"I kept seeing a very standard $80-$208 price PSF quoted on many informational Web sites."

That is about the worst type of metric to use to set a budget unfortunately. I would have set $500 a sq ft bare minimum without batting an eye as just a starter without even getting to the finishes. So the $730 may be high but not by much. Renovations ALWAYS cost more than new construction and right now everything is stupid expensive.

In my market, almost any addition to a home is six figures, no matter the size. Foundation, roofing, mechanicals, windows, etc. It all adds up.

This is very helpful. I used the $208 assuming I should use the highest number I could find. But I didn't realize how woefully inaccurate it appears to be. Thank you millworkman and Kristin Petro Interiors for this information!

When you are just describing verbally what you want to do, you can only receive a ballpark estimate. Ballparks are always high, because when the project becomes real it always looks better to come down in price than to ask for more. And if someone has ghosted you then probably you are too smallfry or their price was underestimated. But, the point of this exercise is that you are not a real project, just a glimmer, and homeowners always have glimmers. If you were to have a design already executed with full construction documents to put out to bid, you will receive more feedback and real prices.

BTW, square foot prices are worth nothing in residential. If you insist on one, a good range would be from $30/sf to $1000/sf - not helpful. As an example, just the difference in say a monolithic slab vs a footing/pier crawlspace, would result in wildly different square foot prices.

Thanks for this information. I had heard so many times that architect's drawings, while necessary, were very flawed when used to try to price a project. Something along the lines of architects being more dreamers than practical, and not really clued into the reality of building something. But it sounds like what you are saying is that I should have the plan completed and then reach out to contractors and can get a more realistic bid that way, correct? I don't insist on PSF prices, I just thought they were a norm for construction. But they don't sound like they are useful from what I am learning now. I was hoping it would help me determine how much money I needed to save to afford this--not willing to borrow money to get something I can't afford on my own. Thank you!

120K is going to be the low number once you get real plans drawn up. And even their number will go ip. Think closer to 200K, and be happy if its less.

Really? My whole house didn't even cost $200K. This is depressing...

One thing that various contractors have told me over the years is that it's always more expensive to renovate than to build new, mainly because you have to accommodate the existing structure and its peculiarities (there are always some!). So think hard about what you like about your home. You might be better off moving.

After this experience I'd almost be afraid to try moving. I've been hearing about too many people selling and then being unable to find something to buy. I briefly looked at some properties, but in the end, most places need some renovations, which puts me back with the problem I'm having now. Maybe vanlife is the solution. Thanks for your thoughts on this.

In many places today, it is better to have your next house under contract (at a minimum) before putting your house on the market. I have heard of many people selling within a week. And then not really being prepared to have a place to move to.

The discrepancy in architect's residential estimates can come from:

1. they typically do not keep current on fluctuating material prices since they are not purchasers, and are mostly 3rd party to the bid process, so can't keep apprised of all costs

2. they have no need to do takeoffs to get exact figures, so everything is generally estimated

3. They start with a homeowner's budget, but there is always project creep so the cost after design is done is sometimes higher than initially directed

4. For some things, it is the contractor's responsibility to figure out how to build it. If there are say site access problems, special framing/finishing techniques required, those are typically not accounted for by the architect

5. they cannot account for a contractor shooting for the moon or trying to close a deal

When construction documents are finished, those are the actual drawings the contractor will use to build the addition, so it is what it is. As an option, a homeowner can bring in a contractor to consult on pricing during design, but it sounds like you would have difficulty finding one to do that. There are also design/build firms who do it all in-house, but your cost targets may vary.

Price per square foot is only useless in residential. It is perpetuated as a myth by tv shows, realtors, and homeowners who are trying to assign some hard point to an intangible process. If you want to build say a school or jail, it is a very pertinent and accurate measure.

I appreciate your perspective on this.

This is the classic case of trying to infer construction cost where the inputs to the estimate consist mainly of "handwaving" by the prospective client. I'm not picking on the OP, folks do it all the time.

The best you can hope for with a handwaving approach is to get ballpark guesstimates, and yes they are likely to be all over the place. Using a cost/SF estimating method is silly--especially for remodeling projects which are unique. If any guesstimates are within 50% of actual cost, the remodeler is either darn lucky or has demonstrated one miracle toward establishing his/her sainthood status. The only thing sillier than employing a handwaving approach is to select your remodeler based on the lowest cost/SF basis generated by the handwaving approach (the exception would be if his name is "Joe" he's wearing a frock and sandals, has only primitive hand tools, and a halo around his head.)

If you are serious about a remodeling project, you'll need to invest in concept plans which show what your addition will look like. Combined with some basic specifications, those will better communicate the project requirements to remodelers and enable some better preliminary cost estimates. If you want to "bid" the project, you'll need a pretty detailed set of plans and specifications--not concept plans.

"The only thing sillier than employing a handwaving approach is to select your remodeler based on the lowest cost/SF basis generated by the handwaving approach"

Well stated.

"But it sounds like what you are saying is that I should have the plan completed and then reach out to contractors and can get a more realistic bid that way, correct?"

Only if your architect has a very realistic knowledge of the constantly-changing construction marketplace, otherwise there's a risk he'll draw something completely out of your budget.

Sell yourself as a serious potential client to a reputable General Contractor and tell him your budget. He will have done some jobs in your budget range and can probably put you in touch with his clients.

"Only if your architect has a very realistic knowledge of the constantly-changing construction marketplace, otherwise there's a risk he'll draw something completely out of your budget."

I advocate getting as many of your construction team members on board as you can early in the design process. They'll have insights and cost data which can inform the design. The problem is that cost data for past projects aren't all that useful in the current environment because price and availability of construction materials, fixtures, appliances, etc. are changing so rapidly. Even a really good preliminary cost estimate could be way off in the couple of months it takes to go from concept plans to full construction drawings and final pricing.