Jackson Hole Building Costs

Designing and building a home can be complicated and expensive anywhere, but building in Jackson Hole has its own unique challenges and opportunities. Latham Jenkins of Live Water Jackson Hole has written a spot-on article about building costs, and we are excited to share some of his insights below. 

The Big Picture

Custom home builders and designers in Jackson Hole couldn’t agree more on this key piece of advice: assemble your team as early in the process as possible. Early collaboration and open communication are the best ways to keep your project on schedule, on budget, and avoid unpleasant or frustrating surprises. 

One of the first – and most critical – pieces of the overall project that requires clarity is your budget. Of course, every facet of the home building process is variable; each project has unique elements, and each client has distinct priorities. Those variables notwithstanding, this is how the experts recommend thinking about your overall project budget for building a custom home in Jackson Hole:

• Architect’s Fees – 12%

• Landscaping – 8%

• Interior Design – 10%

• Building – 70%

This breakdown doesn’t include the Teton County Building and Permitting fees, nor does it include the potential need for drilling a well or building a septic system. Here’s a sample of how this might look for a hypothetical home project:

For a 4-bedroom home on a flat piece of property located on the West Bank, 5000 square feet in total, of which 4250 square feet are habitable (the remaining 750 square feet are storage and garage space). The overall budget for the construction – not including purchase price of the land – is $4,000,000.

Teton County Permitting Fees (no credits, no add-ons) – $25,000

• Drilling a well, building a septic system – $20,000

• Architect’s Fees – $474,600

• Landscaping – $316,400

• Interior Design – $395,500

• Building – $2,768,500 ($791 per square foot)

From beginning to end, this process is likely to take roughly two years. The average cost of a home in Jackson Hole ranges from $750 to $1000 per square foot, depending on the quality of materials and finishes. 

With this example as a reference point, Latham examines each of these elements, and why their price tag and timeline might be unique when planning your custom home in Jackson Hole. He covers designing a custom home, as well as permitting a custom home in Jackson Hole, breaking ground, and finishing touches. Here are the key takeaways: 

• Get the whole team together early. Clarity around plans, budget, and priorities minimizes the chance for surprises. As Rush Jenkins summarizes: “If a client can put together a highly professional team, they’re going to get a wonderful product and a smooth process.”

• Jackson Hole is more expensive than other places. The average to build a custom home in Jackson Hole is between $750-$1000. (Of course, it can easily go much higher.) This is due to a variety of factors including a constrained labor force, a weather-shortened construction season, and the need to have the vast majority of materials shipped in from elsewhere.

• Have a realistic timeline. Depending on the size of your home, plan for approximately two years from the time you purchase land – longer if you’re looking to build a large or complex structure.

For Latham’s full article visit this link. 

Ready to assemble your dream home team? Give A43 Architecture a call at 307-249-8650