Costs
What it costs to build a home in Calgary
A per-square-foot number is the first thing every builder quotes and the least useful one on its own. Here's what actually makes up the total.
Cost per square foot, and why it misleads alone
McAra Design + Build prices each custom home in Calgary on its own scope, not a flat rate used for every project. What changes the number is the type of foundation, the finish level, the heating and other mechanical systems, and whether the home includes a secondary suite.
Two builders can quote the same price per square foot and mean different things. One might include hooking up water and sewer lines and a finished basement; the other might not. A price with no written scope behind it can't really be compared to anything.
Lot cost versus build cost
The lot and the build are two separate costs that often get talked about as one. Calgary lot prices vary by community and lot size. The build cost is what turns that lot into a finished home. Knowing both numbers on their own, before you commit to either, is what makes the total number real.
Servicing and demolition on infill lots
An infill lot with an existing home on it carries two extra costs an empty lot doesn't: tearing down the old home, and servicing — running new water, sewer and utility connections. Older pipes, a longer run to the property line, and whatever the demolition turns up all move both numbers. McAra Design + Build prices both before the build contract is signed.
What the design phase costs
Drawings, engineering and the permit package are priced before there's a construction contract. The cost depends on the size and complexity of the home and how much engineering the lot and design need. That cost comes off the build price if you go ahead with McAra Design + Build, so it isn't money spent for nothing.
Suite build costs and payback by type
A basement suite, a garage suite and a detached backyard suite each cost different amounts to build. The main factors are whether new plumbing and a separate entrance need to be added, and how much of the existing structure can be reused. How fast it pays for itself depends on Calgary rental rates for that suite type and neighbourhood, and on whether it's built and permitted as legal from the start — a suite without a permit has no resale value as a suite at all. McAra Design + Build prices each suite type against your specific lot and plan.
What the mandatory 1-2-5-10 warranty covers and costs
Alberta requires every new home built by a licensed residential builder to carry the 1-2-5-10 warranty: one year on labour and materials, two years on major systems like plumbing and electrical, five years on the building envelope (the roof, walls and windows that keep water out), and ten years on major structural parts. The cost of this warranty is built into the construction contract, not billed separately after possession.
Frequently asked questions
- McAra Design + Build prices every custom home on its own scope rather than a flat per-square-foot rate, because that rate depends on lot servicing, foundation type, finish level and whether the home includes a secondary suite. You get a written, itemized price for the build itself, separate from the lot, once those factors are known.
- Cost per square foot misleads because it hides what's included — one builder's number covers a basic finish package and another's covers site servicing, upgraded mechanical and a finished basement. McAra Design + Build gives a per-square-foot range plus a written, itemized scope, so the number in hand reflects your lot and your finish choices rather than a generic average.
- McAra Design + Build prices demolition of an existing home and servicing — new water, sewer and utility connections — separately from the build itself, because both depend on the condition of existing lines, the distance to the property line, and what the demolition uncovers on site. Both are planned and priced before the build contract is signed, not discovered partway through.