Guy wants to know if he can build a copy of a house I built four years ago, same plans, same specs, different part of the country.
I am in way upstate NY, my hard costs ran about $165 / sf then, he wants to do it in Turtletown, TN, in the hills up from where GA, NC, and TN have a common corner. Says it will be done for $55. Or maybe he just hopes.
Now, our labor rates may or may not be a little high where I am, but can they be low enough there to compensate this much?
And material costs? It is my understanding that most of the variability of what I call “hard” building costs (structure and finish, less land, access, utility access) comes from labor costs. Sticks, bricks, windows, paint, and faucets cost pretty much the same everywhere.
Or do they?
Edited 9/14/2004 8:41 am ET by Bob Dylan
Replies
Well, if material costs varied by that much, you'd be better off doing all your shopping for your next project in TN, and rail freight the materials back to NY.
Regards,
Tim Ruttan