Foundation - This Kind

The type of foundation can range from Wood Piers driven into the ground to slab on grade.  Other foundations include the one shown here which is a continuous footer with concrete piers.   Choice of foundation can to some extent be at the budget discretion, but under some circumstances you will have to yield to the county and the engineer.   Particularly on beach front lots, the foundations are a feat in and of themselves often costing $100 to $500 thousand dollars depending on complexity and size of the house. 

Off the beach just a few lots, you usually have your choice depending on the soil.  The higher the lot is above the water table the more likely you are to go with concrete structures.  Lower lots will likely be wood pilings so that there is less hydrostatic pressure from below. 

The above foundation will accommodate what will be a three story home with a fourth story tower and open decks at 42 feet.   The footprint of each floor is the same and the area covered is about 1,400 square feet.                                                                                                                    Driving the cost of this foundation is the number of blocks, the linear feet of continuous footer, the material to construct those items and the labor required to do the work.   Overall this foundation could get bids of between $15,000 and $23,000 from the sub contractors that will do the work.  A builder will have to hedge the bet of a fixed cost contract and select more on the high end of likely subcontractor costs.   They will then add between 15 and 20% to that amount in your overall cost showing you price per square foot.  Builder estimate: $27,600.

If they are fortunate enough to be able to schedule in a lower cost alternative, you will not benefit from that savings.  The

builder, running the risk of contracting, must protect the possibility that a lower cost subcontractor cannot do the work in the proper timing etc.

Building it yourself, however, you get all the benefits of the cost savings, but run all the risk of cost overruns and errors and omissions.   Get someone to help you build your home, either a builder or someone to help you do it yourself.

Foundation: $19,000 est.  Actual $21,350.  Variable - The slope of the lot caused more block than anticipated and the block has to be filled with more concrete.

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