Build on your lot
What It Costs to Build on Your Lot in Montgomery County
Building on your own lot in Montgomery County costs [RANGE TO BE SET BY JACOB] per square foot for the house, plus site work that is priced separately and changes with every lot. The number you can trust comes from a builder pricing your actual plan on your actual lot. Everything else is a working range.
What is in the per square foot number?
The per square foot figure covers the house: foundation, framing, roof, mechanicals, finishes. It does not automatically cover what your lot needs before the house can sit on it. When someone quotes you one number a square foot, ask whether site work is in it. If nobody can tell you, the quote is not finished.
Finishes move the number more than anything else. Flooring, counters, fixtures and windows are set by allowances in a custom contract. A low allowance makes the first price look good and gets paid back through change orders later.
What does site work add on a Montgomery County lot?
Site work is everything between a bare lot and a buildable pad. In Montgomery County it usually comes down to five items:
- Clearing and grading. Wooded lots in Magnolia, Willis and north Conroe cost more to clear than open pasture. [RANGE TO BE SET BY JACOB]
- Driveway and culvert. A long run off a county road adds up quickly. [RANGE TO BE SET BY JACOB]
- Water and sewer, or well and septic. Inside a MUD you tap in. Outside one, you drill and install. [RANGE TO BE SET BY JACOB]
- Electric service. The distance from the nearest pole sets the cost. [RANGE TO BE SET BY JACOB]
- Fill and drainage. Lots in or near a flood zone may need to be raised. [RANGE TO BE SET BY JACOB]
Two buyers with the same plan can land far apart on site work alone. That is why a flat county average tells you very little.
Why does the lot change the price so much?
Montgomery County has 60,328 vacant residential lots on its appraisal roll. We went through all of them. They range from a tenth of an acre in a platted subdivision to parcels of more than 20 acres, and no two have the same utility situation.
The appraisal roll tells you a lot's size, subdivision and owner. It does not tell you the flood zone or whether water and sewer reach the lot line. Until someone checks, the cost is a guess.
- Flood zone:
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Flood zone and utilities decide most of your site work. Nearby permits tell you whether the road and utilities are about to get better, and whether you will have construction next door.
How do you get a real number?
Take three steps in this order:
- Check the lot first. Flood zone, utilities, setbacks and access.
- Pick a plan and a spec. Square footage, stories, and finish level.
- Get a builder to price it. A firm price comes from a builder on a real plan for a real lot, with allowances written down.
Talk to a lender at the same time. Construction financing changes your timeline and your cash needs, and builders will ask about it early.
Does going straight to a builder save money?
No. Going direct to the builder does not lower your price. The builder keeps the difference. Builder Connect represents you, the buyer. The builder pays our fee, so you pay the same price either way, with someone on your side of the table who reads the allowances, the change order terms and who absorbs an overrun. We are not tied to one builder, so we can tell you which one fits your lot and plan.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build a house per square foot in Montgomery County?
[RANGE TO BE SET BY JACOB] per square foot for the house, before site work. Your final figure depends on finishes and on what the lot needs.
Is site work included in a builder's quote?
Not always. Ask for it in writing, line by line. If it is excluded, get a separate site work number before you compare bids.
Does a flood zone change what it costs?
It can. A lot in or near a flood zone may need fill, elevation or drainage work, and can affect insurance. Check the zone before you design anything.
Do I need to own the lot before I talk to a builder?
No, but it helps. Most builders price against a specific lot. If you do not own one yet, we can help you find one and represent you on the purchase.
How long before I can start building?
Most people we talk to are 12 to 24 months out. If your lender and plan are lined up, the timeline shortens.
Want to know what your lot is hiding?
Send us the address or PIN. We will send back the flood zone, utilities and nearby permits for your lot, and it costs you nothing to ask. Call (346) 273-1143 or email jacob@builderconnect.net.
How we are paid: the builder pays Builder Connect's fee, and going direct to the builder does not lower your price. Compensation is disclosed in writing in your representation agreement.