Figuring how much construction costs per square foot is really simple to do. All you need is the total construction amount and the total square footage of the project.
Example: If you have a construction total of $200,000 and you are building 1,800 square feet you divide $200,000 by 1,800 to get $111.11 per square foot (200,000/1,800=111.11).
This is a universal way to calculate home building cost per square foot. If you are building a custom home or doing any kind of home remodeling, this is a vital tool in speaking with contractors. Always ask what they build for per square foot and see what they say. It is often difficult to answer that question because there are many questions to be answered: type of foundation to be used (slab on grade, post tension, pier and beam), type of exterior (stone, stucco or hardiplank), excavation (rock or no rock to excavate), ceiling height, building materials, roof type (shingles, metal or clay tile). As you can see, there are many factors that determine the cost per square foot in construction. If you are trying to determine a price per square foot for budget purposes, I would say that about $160 per square foot is about average here in San Antonio, Texas. Other parts of the country can be higher or lower, but that will be enough to get a ball park budget. Home remodeling can be more expensive per square foot than new home construction.