Building the home of your dreams is an exciting journey. And when you’ve come to a place in your life where you can build your legacy, what better way to celebrate the fruits of your labour than by investing in a luxury home crafted especially for you?
As a custom home builder, we are often asked about the cost of building a custom home in Calgary. The answer depends on various factors, including whether it’s a completely custom or a semi-custom build, how large the property is, site preparation, architecture, material, and features, just to name a few.
At Riverview Custom Homes, we specialize in luxury, and with every home we build, we build wow. If you can dream it, we can build it. Our portfolio of custom homes showcases a diverse range of designs – from sleek contemporary to traditional builds of stone and wood. If you’re considering building a luxury custom home in Calgary, one of the preliminary steps is to determine an estimated cost and set a budget.
Here’s what you can expect during the process and how to choose a reliable company that will stick to the budget as closely as possible.
Evaluating the cost of a custom home
The first step in the process is to meet with your builders, which includes the design and architect team. You’ll discuss your overall vision, your desired location, your needs, lifestyle, and budget. From here, our team can give you an idea of the cost based on similar builds, square footage, and features.
Although each custom home build differs, the process typically follows:
- An offer to purchase the land: At Riverview Custom Homes, we can help you choose the location and offer recommendations on how to optimize the land. Once the offer to purchase is made and secured, we begin the design process.
- Initial design concept: The initial design concept is based on your vision. Our expert designers will put together elements for a cohesive look, including materials, colours, backsplashes, door styles, lighting – every one of a thousand detail. The design concept may go through a few revisions – remember, this is your home and you should be completely satisfied with the concept before moving forward. During this stage, your team will inform you of the estimated costs and any changes in total expenses.
- Home plan review: Once the design is approved, an architect reviews the home plan to verify that it’s architecturally sound. After the home plan has been approved and signed, we can put together a detailed budget forecast.
- A detailed forecast of costs: The budget forecast includes the expected cost of the overall build and what each expense includes. Of course, with any build, some issues may arise that may become an added expense. An experienced builder will communicate common issues with you and plan for contingencies to keep the project moving smoothly. Once you’ve approved the budget forecast and the funds are secured, construction begins on your new luxury home.
Factors that influence the cost of building a custom home in Calgary
Several key factors will significantly influence the final cost of building a custom home in Calgary and because every custom home is unique, these elements can differ widely and lead to large variations in overall project expenses.
- Location: The specific neighbourhood where you choose to build can have a substantial impact on the cost of your custom home. Land prices vary significantly throughout the city depending on everything from accessibility to nearby amenities, and certain areas may have stricter building regulations or require more complex foundation work due to the terrain.
- Square footage: The overall size of your custom home is a primary driver of cost. Larger homes naturally require more materials and labour, directly impacting the cost.
- Materials: The selection of materials for both the interior and exterior of your home plays a crucial role in determining the cost. Choices range from standard options to higher-end luxury finishes, each with a different price point.
- Design complexity: The intricacy and uniqueness of your custom home’s design will influence the cost. Highly detailed architectural plans, custom features, and non-standard layouts often require more specialized labour and can increase expenses.
- Site preparation: The condition of your building lot and the necessary preparations can add to the overall cost. This may include demolition of existing structures, excavation, levelling, utility connections, and addressing any unique site challenges.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build a 2000 sq ft house in Alberta?
When you search online for the average cost of building a 2000 sq ft house in Alberta, many sources will claim that it’s about $150 per square foot. However, keep in mind that this number fluctuates significantly depending on the type of house you’re building, the materials, site preparation, architecture, design, and more. The cost of a stick-built home will differ greatly from building a custom luxury home in Calgary.
Can I build my own house in Calgary?
Absolutely. Calgary has vast open spaces with available land in rural areas and desirable locations in the urban sprawl to build your dream home. If you decide to build in Calgary, be sure you work with a home builder that has a firm knowledge of city by-laws, zoning laws, and provincial policies.
How expensive is it to build a house in Alberta?
The cost of building a house in Alberta is not a straightforward answer as it depends on a number of factors. First, Alberta offers diverse locations – rural, urban, small towns, hamlets, city suburbs, to name a few. Each location requires different site preparation, which can impact the cost. Second, the type of home you want to build is a determining factor in the overall cost. While single-family homes in Calgary typically start at around $500,000 including land, you can expect a superior luxury build to go beyond the million-dollar mark.
View our work
From traditional architectural homes and modern sprawling custom builds to inner-city infills, our team showcases a diverse portfolio in our gallery. We invite you to explore our designs and see firsthand how we build wow on every home we touch.
Choosing the right custom home builder in Calgary
While there are horror stories about custom home builds – projects going thousands of dollars over budget and builders leaving the project unfinished – these incidents are rare. However, they do emphasize the importance of selecting an experienced builder, particularly for more complex and sophisticated builds.
Be diligent in your search for the right builder. When it comes to costs and budget forecasting, some good questions to ask are:
- How do you make sure the project stays on budget?
- Will I be given invoices and details of each expense?
- How do you communicate issues during the project?
- How do you approach constraints and solve problems along the way?
- Can you walk me through your home-building process?
- What warranties do you offer?
At Riverview Custom Homes, we set a high standard in the custom luxury home industry. Our team includes professional designers, architects, builders, project managers, and site supervisors who are experts in their field. Together, we have built superior properties that our clients find joy coming home to.
Connect with us today to build your legacy with Calgary’s premier custom home builder.