the joke I've heard about ballpark estimates is:

yep, it will cost less than a ballpark....

I don't really have an answer for you exactly, it can vary significantly based upon finishes, how much it costs to get utilites to the house, etc.

to get a real estimate besides talking to builders, I'd consider look at comprable new construction, like the house you have there at 799, subtract what land is going for these days, and that is a rough estimate.

other way is by the sqft, but really, its hard to gauage based upon the local economy and what you're putting in it.

in my area, Long Island, 2500-3200 sqft houses are being put up and sold for around 650-800K on land ranging from 300K-400K. So cost of house ranging from 300-400K. those are nice, higher end(for my area), but not Wolf and Subzero, although those might not be completely out of place in that price range in my area.

Top rated school district in LA area and the going rate seems to be around $300/sq.ft for high end construction. Then you need to add in the land, which is even more expensive! Any new homes are built on teardown lots as we have very little undeveloped land.

I am going to say $750k. That might be a $500 build around here and I am counting a 50% NY area premium.

The problem with higher end is that there are so many possibilities. You can use $3 a sq ft tile or you can use $20 a sq ft tile. You want it heated? Site finished exotic wide plank hardwoods everywhere which costs $15 a sq ft or just basic 4 in #2 walnut which can be $8. Are there decks? Are they Ipe? Brick, stone or cement board - all can be seen on higher end homes but stone all around might be an extra $80k. Higher cabinets can just be a good basic semicustom (say kitchencraft) at $30k or they can be truly custom exotic at $80k.

The list of variables goes on and on.

The closer to NYC the more expensive the build will be. You said "just outside". And you're not describing a modest middle of the road dwelling. My WAG would be 800K to 1.2M. And the land would be just about as costly as the build.

I guess it really depends on what someone considers high end appointments really, if you're thinking something in line with what you provided a link to, thats one thing. Some people on gardenweb have much "higher end" appointments than that, I don't but some do. In NY, some of what we consider "high end" those down south would think is entry level. for instance the house in the pic probably has vinyl siding, which is pretty normal for a house under $1M

NY may be expensive, but the OP provided a link to a house, I'm asusming is in the area for a price of $799K. Assuming its in the same area, and he wants a house that is similar, I don't see how his will cost 800K without the land.

Wow. Thanks for all of the input. To answer a few questions. Yes. The land is in Briarcliff Manor, which is in Westchester County.

The link is to a house we really like (as far as the structure goes), but we aren't crazy about the location. We think we can get a nice flat plot of land (a bit over a half acre) for a decent price. One option is to buy the land and build a house - like the one in the link. I'm just trying to get a WAG as to what that might conceivably cost. To answer another question, when I said high end, I guess I was right to be criticized. I'm not talking about crazy hardwoods, or custom gold plated cabinets. I'm really talking about what is shown in the photos. Normal hardwood. A chair rail. Reasonable quality work. I'm figuring it will take 9-12 months to build (start to finish), but am not trying to take this thread off on that tangent.

Thanks again.

Yeah - in the South that house is far from high end.

To give you an idea. I have Wolf/Sub and our appliances were $30k. That house looks to have $5k in appliances.

I would think that when you buy a lot on your own and build a single house, you will always pay more than what looks to be a tract home by a large builder. How much more? Hard to say but given equal land acquisition costs, it might be $50-$100k more for that type of house. You will tend to get a little bit more quality but you will definitely pay more for it.

For Westchester, I would probably up my build estimate to $850 for what I was thinking but maybe just $700 for that house.

Well, we moved to NC from Warwick in the Hudson Valley 5 years ago- not awfully far from the area you're talking about. At that time I don't think it would have cost much more than somewhere in the low 500s to build that house at that square footage with that level of finish. We had built a custom home so I speak from experience. Quite honestly, I would advise you to check out a variety of custom homes and builders before you start. That particular house doesn't seem to have detail work, millwork, custom cabinetry or other features found in homes with "high end" prices so make sure you're not paying for them just because the builder throws in a Wolf range. It is true you will pay a bit more in Westchester, but in this market how much is the question

Agree with David. I think in the south that would be considered "builders grade" finishes - vinyl siding, basic ceramic tile, basic cabinetry, etc. - things that you could find at Home Depot/Lowes - and would probably cost 1/4 of what it is listed for where I live - including the land. That is why region is so important when talking about cost to build.

The only real way to get a ballpark is to ask a builder in your area. . .

Westchester is one of the most expensive pladces to buy or build in the country. My SIL just recently moved from there. It's hard to find a teardown for less than 800K. 800K is just the land value. If that land has a decent home on it, you're easily looking at 1.5-2M. It's proximity to NYC makes it a super premium spot. And although the home pictured is just above builder grade, the OP described a much more upscale finish level. That's easily a million dollar build in that location. Want to lower the price? Move further out and lower your trim level.