Construction questions, answered plainly.

Usually a little, because fixed items such as the kitchen, mechanical systems and permits spread across more area. Very large homes tend to climb again as spans, structure and finish expectations grow, so the curve is flatter than people expect.

Planning ranges run roughly $225 to $700 per square foot of finished area in 2026 terms, depending on finish level, site, structure and market. Soft costs and a contingency go on top. The cost estimator shows every assumption behind its range.

They concentrate plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, cabinetry, counters and ventilation into a small area, so the trade count per square foot is high.

About 10 percent on new construction, 10 to 15 percent on additions, and 15 to 20 percent on whole-home remodels or older buildings with unknown conditions.

Almost always scope. One bidder carries a higher allowance, includes an item the other excluded, or assumes different site conditions. Compare line by line before comparing totals.

Either order works if a price check happens during design. Starting with an architect gives you independent drawings to bid. Starting with a design-build firm gives you early cost feedback. What fails is designing for months with no price input at all.

Plan for roughly 14 to 26 months from first design meeting to move-in: several months of design, one to four months of permit review, and about nine to sixteen months of construction.

The point at which the roof, windows and exterior doors are installed and the building is closed to weather, so interior work can proceed without water damage risk.

Often yes for a single room such as a kitchen, with a temporary setup elsewhere. When structure, floors and several rooms are involved, plan on a short stay elsewhere for the messiest weeks.

Windows, custom cabinetry, structural steel, elevators and electrical equipment, which can take months to arrive. Order them once selections are final so they do not delay the schedule.

An estimate is a professional guess at cost, with a margin of error. A bid is a priced offer against a defined scope that the bidder will hold for a stated period. Early planning uses estimates. Contracts are written from bids.

A written document naming the change, its price, its effect on the schedule and who approves it. Work should not start on a change until both sides have signed. Verbal changes are where most end-of-project disputes begin.

Structural, plumbing, electrical, mechanical and many exterior changes do. Cosmetic work usually does not. Your building department makes the final call, so contact them before design.

A placeholder budget for something not yet selected, such as tile or lighting. A low allowance makes a bid look cheap and creates a change order later.

A percentage of each payment, commonly 5 to 10 percent on commercial work, held until completion to encourage finishing the punch list.

Three is a workable number, provided every bidder prices the same scope sheet, the same allowances and the same exclusions.