$250–$350 per square foot.
That's the construction cost range for the homes we build in Cobb, Cherokee, Paulding, Bartow, and Douglas counties. It covers the house itself — the included feature sheet, standard finishes, and the base specification per plan. It does not include the land, site development, or high-end upgrades.
Every project is different. A flat, sewer-tapped lot in Cobb builds differently than a 5-acre acreage parcel in Paulding. The only way to get a reliable number is to look at the specific lot and the specific plan together.
What's Included
The base price covers the included feature sheet.
The included feature sheet spells out the standard finishes and exterior details for each plan. That means the baseline cabinets, countertops, flooring, trim, windows, roofing, and structural systems are already accounted for in the per-square-foot range.
Appliances, flooring upgrades, cabinet grades, countertop materials, trim level, and light fixtures are where most buyers move into a higher tier. We set up allowances for each category and finalize those selections before the budget is locked.
What Moves the Price
Price the variables, not just the square footage.
"Pricing a house is very much like trying to price a car by the pound."
— Luis Rodriguez
A blanket price-per-square-foot is a rough guess at best. The only way to an accurate initial estimate is to price the big variables individually: the lot, the plan, the finishes, and the features that are not heated square footage but still cost real money.
Covered porches
Roofed outdoor living priced by footprint, structure, and finish.
Garage size
Oversized, additional bays, or carriage-style bays change the number.
Decks
Height, span, railing, and finish drive the cost.
Patios
Concrete, pavers, or stone. Graded and priced as a separate line item.
That is how Compass gives you an accurate estimate up front. We are not big on surprises, and we are not big on changes once we break ground.
How the Contract Works
Cost-plus, not a fixed-price guessing game.
We use a cost-plus contract for new construction. We put together three numbers: the land cost, the land development cost estimate, and the house cost estimate — the sticks and bricks. Those numbers are submitted to the bank before our final contract.
The house estimate is usually tighter than the land development estimate, because we don't know exactly what's in the dirt until we open it up. That transparency is why we prefer cost-plus: you see where the money goes, and you don't pay for a builder's hidden padding.
Allowances & Change Orders
5% contingency
The lenders we refer clients to typically set aside about 5% of the loan for overages or unexpected costs. Anything beyond that is the buyer's responsibility.
Change orders
Any change over the allowance is considered excessive. We charge a $350 administrative fee per change order, plus a 10% management fee on the upgrade cost.
We do a lot of pre-planning upfront to avoid most changes after construction starts. The better the selections are locked in before we break ground, the fewer surprises there are.
Timeline
12 months on average.
The typical build runs 12 months from breaking ground to move-in, with a range of 9 to 14 months depending on size, scale, and detail. We communicate weekly with budget updates, construction updates, and a preview of what's coming next.
Common Cost Questions
What is the typical cost per square foot to build a custom home with Compass?
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Our builds typically run $250–$350 per square foot depending on the finishes. That covers the base house and the included feature sheet. Site development costs — grading, utilities, driveways, septic, drainage — are separate because every lot is different.
What is not included in the per-square-foot price?
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The per-square-foot price covers the house itself. It does not include land cost, land development (clearing, grading, septic, well, driveway, utilities), covered porches, decks, garage size upgrades, or high-end finish upgrades. We itemize those separately.
Is the price a fixed price or cost-plus?
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We use a cost-plus contract for new construction. We estimate the land cost, the land development cost, and the house cost, then submit those to your lender before the final contract. The house estimate is usually tighter than the land development estimate, which has more unknowns until we break ground.