What is the cost per square foot for a custom home built by Madison Custom Homes
Inc.?
Cost per square foot depends on the size and style of home you
want to build, as well as the materials and features you put into your house.
As a general estimate, costs would start at about $85/sq. ft, but
could exceed $200/ sq ft., depending on which of the three basic
home styles you choose. It generally costs
less to build up than out.
- Style A - Master bedroom on 2nd floor with a one story great
room is the least expensive per sq ft to build
- Style B - Master on 2nd floor with a 2 story great room is next step up
- Style C - Master on main level with bedrooms upstairs
- Style D - Ranch style is most expensive due to larger
foundation, larger roof
In what areas of Indiana do you build?
While the majority of the custom homes we build are in
developments and neighborhoods on the north and east side of
Indianapolis, such as Fishers/Geist, McCordsville, Noblesville,
Westfield and
Carmel, we will build anywhere in the Central Indiana
area, including Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Morgan, and Shelby
Counties.
Will my cost increase if I build on the south or west sides
of town?
No. Costs are determined by materials and labor, not travel time
to and from the job site. We are happy to build where you want to
live.
Do you build on raw acreage?
Yes, we will build on acreage, in accordance with county regulations and other factors. Each county has different rules and regulations. (Visit
this
Interactive Indiana Counties Map for information about county
resources and links to governmental agencies.)
If you plan to purchase or build on raw acreage, you should consider:
- County approval to build on the acreage - each county has different requirements; some require 10 acres or more in order to build.
In certain counties, if the lot is less than 10 acres it must be deeded as a “minor sub-division”
or they will not permit construction.
- Well and septic system requirements - soil bore tests,
availability of proper drainage, ability to tie into a regulated
drain or ditch
- Roads – county regulation may dictate inconvenient driveway spacing on certain roads
if other driveways exist on adjacent minor-subs
Can you recommend any local site developers?
What sets these developers apart from the rest of the field?
Yes, with the stringent county and city regulations, most developers in
the area are well-established.
The use of space is what mainly makes the difference between
developers. Details such as common areas, entryways, the amount of trees and landscaping, pools,
pool houses, and other amenities like basketball courts and playgrounds.
Do you have pre-priced floor plans available?
We build custom homes, so we do not use pre-priced floor plans.
We design a unique home for each client based on needs, wants and budget.
We can provide floor plans from previous homes we have built for
use as a reference or starting point, and then incorporate desired features or
details into the new design. We can also help find plans on the
Internet from designers and architects.
For examples of previous homes we have built in Central
Indiana, please visit our
gallery of Indiana custom luxury homes.
What is the cost difference between using an existing floor
plan and a new custom floor plan?
Custom home buyers typically want more personalized materials,
features and amenities than are available in a basic pre-priced
plan, which has all materials and hardware pre-selected.
No cost savings result from using an existing plan. The
basic difference is that with a pre-priced package, the cost
of the draftsman is already built in to the total cost of the
home. With a custom home design,
you will incur a separate, minor one-time draftsman fee, but
you then have the freedom to choose the layouts that suit your
tastes.
Custom plans include everything “under-roof”, including basement, garages and porches. Depending on the size of these, the price would range from
about $1,200 - $5,000 for a full set of plans.
Can we visit a house already built by Madison Custom Homes Inc.?
Yes. From time to time, we build a "spec" house that would be
available to view during construction or after it's completed. At other times,
arrangements can be made to visit occupied homes with an appointment.
Are you licensed, bonded or insured?
Yes, we are fully insured. However, Indiana does not require bonding,
and most counties in Central Indiana do not require a license. A
few counties do require licensing and insurance, and we can acquire
those licenses if we do not already have them.
In certain cases where required, most often when dealing with a municipal road or highway, we will obtain bonds, as needed.
For an example of when a Performance Bond may be needed, read the
Locations Case Study: Dealing with Local Governments Regarding Problem Builds.
Do you include any standard features or amenities in all of
the homes you build?
To ensure long-term solid construction, we always include:
- Poured concrete foundations
- I-joists for the floor joists
- All stick construction – no floor trusses or roof trusses
- Vinyl clad, aluminum clad or aluminum extrusion windows – we
never use exposed wood on the exterior of windows, as they are a problem waiting to happen, usually
in about three years
- We always install a 90% efficient gas furnace with a
high-efficiency heat pump or an
air conditioning system. When we use a two-furnace system, we
install two 90% furnaces rather than the typical 90% and 80%
combination.
Under normal circumstances, any additional up-front costs are recouped in about
two years with the use of more-efficient systems.
- We place rubber “ice and water shield” membranes anywhere roof and wall meet,
as well as tight roof valleys
Do the homes you build come with a warranty?
Yes. Our new homes come with two years of warranty protection, except
where noted. In addition to that general warranty, each new
home includes a four-year roof warranty and a ten-year structural
warranty. For more specific information on warranty
protection available from Madison Custom Homes Inc., read
Warranties.
