How Much Does it Cost to Build a Home in Oklahoma?

There are many factors to consider when building a home—in Oklahoma or anywhere else. Whether you're dreaming of a cozy cottage or a spacious family residence, understanding the costs involved is crucial for making informed decisions.

When considering how much it costs to build a home, remember that the final cost of your dream home will depend on various things, including:

• Location within Oklahoma

• Home design and features

• Land selection and preparation

• Installation of utilities

• Quality of materials and finishes

There are hidden costs in the home design as well—costs you’ll never see unless you know what to look for. Let’s take a look at these costs, and I’ll give you a few examples.

Cost to Build a Home: Price per Square Foot

Our clients often ask: how much do you charge per square foot? Well, the truth is that it’s different for every house. So many factors ultimately go into that answer. For example, how big is the house? How big are the garage, porch, and patio? How many bathrooms are there? How big is the kitchen?

To illustrate, let’s start with the house plan itself. To identify the price per square foot, you’ll divide the overall dollars by the square footage of the heated & cooled space. If you really think about it, that means you’re adding up the cost of everything associated with the house, then dividing it by only one element of that cost.

Let’s say the house is 2000 square feet and it has two bathrooms—each of which costs about $5,000 to build. That’s $10,000 spread out over 2000 square feet, which means $5 per square foot… just to build those bathrooms. 

Now let’s say there are three bathrooms instead. That’s $7.50 per square foot. 

This example demonstrates why comparing homes solely based on price per square-foot can be misleading. It's crucial to consider all aspects of the home's design and features when budgeting for your build.

Cost to Build a Home: How Finishes Impact Cost

Finishes are the visible, touchable elements of your home that contribute to its aesthetic appeal and functionality. These include:

• Flooring (hardwood, tile, carpet, etc.)

• Cabinetry

• Trim and moldings

• Doors (interior and exterior)

• Countertops

• Paint and wall coverings

• Exterior finishes (brick, stone, siding)

• Appliances

• Light fixtures

• Plumbing fixtures and hardware

The cost of those finishes is impacted by both the quantity of the finishes needed, and the finish level (a.k.a., the budget per unit of the item, like cost per square-foot of tile). 

Now, I hesitate to use the word “quality level.” That’s because the cost per-unit is often driven by how in-demand an item is. For example, two quartz countertops from the same manufacturer may have the same durability, but differ in price due to color or pattern.

How Home Design and Layout Affect Cost of Finishes

A smartly designed home makes efficient use of every square foot, reducing unnecessary costs. In other words, a smarter design means you get more “bang for the buck.” 

For example:

• Flow and Functionality: A well-planned layout can reduce the need for additional features or square footage to compensate for poor design.

• Natural Light: Proper placement of windows can reduce the need for artificial lighting, saving on electrical fixtures and energy costs.

• Kitchen Layout: An efficiently designed kitchen may require fewer cabinets and less countertop space, reducing material costs.

• Bathroom Design: Smart bathroom layouts can minimize tile usage and plumbing runs, lowering overall costs.

• Open Floor Plans: Can reduce the need for interior walls and doors, potentially lowering material and labor costs.

• Standardized Dimensions: Using standard sizes for windows, doors, and other elements can help avoid custom-order premiums.

• Simplified Rooflines: Complex roof designs increase material costs and labor.

Remember, a skilled architect or home designer can help you create a layout that not only meets your needs but also optimizes your budget for finishes. They can suggest creative solutions that enhance the functionality and aesthetic appeal of your home without unnecessarily inflating costs.

How Material Selections Affect Cost of Finishes

While they may not have the largest impact on overall construction costs, smart choices in materials can significantly affect your budget and the perceived value of your home.

Here are a couple of examples:

• If you’ve fallen in love with a floor tile above your budget, don’t use it for your entire floor; use it here and there for a “pop.” Put it in the entry—which might only be 60 square feet—and you’ll get the best of both worlds.

• Let’s say it’s a countertop instead of a tile. If your kitchen design boasts an island, then you could use it on just the island. You’ll really create a “wow” element for less.

By making thoughtful material selections, you can create a high-end look while managing the cost to build your home in Oklahoma effectively. Consult with your builder or designer to find the best balance between your design vision and budget constraints.

Cost to Build a Home and How it’s Impacted by the Site

The site itself can also impact your overall budget. This is especially true for those building in rural areas, where additional site preparation and utility installations (like pulling electricity and/or water) are often necessary.

We’re talking about clearing, grading (moving dirt), creating site access, drilling a water well, installing a septic system, bringing electric service to the site, hauling off debris, dealing with unforeseen issues like breaking through subsurface rock, etc.

Our typical budgets (costs) in 2024 for site-related costs look like this:

• Water Well: $11,000-$12,000 (depending on depth, length, and difficulty);

• Septic System: Around $8,500, with some variation.

• Electric Service: Anywhere from less than $1,000 to as high as $15,000 (or more). 

  • Many times, there is “primary” electric service at the road, and the electric co-op or municipal utility company can add a transformer and an underground wire very easily; other times, the primary service is across or down the street, and they have to run new poles, overhead wires, and the other stuff mentioned above. That gets more costly.

• Site Clearing and Grading: This one has a huge variation. 

  • Can be as low as $3,500 if there’s minimal dirt work and no tree removal.

  • Averages around $5,000-$6,000 for a site with some trees, especially if we can mulch on site and only need a day or two of dirt moving.

  • As high as $25,000, or more if there’s a large amount of dirt moving, retaining walls needed, or if we need to add deepened beams or piers to the foundation to accommodate uncompacted soil.

Remember, while these site-related costs can be substantial, they're essential investments in creating a stable, well-serviced home. By understanding and planning for these expenses, you can more accurately estimate the total cost to build your home in Oklahoma and avoid unexpected financial surprises during the construction process. Learn more about the cost of building a home by understanding the builder's fee.