pricing locally, and even when you do that one could charge $150 per SF construction cost and one could charge $250 per SF, and often the guy @ $150 per SF will build you a better house :-).

The moral of the story is, shop around and see the numbers you get...Like I said many times before anything here will only throw you off track because it's useless.

Good luck

There are so many factors to consider. Costs of material are presently quite high and labour costs can vary based on the economy, how busy they are, Covid impact, supply chain, your location, etc. A big factor will be your actual choices and the quality.

If you want to be able to make a good decision quickly, I would be reaching out to the appropriate professionals in your locale.

Not sure this helps you,

i am 3/4 way done building and it will cost us 262$ a sq foot and likely by time we are dome we expect to be at : 266-270 per sq foot

medium finish level ( tile laminate and brand name appliances but not luxury brands)

used arch. for custom plan changes

small pool

things are expensive right now can not be over stated.

you can browseplans at :

https://www.theplancollection.com/collections/architectural-styles

you should talk to 2 builders local to you for 10 min to get cost idea or go by their model and talk to the realtor. that will you give you more local information than random internet answers because it will be local to you.

good luck

hope this helps

New home construction pricing?

It depends. It depends on the quality and completeness of your architectural documents. It depends on sitework and what it costs to adapt the site to your design. It depends on the overall area of your house and the structural requirements. It depends on the quantity and quality of your finish materials. It depends on your builders expertise and volume of business.

It depends on the economy and cost of materials and labor in your specific location.

It depends on whether or not you have allowances in your documents. It depends on whether or not you have a lot of "since we're building our forever home, let's just add this" items.

It depends. Do you get the drift?

I am mid-build at $195/sf.

Tract home, large subdivision but rural enough for USDA, just outside St. Louis, MO. Total is coming in about $277,000. The plan is 1422 sf.

My house will be BASIC because I had to keep that price down. My interior upgrades were better insulation, basement bath rough in, sump pump, and one level upgrade to the kitchen cabinets. Exterior, I got carriage lights on the garage and some extra sf of concrete on the patio. My one splurge was second floor laundry ($1600). That's it. I've got sheet vinyl and builder grade carpet. Oak in all the bathrooms. All white walls and basic lighting. No raised ceilings or pocket doors or zoned HVAC. Half wall on the stairs, no pretty balusters and rail. No added windows in the living room, no extra wide driveway. My kids don't get walk in closets. Basic. I'm perfectly happy with that, I'm tired of renting. But anyway, that's what $195/sf gets you where I am.

Where are you located?

Depend on the state you are living in about $200-$250 per foot should cover your expense and you build a custom home that you design and like.

Sold! Write it up!

Our custom home came in at 230/sf for a 2 story 3200 sf home in the midwest. Too much for us. We switched gears and are building a tract home that's about 30% bigger for 180/sf. Comparable existing homes in our area go for even less. Given you'll need a porch and architectural details you probably won't be on the lowest side of cost/sf. Unfortunately all of that depends on the finishes you choose as well, and no one knows if you'll be picking builder grade carpet or site finished hardwood. 
Best place to ask, though, is a builder in your area. Best place to get a plan is from a designer or architect.