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Budget Considerations

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After considering your lot, your lifestyle, and your style preferences, perhaps the most significant factor in choosing a house plan is your budget. Builders will typically give you a range of cost per square foot. For instance, a 2000 square foot house at a cost per square foot of $100 would ultimately cost $200,000.

It is usually less expensive to build a two-story home because it has a smaller roof and foundation than a one-story home with the same amount of square footage. Plumbing and ventilation are often less spread out in two-story homes, which also makes them less expensive.

When choosing your house plan, it is important to consider what you can afford, making sure you allow for inevitable cost overruns. Houses rarely cost less than what they are estimated at, so make sure you allow yourself a cushion. Also remember the budget given for lighting, fixtures, flooring, and other decorative elements is often in the medium range, if not a low builder grade level. If you have your heart set on granite counter tops or high-quality hardwood floors, make sure you figure those elements into your budget.

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