Building Costs

[Oregon Woodsmoke]

Can anyone give a rough estimate of the costs per square foot to build a small plain cabin? With ordinary finishes, built up on piers. With permits. Hiring labor.

Anyone built one recently?

[unknownjulie]

I was quoted 120 per sq foot, not including costs of materials. I think it's a bit high, but it might be accurate. It was from a reputable builder. He also was including the lanai area as sq footage, although it was not enclosed. It was going to be 60,000 for a one bedroom, not including materials. I have seen an ad on craigslist for a shell for much less, and this might be the way to go, but I am just too afraid of trying to manage all those workers. I really dont relish the thought. When I got this quote is when I seriously started looking at the option of buying an already built house. HPM quoted me "about 100 per sq foot" from someone they might recommend, but it didnt include the foundation, and I think water cistern. A yurt might be the way to go, but it may end up costing a significant amount as well, and then it isnt usually considered very marketable for resale, and I do worry about mold- although that can be minimized.

[Oregon Woodsmoke]

$120 per square ft just for labor? I think I'll pay for a good construction guy to fly over to Hawaii, to do the building and enjoy a little vacation.

[kalakoa]

I know "a guy" building an 18x24 efficiency, he bid $20K labor+materials for the job, figures that will be on the high side.

It's permitted; I'm told the shear walls and extra brackets add something like $3-5K.

Funny thing about the plans, they claim the gravel under the house is a lanai, so the project is roughly 1800 square feet "on paper", which would affect the valuation for a mortgage (or taxation). Plans are stamped by County, so this must be an "accepted practice".

[Oregon Woodsmoke]

OK, if my math is correct (no guarantees) that is slightly over $46 a square ft.

Add site preparation, utilities, fees, etc, might add another $30,000. Then catchment and solar panels will probably bring it up to $100 a square ft complete. That's very doable. (did that include the foundation?)

432 square ft would be enough to get out of the rain.

Of course, I see those 432 square ft cottages , on land with all systems in, driveways done, fences and landscaping in, for less than $60,000 in Puna. You'd have to really want something exactly as you wanted it to build and not buy one already done.

[kalakoa]

quote:

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Originally posted by Oregon Woodsmoke

432 square ft would be enough to get out of the rain.

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It's also not enough to qualify as a "dwelling", I believe code requires 832 square feet, hence the "gravel lanai".

[robguz]

I think it's very difficult to do a proper anything for under $100 a square foot once you figure in catchment, septic, electrical hookup, solar hot water, etc. My 2008 house came to over $100 including the 400 sq ft lanai including everything but appliances. I was there full time for 8 months not earning income and did all the painting and many other little things myself. The framing was cheap and underbid. Materials were paid for in 2007 before oil prices went nuts and increased the price of everything. Nearly 6 years later I think a basic legal cabin would be the same if you used cheap materials as much as possible. Given my labor and unearned income, real costs for my house were closer to $125, again almost 6 years ago, in a process that went quickly and smoothly.

[Bullwinkle]

100 - 150 a sq foot ncluding materials a good number -

Rosebud did my place for that in 2007 last of the Trojan plantation house kits about 900 sq ft

poles for electric

cesspool / water catchment

and lot leveling also part of the number the way I figure it - and yes the 300 sq foot lanai was a part of the cost / sq footage

but wasnt counted by the county as sq ft

[kalakoa]

quote:

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Originally posted by robguz

I think it's very difficult to do a proper anything for under $100 a square foot once you figure in catchment, septic, electrical hookup, solar hot water, etc.

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I question the value proposition of a "proper" anthing in lava zones 1 or 2.

[Luke Duke]

I'm not sure if this helps, but just today HPM told me that the going rate in Puna for building a packaged home is $100/sf for living area and $50/sf for nonliving area. I assume nonliving areas include the lanai and garage.

I'm sure there are other costs -- solar, drive way, water source, electrical. Not sure what the total cost per SF would be when all is said and done. I'd like to know.