Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Building Cost Index

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Nov 20, 2022, at 8:56 AM, Lorraine Faris <lor.f50 [at] gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Just wondering if there is something similar to help with residential
> building construction.....

I wrote the post on Turner before I wrote a post to Strong Neighborhoods. Here 
is the rest of the information—

But the Turner Index is also focused on large commercial buildings. Another 
source that is less available but is also more detailed is the series of cost 
data books from RSMeans, referred to as “Means.”

The Annual Means Costs Books

RS Means Cost Data Books are published by a huge data company that publishes 
cost data in large annual softcover editions that target specific construction 
areas: Electrical Costs, Square Foot Costs, Contractor’s Pricing Guide, 
Mechanical Costs, Green Building Costs, Residential Costs, etc. However, the 
2022 Building Construction Costs Book is $392. Some titles are slightly less 
costly at $253. Unless your local library is serving an area with a large 
construction industry, it will rarely have a current copy.
The usefulness is probably much greater for anyone working in your neighborhood 
however because it is much more specific to geographical areas and breaks costs 
down into hourly rates, unit costs, and estimated time required. If there are 
other Cohousing communities in the area, it might be possible to share a copy. 
To compare the relative cost of two upgrades or downgrades you are considering 
an older version can be just as helpful. The cost of installing a shower 
compared to replacing the tub will most likely be the same ratio now as 5 or 10 
years ago. 

https://www.strongneighborhoods.info/building-costs/

Sharon
———
Sharon Villines
Strong Neighborhoods
https://www.strongneighborhoods.info/