Calculators
Construction Cost per Square Foot Estimator
Estimate a building project budget from floor area, cost per square foot, soft costs and contingency.
- Runs in your browser
- Nothing uploaded
The tool
Enter your numbers below. Results update as you type, and nothing leaves your browser.
Everything you enter stays on your own machine. Nothing is sent to us or to anyone else, which you can confirm in your browser network tab.
What people use it for
- Early budgeting for a new home or extension
- Feasibility studies
- Comparing builder quotes
- Discussing budgets with lenders
About this tool
What the Construction Cost per Square Foot Estimator does
Early construction budgets are built from a cost per square foot for the type and quality of building, then soft costs such as design, engineering and permits, and a contingency for the unknown. This estimator turns those inputs into a total budget and an all-in cost per square foot.
It also works as a square footage cost estimator or a cost to build calculator.
Formula
- Hard costs = area × cost per sq ft + site work
- Soft costs = hard costs × soft cost %
- Total = (hard + soft) × (1 + contingency)
Worked example
Using the starting values in the calculator above:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Floor area | 2,200 sq ft |
| Hard construction cost per sq ft | $185 |
| Site work and utilities | $35,000 |
| Soft costs (design, permits, fees) | 15% |
| Contingency | 10% |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Total project budget | $559,130 |
| All-in cost per sq ft | $254 |
| Hard costs | $442,000 |
| Soft costs | $66,300 |
| Contingency | $50,830 |
How to read the result
Cost per square foot varies with finish level, region, site conditions and building shape; use local figures from recent comparable projects.
Keep the contingency until the work is complete; early contingency spending is a warning sign.
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Questions
Questions about this tool
The things clients actually want to know — costs, timelines, ownership and what happens after launch.
It depends heavily on location, quality and design; local builders and cost guides give current ranges.
Costs other than physical construction, such as architects, engineers, permits, surveys and fees.
Often 10% for new builds and 15% to 20% for renovations, where surprises are more likely.
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