How Much Does a Custom Home Cost in Northern Virginia?

How Much Does a Custom Home Cost in Northern Virginia Budget is an important consideration if you’re considering building a custom home in Northern Virginia. Not surprisingly, you’ll pay more for a new home here than in many other areas of the country, but you’ll get a one-of-a-kind home with all the amenities and features you want and need.

So How Much Will I Pay for a Custom Home?

HomeAdvisor estimates that the average custom home may cost between $166,480 and $474,977, according to information compiled from homeowners all across the country. Of course, “average” probably isn’t the word you’d like to describe your home. In the Midwest, those figures may be perfectly reasonable, but custom home construction in NoVa is a little pricier.

Depending on the size and complexity of your home, you may spend $700,000 or several million dollars to build a custom-designed home. Last year, Builder Online estimated new construction costs at $199 per square foot in the Washington/Arlington/Alexandria area. Based on that figure, a 3,000-square-foot-home would cost $600,000. Of course, that figure doesn’t distinguish between basic and luxury homes and doesn’t include the cost to purchase a lot and tear down an existing home if necessary.

What Factors Affect Custom Home Pricing?

The price for your custom home will include:

Design: New home communities may offer a few options and upgrades, but your house won’t be much different than your neighbors’ if you opt to buy a house in a development. In fact, it may even look identical. There’s nothing cookie cutter about custom homes. Your architect will create a unique set of plans that includes the features and amenities you want, whether you’ve been dreaming of a three-story foyer, a game room with its own batting cage, or a living room big enough to hold 30 comfortably.

Site Preparation: Depending on the location of your lot, you may need to pay extra to tear down current buildings, grade the lot, remove trees or rocks or correct drainage issues. You’ll also pay more in site preparation costs if you’ll be building a backyard pool.

Permit Fees: Permits fees are an unavoidable aspect of building a home. Although no one likes to pay the fees, inspections help ensure that your new home is not only comfortable but also safe.

Materials: New home developers can buy building products and materials in bulk since the homes they build are similar. Although your builder will certainly try to find the best deals, you will pay more for building materials. Cost for materials tends to be higher for custom homes that use hard-to-find or high-quality materials. Generally, the more materials you need, the more you’ll pay. For example, a 100-foot-long driveway will cost substantially less than a ¼-mile circular drive lined with cobblestones.

Labor: You’ll pay more for labor in parts of the country with higher costs of living, like Northern Virginia. Highly specialized or complicated work can increase your total costs.

Have you been thinking about building a custom home in Northern Virginia? Schroeder Design/Build serves the entire NoVA area and offers both design and construction services. Contact us to discuss your project.