re: Estimate on Custom Construction

A good builder can look at your house plans and give you a cost estimate for bare bones, middle and high end finishes, etc. No matter what the estimate is, you need to have a 10% or so reserve in mind to cover cost surprises (soil remediation may be needed, etc.) and your changing desire to upgrade selections once you actually start picking things out. A way to minimize some of the extras is to select most "allowance" items beforehand and resist the urge to upgrade.