Ball park costs for cabin framing

Started by Ricky J, August 14, 2017, 08:30:56 PM

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Ricky J

Any idea what the price per square foot would be for having a builder put up a weather tight shell I can finish the inside on?  Want to have  a 24 X 32 cabin built that I can finish.

MushCreek

It depends a lot upon your location and local codes (if any). Building a basic shell in the rural South with no building department will be a lot different than building the same place in San Francisco.
Jay

I'm not poor- I'm financially underpowered.


Ricky J

Small town, western New York. 50 Miles south of Buffalo.Building permit required, but not really strictly watched/enforced.

Dave Sparks

#3
Why not ask for quotes from the builders? In rural Mariposa County I paid about $100 per square foot for a shell that I helped on. 40 x 45 x 2 floors. This was in 2005 and it has not changed alot I am told. We too had a permit and pretty lax AHJ because they knew the builder.
"we go where the power lines don't"

ChugiakTinkerer

There's a builder in my area that has a wide selection of cabin designs that start at around $50 per square foot and go up from there.  His web site is http://friesenscustomcabins.com and he has a lot of info available on plans and specifications.  It may help you get a sense for what you're looking for.  Your local market for material and labor will of course be different, but it should be a help.

Edit: Actually, looking at the different plans there are some that run around $35 a s.f.  Just goes to show that what you want will probably be a bigger factor in cost than who is building it where.
My cabin build thread: Alaskan remote 16x28 1.5 story


akwoodchuck

Quote from: ChugiakTinkerer on August 16, 2017, 01:14:14 PM
Edit: Actually, looking at the different plans there are some that run around $35 a s.f.  Just goes to show that what you want will probably be a bigger factor in cost than who is building it where.

That's about what my dry- ins have been running for simple rectangles....foundation and framing to code, roofing on, doors/windows, housewrap....
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."

zion-diy

What's a permit?  ??? what's zoning?  ??? building codes? regulation? contractors? 
What are Y'all talking about? Built our house 12 years ago. never needed any of this stuff. And, FHA approved a loan on the house later. Where do you all live? sounds like some commie country... not the good old USA. ;)
Just a 50-ish chic an a gimp,building thier own house,no plans,just--work,work,work,what a pair :}

SouthernTier

Quote from: Ricky J on August 15, 2017, 11:45:32 AM
Small town, western New York. 50 Miles south of Buffalo.Building permit required, but not really strictly watched/enforced.
I can tell you soon.  Just about to start my 22x28 50 miles south of Buffalo (Cattaraugus County)  :)

Actually, all I will get done this year is the foundation and septic and floor deck.  Framing will be next year. 

NathanS

My material costs for foundation and waterproof shell for a 20x34 2-story with 8x12 mudroom was about $24 per square foot.

That is a pretty misleading number without including sitework - driveway, grading, excavation and backfilling, drilled well, trench for well, engineered septic system (required for a permit in NYS), electric service or off grid setup.

I would double the $24 to $48 if it was someone elses labor. Then I'd add in a fixed cost in the 20-40k range for all the other sitework that goes into the house. That number can really vary a lot depending on the building site, I have seen driveways around here that could cost $100k to install and need a skidsteer on tracks in the winter to maintain.

That would come out to somewhere between 90-115k. I would think about how much trouble you'd be in if it came out to 150k just for the sake of being prepared.

I also would not hire the lowest bidder. The worst workmanship I have seen is from the Amish, I know there is a fascination with them, but they are also the only ones my laid back code officer has complained about and even had to take to court.

There is a pole barn they put up down the street from me last year, the ridge BEAM, is two 2x6s nailed on either side of the supporting posts with 3 nails each. I will still be a young man when that thing collapses.