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House Cost Estimator: Get Your Most Accurate Home Construction Costs!

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When estimating residential construction costs, many factors come into play. In this, freshly created 2022 Estimator by Fortress Home, we will break the process piece by piece. By filtering out your accurate preferences, you will get a precise, up-to-date market price for building your dream home.

Fortress Home has been in the residential construction market for more than 20 years. We are home builders with extensive expertise, a solid portfolio, and a team of professionals who have hundreds of finished houses behind their shoulders. Still have questions after you got the result from our free calculator? Give us a call at 773-770-8607 and we will let you know what you need to get your own home with the best price tag!

Home costs: what is important to consider?

Besides being a complex and very specific matter, home construction costs are heavily determined by the local market. That is why it is very important to inquire about them from the custom home builders in your area.

Fortress Home has been in the Chicago, IL area residential construction market for more than 20 years.


We carefully filtered out all of our experience — and have created this free online tool to provide you with the most accurate estimates of home building costs. The final price that you get will surely correspond to the current situation on the Chicago residential market.

Our house cost estimator includes the following: architectural plans and typical engineering, excavation and installation of concrete foundation structure — framing and insulation — heating/cooling — electrical, plumbing, roofing. Plus building permit costs, final touches, and interior design. See cost estimates for your region and enter your zip code below to see how much it will cost you to get a dream home.

Choosing a professional home builder is very important: check all the licenses before signing the contract. Besides that, he has to purchase construction insurance that will cover the costs (this can save you tens of thousands in case of unexpected situations!).

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Fortress Home is a local construction company that truly understands what the people of Chicago want. We pay special attention to building trusting relationships with clients. This is the only way we can identify the project's true goals, understand the goals of future residents, and establish a measured but confident construction process that guarantees the success of each project.

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Is it cheaper to get a modular home or a custom home?

While getting a modular — or prefabricated home is cheaper than a custom new home construction cost, getting a unique house designed especially for your needs has multiple benefits.

Most homeowners choose it for the possibility to get more square footage, besides the unique architectural and interior design. Yes, there is definitely an additional cost, but a one-of-a-kind house and total square footage are totally worth that!

A prefab house is manufactured off-site and then constructed on the site. That is why total labor cost and material costs are much lower than when it comes to the price per square foot for custom homes.


Usually, an average cost of a unique house is twice or higher than that of an "existing home" that has been brought to your plot and is put together like lego.

How do I use a home building calculator?

Not all of the online tools are convenient to use and provide accurate results. That's why we have created this simple, user-friendly house cost estimator that will allow you to get a total construction cost within minutes.

Simply tick the boxes, click on the pictures or choose the answers that are relevant to your residential project — and get your new house's final cost!

While calculating custom homes estimates, Fortress Home will consider the following data:

  • Future house size
  • Cost per square foot
  • Permitting costs / designs obtain permits / building permits
  • House plans / develop plans
  • Build cost of the entire home
  • Major systems of the residential estate
  • Installation of the utilities
  • Purchasing building materials
  • Material prices
  • Retaining walls and roof pitches
  • Resilient flooring
  • Lighting fixtures
  • Septic system
  • Energy costs
  • Interior finishing
  • Exterior finishes
  • Final details

Recommended reading

Licensed General Contractor - What it is and Why it Matters
Read more
Tips for How to Save Money When Building a House
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Fortress Home is a small company with big ambitions. We pay attention to even minor details of the project, putting the global result in perspective. That is why we personalize the work on each home with a key focus on the client's needs, unlike large construction companies with the same approach.

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Cost to build a house per square foot

The average cost to build a new house in America is $275,776. The labor cost represents about 40% of the total price, the rest comes to permits, construction fees, and building materials. The final cost of the newly constructed homes will depend on the location of the property, its size in square feet, and the quality of the finishes and products you've selected.

High-end developments with high costs of living like New York or San Francisco can run around $400 per square foot. Here in Chicago, where Fortress Home headquarters is situated, the average cost to build a new house is $290-$349.


Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost per square foot to build a house in 2021?

It totally depends on the location and the characteristics of the new house. The average starting price in the US is around $100-$150 per square foot but it can be as high as $400-$500 in prestigious neighborhoods and can rise as high as $1000 / 1 sq. ft and more for the luxurious residences.

How much does it cost to build a 2000 square foot house?

Homeowners across the United States spend $190,000-420,000 in a 2,000 square-foot house on average. For middle-class neighborhoods, the median price of a 2k home is around $295,000. The factors that will the price depend on? Location, labor costs, design, size, construction materials.

Installing more extras such as fenced pools or decks will definitely increase the final costs. According to the National Association of Homebuilders, these additional costs will account for around 20-25% of the total building cost.

What is the cost of professional labor to build a house?

Usually, a home builder is not charged hourly. The average fee to expect is 10-20% of home construction costs. If you buy your new home at a cost of $350,000 it is likely your new government is going to charge from about $15,000 to $150,000 and your taxes would also vary depending on the situation.

Many general contractors require a part of that fee upfront — usually no more than 10-15%. Only hire a professional contractor who is licensed, insured, and experienced in the residential construction market!

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FORTRESS HOME

Fortress Home is a company that strives to build homes exclusively of high quality and comfort standards at an affordable price. Thanks to this approach, within the framework of each project, we not only achieve construction goals but also exceed our clients' initial expectations, including the quality of service.

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