Cost To Build

Cost To Build.

Here's the partial cost breakdown for house construction. Not included are costs for the utility trenching (300 feet), driveway (500 feet!), and costs to finish the interior (paint, drywall), since these can be so variable from project to project. Nor did I include the costs for exterior and interior doors, and the non-skylight windows.

Everything else can also vary tremendously, depending on a number of factors. For instance, if our ground hadn't perced just right (see the septic page), our septic system could have cost three or four times as much! We could also have done more to keep the electrical contractor costs down, and we could have chosen a much cheaper way to insulate.

Please keep these caveats in mind as you look over the costs, and remember that you won't be able to get an idea of how much your project will cost until you start approaching contractors for estimates. These figures are presented as a way to give you a general idea of the cost of the home's basic systems.

The work I did myself included erecting the dome framework, finishing the dome interior, installing the flooring, installing the non-skylight windows and doors, building both sets of stairs, and acting as general contractor for all the rest of the labor.

Naturally, the more you can do yourself, the lower your costs will be!

excavation for basement, backfill & final grading - $4,400.00

Superior Walls foundation, fabricated & installed - $12,500

basement slab - $4,200

plumbing for 1 full bath, half-bath, kitchen, laundry room - $8,500

septic system - $3,200

roofing, including labor and materials - $10,000

electric - $15,000

material and labor for interior partition walls, extension construction - $12,000

heating - $9,000

Icynene spray foam insulation - $5,900

flooring - $2,250

kit cost (including skylights, interior plywood, & transportation to Pa.) - $39,000