Here at Lakefront Building & Design, we have the luxury of working with homeowners across Northern Wisconsin. Our clients come to us with a range of ideas, differing home styles, and a range of budgets. We love how creative our clients allow us to be. The possibilities are almost endless!

While their tastes and styles may be different, one thing is the same. Everyone wants to talk about pricing – and for good reason! Your housing budget is going to dictate a lot of things, including the size and layout of your home, as well as the materials and finishes we use. Having a rough estimate in mind before starting to lay any groundwork will help to set expectations and avoid disappointment.

Understanding Your Rough Budget From the Beginning

Before we even schedule the initial call, we want to make sure that everyone is on the same page. We never want our clients to leave our meetings feeling disappointed. It’s a terrible feeling to design a dream home that you love, only to find out that it’s out of reach!

As with everything in custom construction, budgets can range and change throughout the process. While it’s almost impossible to give you a concrete number before your design is finalized and the bid process is complete, over time we’ve found that $300 per square foot for finished living space is a good starting point when beginning the early stages of design.  This starting point will guide us through the design as we aim to stay within your target budget.

Keep in mind that this square-foot price applies to finished living space only and does not include garages, decks, porches, or unfinished basements. These areas have an additional cost per square foot. Also the overall size of your home can impact your square-foot price.

Keep in mind that this square-foot price will change throughout the design and selections process. Everything from the finishes you select to the heating or plumbing options you approve will impact that number. There is not one set square foot price. Your home could be between $275 and $450+ per square foot depending on the finishes and options you choose.

Things that Affect Your Price Per Square Foot

A lot of things can affect your price per square foot, but some of the major things to consider are:

Design complexity:

Custom features and more complex footprints and floor plans generally tend to increase the price.

Site preparation:

Significant grading, excavation, or utility and infrastructure work will play a role in your price.

Interior finishes:

Custom cabinetry, specialty millwork, custom tile, flooring and countertops can also change your price.

Mechanical systems:

Upgraded heating, cooling, plumbing, and water treatment systems all come with an upgraded price.

Unique add-ons:

Other customization options to consider include specialty rooms, such as home theaters or gyms, and upgraded living spaces like decks, screen porches, pools, saunas, and outdoor kitchens.

All of these aspects can give you wiggle room to increase or decrease our standard (or baseline?) $300 per square foot estimation.

Talking About Pricing During the Preconstruction Process

With that $300 per square foot starting point in mind, the next thing we’ll do is a site consultation. This happens during the first step of our preconstruction process. It’s important for us to see your site, understand your vision, and align your goals with our process.

Once the initial call and the site visit are complete, it’s time for us to move into step two of our process. This is where we really dive into your budget. We will discuss your desired finish level as well as some basic design details to help us determine the feasibility of your project with consideration to your desired budget. Once your vision is aligned with our skillset, we are then able to proceed with customizing your design and preparing a quote that will more clearly match your end price.

Design Your Dream Home in Eagle River, WI with Lakefront Building and Design

At Lakefront Building and Design, we are committed to providing the best custom building experience possible. Moving forward with a rough estimate in mind will help everyone start on the same page. Once we’re there, we can add or subtract elements until your home – and your budget – is exactly what you’re dreaming of!