Many independent builders are willing to work with a number of subcontractors, whereas a big home builder may only work with certain subcontractors because they have a partnership. This could put a dent in your plans for a certain door model or stucco you have picked.

Square footage costs
Look at recently constructed homes that are similar to everything you want. Take pictures of the home, deduct the land price, and divide it by the square footage of the home. This will give you an approximate square footage price and can help you compare a big home builders cost to that of the independent builder.

Discuss Features
Some features will cost more than others. Again, the bathroom and kitchen tend to be the most expensive and personalized parts of the home. Windows also tend to affect the price of the total cost. Vaulted ceilings ma high roof pitches can significantly increase the cost of your home as well.

Some builders will have a set rate for certain features such as those listed above. An independent builder may be easier to work with, but may be more expensive as they may have to hire more workers. A big business builder has several employees working for them and can shift employees from other projects easily and quickly.

Size and Shape of Your Home
Even numbers are easy to work with when building your home. The size of your home is typically done in even numbers. For example, a standard home depth is 32 feet. Anything larger than 32 feet will be considered a "specially designed" home and will be more expensive. A rectangular shaped home also will cost less to build than a home with more angles and corners. Any changes from a standard "box" home require more labor and materials and essentially will increase you cost. Again, an independent builder may need more time and employees to complete specially designed homes than a big business builder.

Site Preparation
The preparation of the site is expensive. Building a home on a flat lot will cost less than building a home on a lot that needs hauls of dirt brought in. Depending upon what company you choose, the costs of this can fluctuate greatly.

Cost Overruns
Be prepared to go over budget. The finished cost is usually more than the original bid price. Plan an additional 10% to cover unexpected costs. Your builder should also be responsible for certain costs if they are at fault for not meeting certain standards.

Insurance Policy
Protect yourself with a good builder who has a good insurance policy. They should assume full responsibility for any injury or accident that occurs during the construction process.