Residential estimating is its own discipline
A custom single-family home and a 200,000 SF office building share roughly nothing other than the word “construction.” Residential estimating uses different productivity references (NAHB Cost of Doing Business rather than RSMeans for some categories), different specification levels (often product-specific brand selections rather than performance specs), different cost structures (heavier labor content, lighter equipment), and different deliverable formats.
Vortex residential estimating handles four distinct submarkets:
Custom single-family
Owner-architect-builder projects with full architectural plans. Estimates include labor and material for every system plus owner-selected allowances. Typical delivery is in the homebuilder’s project management software (Buildxact, BuilderTREND, CoConstruct, Procore) or in Excel.
Production single-family
Volume builders running 20+ homes per year off the same plan library. We build a per-plan estimate model that gets refined over time and maintained quarterly as material prices and labor rates shift. Outputs include both per-plan budget and a master price book.
Multi-family
Duplex through Type V wood-frame mid-rise (4-5 stories with podium), Type III mixed-construction, and Type I concrete-frame high-rise. Multi-family is commercial estimating in residential clothing — commercial fire alarm, commercial sprinkler, commercial-grade gear, and full life-safety scope.
Subdivision and master-planned communities
Lot-by-lot variation across a community. Sitework, utilities, model homes, amenities. Multi-year multi-phase development costing.
What’s included in a residential estimate
Foundation
Site prep, excavation, footings (concrete + rebar + forms), foundation walls or stem walls, slab-on-grade, waterproofing/dampproofing, drainage, backfill.
Framing
Lumber takeoff by member size and length, sheathing, engineered wood (I-joists, glulams, LVL, PSL), trusses (roof and floor), framing labor.
Exterior envelope
Roofing (shingles, tile, metal, membrane), siding (lap, panel, masonry veneer, stucco), windows and doors, soffit and fascia, gutters, exterior trim.
Interior rough
Insulation (batt, blown, spray foam), drywall (hung, taped, finished), interior doors and trim, cabinetry, countertops, hardware.
Finishes
Painting, flooring (hardwood, LVT, tile, carpet, polished concrete), tile (bath, kitchen), interior trim, closet systems.
MEP
Electrical (rough and finish), plumbing (rough, fixtures, water heaters), HVAC (equipment, ductwork, controls). Low-voltage (security, AV, data, smart-home).
Sitework
Driveway, walks, patio, landscape, irrigation, lighting, fence, retaining walls.
Owner allowances
Cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, lighting fixtures, appliances, flooring (where not specified), interior trim package upgrade, hardware (door, cabinet).
Residential cost benchmarks
Residential cost varies wildly by region, finish level, and complexity. As a national-average sanity check (figures vary ±50% by market):
| Type | Hard Cost ($/SF) |
|---|---|
| Production single-family (entry) | $130 - $180 |
| Production single-family (move-up) | $170 - $230 |
| Custom single-family (mid-range finish) | $220 - $350 |
| Custom single-family (luxury) | $400 - $700+ |
| Multi-family Type V wood-frame (3-4 story) | $190 - $280 |
| Multi-family Type III (5 story w/ podium) | $230 - $330 |
| Multi-family Type I high-rise | $400 - $650 |
Vortex residential estimates always cross-check the per-SF benchmark against the detailed bottom-up to make sure the bottom-up is reasonable.