Skip to content

What we estimate

New Home Construction Estimating

New home construction estimating prices a ground-up build from site work through final finishes. K2E delivers a complete, CSI-organized estimate for custom and spec homes, with every division priced and the site-specific unknowns (excavation, utilities, foundations) called out rather than assumed.

A new build is a cleaner estimating problem than a remodel because you are pricing to drawings, not to a mystery. The risk moves to the site: what is under the dirt, how far the utilities run, and what the foundation needs.

What the estimate includes

  • Site work, excavation, and utility runs
  • Foundations and structural framing
  • Full envelope: roofing, siding, windows, doors
  • Mechanical, electrical, plumbing rough and finish
  • Interior finishes, cabinetry, and fixtures
Detached garage, 24 x 24 Sample estimate excerpt
Description Qty Unit Material Labor Total
Site prep and excavation 1 LS - 3,850 3,850
Concrete slab on grade 576 SF 4,320 3,168 7,488
Framing, walls and trusses 576 SF 7,200 5,760 12,960
Roofing, architectural shingle 14 SQ 2,380 2,940 5,320
Siding, fiber cement 1,120 SF 4,928 5,264 10,192
Overhead door and opener 2 EA 3,180 940 4,120
Electrical, rough and finish 1 LS 1,240 2,760 4,000
Subtotal, 7 of 34 line items 47,930

Where new-build estimates carry risk

On a new home, the drawings are usually complete enough to take off cleanly. The exposure is the site. Excavation quantities, rock, utility distances, and foundation design swing the number more than any finish selection.

We price the vertical construction tight and flag the site variables explicitly, so you know which parts of the number are firm and which depend on conditions you will confirm on site.

FAQ

Common questions

Do you estimate both custom and spec homes?

Yes. Custom homes get priced to their specific drawings and specs. For spec builds we can work from your standard plan set and hold your repeat unit costs so estimates stay consistent across lots.

Can you price to my local labor rates?

Yes. We price against real cost data and, where you provide them, your own historical unit costs for the market you build in.

See the work before you commit

A real, itemized, bid-ready K2E estimate for a detached garage build. The same document a paying contractor received.