Cost of Construction

We feel the "Rough Cost" should represent a budget figure, once this is established then formal prints are competed and numerous sub trades will be quoting identical requirements for the same job, thus the process of selecting experience, quality workmanship and competitive rates. This is where it gets interesting, if you comfortable estimating construction costs then read on, otherwise please call Brian at (250) 808-1148 or email us mail@hartleyhomes.ca

These are not exact costs but can be used to establish the budget
Concrete footings 9" x 24" with 3 rows of 15 mm rebar $10.50 / lin ft
Concrete walls under 4 ft high $5.00 / sq ft
Concrete walls over 4' require engineering $6.00 / sq ft
Foundation Coating & damp proofing changes with the style of home, average is $1.00 / sq ft
Concrete $200 / cubic metre
Concrete Forming $200 /cubic metre
Slab Preparation  including slab seal and 10 mm rebar 24" on-centre $2.00 / sq ft
Framing $10.00 / sq ft
Building materials $11.00 / sq ft
Roofing $3.00 / sq ft
Windows $250 - $600 each for average size windows
Front door $3,000-$5,000

Front door hardware $250
Metal exterior doors $400 doors
Fiberglass paint grade doors $600 per door
Garage Door 8 x 16 $2,500
Driveway all inclusive for standard brushed concrete $6.00 / sq ft.
Driveway all inclusive for stamped concrete $9.00 / sq ft.
Driveway all inclusive for exposed aggregate$8.50 concrete $9.00 / sq ft.
Vinyl Siding $3.50
Hardie or similar siding $7.50
Acrylic stucco $9.00
Plumbing without fixtures $4.50 / sq ft
Heating complete $8.00 / sq ft
Electrical Service $3.000
Electrical rough-in and service $8.00 / sq ft
R-20 insulation - $1.80 / sq ft on exterior insulated wall
R-44 insulation in the attic $2.00 / sq ft
R-28 insulation above garage floors $1.90 / sq ft
Drywall $2.00 / sq ft of wall space plus ceiling coverage
Painting $3.25 / sq ft of floor space
Moldings trim and labour $5.00 / sq ft
Moldings and trim materials $2.25  / sq ft
Interior doors $250 each installed with hardware

Ground Works

There are a number of costs in home construction that can only be estimated.  For example, we estimate how much equipment, manpower and material will be required to excavate the foundation, haul away unwanted material, and haul in proper back-fill material, back-fill the foundation and rough-grade the building site.  We are usually close or a bit high in our estimate, the final cost to our clients will be exactly what we pay.  Typical items included in the variable costs are:

Excavation equipment
Compacting equipment
Operator time
Trucking expenses
Tipping fees
Road-building and back-fill materials

This cost is totally dependent on the site location, typography and soil conditions.  Flat city lots and acreages can be $8,000 to $20,000.  Difficult conditions including large excavations, hill-sides and hard rock blasting can easily run over $40,000

Owner Allowances

The owner and the builder work in partnership on many of the decisions in the building process that directly impact the budget.  This portion of the budget is dedicated to the owners discretion, the figures we have indicated are average costs and are broken into the following areas:

Electrical fixtures
Plumbing fixtures and bathroom cabinets
Bathroom hardware
Closet shelving
Door hardware
Kitchen cabinets
Clutter & Craft rooms
Kitchen counter tops & back splash
Floor coverings
Appliances

Electrical fixtures
There is a lot to be said for expensive lighting, one or two fixtures are usually sufficient overall the budget should define the decisions.  An economical fixture package for a 3 bedroom 1800 sq ft home could be as little as $1,200.00 the average builder allowance is closer to $2,500 to a average high end at $6,000

Plumbing Fixtures
Kitchen sinks with faucets $800
Double bathroom vanity with sink and faucet $1,600
Single bathroom vanity with sink and faucet $400
Fiberglass tub/shower with doors & faucets $1,600
Fiberglass shower with doors & faucets $1,600
Walk in and sit down tub with faucets $3,000
Free standing tub $1500 - $4,000
Toilets $350
Custom tile shower with 10 mm glass doors $7,000 - $10,000
Standard natural gas hot water tank $1,000
Standard electric hot water tank $800
Hot water loop system $1,000
Hot water demand system $5,000

Bathroom Hardware
Full bathrooms including mirrors, and towel bars, and tissue holders $ $250 - $400
En-suites including mirrors, and towel bars, and tissue holders $ $600

Closet Shelving
Custom configured painted MDF whole house $3,500 - $6,000
Custom cabinetry walk-in closet $5,000 - $10,000

Door Hardware
Front Door $300
Other entry doors $90
Interior doors $60 for each door

Kitchen Cabinets
There is a wide range of prices due to the size of the kitchen, style of cabinets
Budget cabinetry $10,000
Average cabinetry $15,000
Upper end cabinetry $20,000
Kitchen back splash $500 - $1500

Kitchen Counter Tops
Laminate counter top $10 - $20 / sq ft
Quartz and Granite $85 - $140 / sq ft
Kitchen back splash $500 - $1500

Clutter & Craft rooms
Budget cabinetry $2,000
Average cabinetry $3,500
Upper end cabinetry $5,000


Floor Coverings
Carpets $6 / sq ft installed
Linoleum $6 / sq ft installed
Laminate flooring $ $5.00 / sq ft installed
Vinyl strip flooring $7.00 - $8.50 / sq ft installed
Hardwood Flooring $6 - $15 / sq ft installed
Hardwood or laminate on stairs add $80.00 - $100 / tread
Ceramic tile - $2.00 to $10 / sq ft
Labour to install ceramic tile $15.00 / sq ft
Heated floor in an average bathroom $1000

Appliances
The prices below include washer, dryer, fridge, stove, microwave and dishwasher
Economy $5,000
Average $8,000
Upper end $11,000
Top End $25,000

Pre-construction costs

Your builder should look after everything related to the process of obtaining the building permit, these pre-construction costs include:

Building Plans: $2,000 to $5,000
Structural Engineering for foundations and or walls: $2,000 to $5,000
Geotechnical reports for soil conditions: $1,000 - $2,000
Site plan and site surveys: $500 - $2000
New Home Warranty Registration $2,000 - $5,000
Permit application fees: $150 - $4,500
Building permit fee: $2,500 - $15,000



Owners considering a land purchase should also be aware of the following as items, your realtor and or builder can help you contact the local planning authority to determine if any of the following applies

• Due to the history of wild fires in the Okanagan, many building sites have been noted as wild fire zones.  These regions may require special assessments from qualified environmental firms and may require removal of lower branches and or thinning of trees near the proposed location of the home.
• Hillside Development may limit road grades to allow access for emergency vehicles and this can have a notable effect on the cost driveway and road construction and or surfacing.
• Environmental concerns such as Riparian Area (water ways and associated wildlife habitat) assessments will add to the cost of construction.
• Privately held lands can be subject to excavation restrictions by the Archaeological Branch and may be subject to review by First Nations.
• Existing or new water wells, water treatment requirements and septic fields
• Covenants on the property

The cost of building a new home in Kelowna

The most frequent question everyone asks is "How much does it cost to build a new home in the Okanagan?"  At Hartley Homes we help the owners to establish a budget by providing a "Rough Cost" based on the style of home and building site. The "Rough Cost" can be as simple as providing the cost as a price range i.e. $190 to $225 / sq ft.  At Hartley Homes we provide the "Rough Cost" broken into major cost segments so the clients understand where the money will be spent.  Once we understand the owners budget and the owner understands how far their budget will take them, we then proceed with a "Detailed Cost".  We believe in a totally in a transparent cost approach with our clients including our builders fees!

Our cost approach is broken into 5 categories:
Pre-construction Cost
Ground Works
Utility Costs
Construction Cost
Owner Allowances

Utility Costs

These costs include connection fees for water, sewer, natural gas and electricity.  The lowest cost for utilities is usually a residential building lot  generally about $2,000.  Building on an acreage can add $15,000 - $40,000 for a septic system and another $12,000 - $40,000 for a well and pump system for the water supply.  Fees for electricity can be $4,000 per utility pole and  $7,000 to add a new transformer.  The first 100 ft from a utility pole to a home is $3,000 to $4,000 and this can be either underground or above grade.