Budget & Planning · 5 min read
There is a way, but it is not a single number on a brochure. A Hearthstone package is a large piece of the puzzle — structural, specialty and common lumber, erection, and sometimes dry-in — but it is not the entire project. Freight, crew travel, state sales and use tax, your foundation, mechanicals, finishes, and the general contractor all sit outside our package.
Structural, specialty, common, erection, and dry-in when available.
- Structural timbers or logs: the frame or walls that carry the roof and floors.
- Specialty items: mantels, braces, trusses, stairs, doors, and hardware cut to your house.
- Common lumber: the framing, sheathing, and decking needed to close the shell.
- Erection: our crew raising the frame or log walls on your foundation.
- Dry-in: available depending on season and crew schedule; ask early if you need it.
Freight, travel, tax, site conditions, and everything after dry-in.
- Freight to your site and crew travel, lodging, and per diem.
- State sales and use tax, which varies by location.
- Foundation, well, septic, utilities, driveway, and landscaping.
- Site access: our pricing assumes tractor-trailers can reach the foundation and the crane can set up on the uphill side. Shuttling materials or working around tight sites adds cost.
- Finish work: flooring, cabinetry, tile, fixtures, paint, and the labor to install them.
Plan on $275 to $425 per heated square foot, all-in.
For an average 2,000-square-foot home, total construction costs in 2026 are generally running from $275 to $425 per heated square foot, including our package. Smaller homes usually cost more per square foot because the fixed costs are spread over fewer feet. Larger homes often cost less per square foot because the same kitchen, mechanicals, and foundation serve more space.
We have found over the years that most people get what they pay for, and very few get more.
Some regions of the country are simply more expensive than others. Labor rates, code requirements, and material availability all move the needle. Your finish tastes move it even more. A hand-plastered great room with reclaimed floors and a commercial kitchen costs more than the same square footage finished cleanly but simply.
The lowest number is rarely the whole story.
If one builder is significantly higher than the others, it does not always mean he is earning more. It may mean he is including something the others left out, or that he sees a condition on your site they missed. We recommend visiting finished examples, reading the specifications line by line, and asking what is not included before you decide.
Expectations are everything. If a builder's expectations are higher, his price may reflect better service or finish quality. If they are lower, you may not get what you pictured. Matching expectations is the key to any successful project. Let us know if we can help you find an experienced builder who understands log and timber frame work.
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