Is building a house in Oklahoma cheaper than buying one? If so, how much cheaper? Should we just add onto our house or demolish it and start over? All these questions and more are probably replaying over and over in your head if you are looking to build or purchase a new home in Oklahoma.
We have created this article to help ease your mind. All of these questions and more will be answered as you continue reading. Let’s get started with the average building cost in 2023.
- The national average to build a custom home is over $300,000 while the average in Oklahoma is around $250,000.
- Land prices in Oklahoma are rising. However, the further you get away from the metropolitan areas, the cheaper land becomes.
- With decent credit, most financial institutions in Oklahoma will offer a home construction loan.
The Average Cost to Build a House in Oklahoma
How does Oklahoma rank against the national average cost to build a home? The national average to build a custom home is over $300,000. While the average in Oklahoma is around $250,000. Yes, on average Oklahoma is $50,000 cheaper to build a house.
All things considered Oklahoma is an inexpensive state in which to build a home. The cost per square foot will depend on several factors. You can expect to pay from $106 to $116 per square foot on average.
If you’re looking to come in below the state average, the cheapest you will build a home is $90 per square foot. That’s if you’re able to find cheap materials and cheap labor. Typically, the cheapest type of home to build in Oklahoma is a Barndominium.
| City | Cost Per Square Foot |
| Edmond | $114 |
| Enid | $115 |
| Lawton | $116 |
| Muskogee | $106 |
| Norman | $114 |
| Oklahoma City | $114 |
| Ponca City | $111 |
| Stillwater | $111 |
| Tulsa | $109 |
What Constitutes the Full Cost to Build a House in Oklahoma?
When building, many factors go into the final cost of the home. The price of land, materials, labor costs, and hidden costs of which people rarely think.
Land prices in Oklahoma are rising. However, the further you get away from the metropolitan areas, the cheaper land becomes. This is primarily true unless you stumble across prime hunting land, then the price per acre can skyrocket.
In 2019, the average price per acre for rural farmland was $1,870. In 2023, land on the edge of the Tulsa metropolitan area is going for $5,000+ per acre. So if you’re comfortable with country living, then you should be able to find reasonably priced land to build on.
The pandemic has material prices ever-increasing, even in Oklahoma. You can expect materials to take up 25% – 60% of the budget. However, compared to other states like New York or California, the material prices in Oklahoma are still low.
- Foundation
- Finishes and fixtures
- Trim
- Paint
- Lights
- Switches and Power Outlets
- Carpet/ Flooring
- Roof
- Shingles
- Metal
- Framing and sheetrock
- Appliances
- Hot Water Heater
- Refrigerator
- Dish Washer
- Washer and Dryer
- Heating and Air Conditioning
- Furniture
The foundation will cost roughly $6,000 depending on the size and company you hire to pour it.
If you go all out on the finishes and fixtures, you can overspend your budget. However, with home improvement stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot, you can find reasonably priced items that will keep you well within your budget.
A new shingle roof can cost you anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 for the average house. You can slightly lower that cost by going with a metal roof that outlasts a shingle roof when it’s properly taken care of.
Lumber prices are currently incredibly high with the high demand, so framing a new house can quickly get expensive. Not to mention the cost of sheetrock once you get everything framed.
Appliances will cost $4,000+ not including heat and air if you go with high-end appliances. However, if you stick with mid-range products, you can cut that price by a couple of thousand dollars. HVAC can easily cost $1,500+.
Your old furniture can be brought to your new home. However, many new homeowners desire to purchase new furniture when they move into their freshly constructed house.
Contractors charge differing amounts for labor; if a house is more labor-intensive because of the location or style, labor costs will increase. Don’t forget labor costs typically eat up 30% – 55% of the budget.
Hiring specialists such as HVAC technicians, plumbers, and electricians quickly becomes a drain on the budget if needed on-site longer than the average home. That’s not to say that hiring framers or generally skilled laborers are cheap because they’re not!
First-time home builders rarely think of obtaining building permits or getting water, sewer, and electricity ran to the house. Once again, depending on the house’s location, you might or might not need building permits.
Unless you plan to live without modern necessities, then you will need water, sewer, and electricity, all of which can cost an arm and a leg to run to the house if they’re not available nearby.
Home Addition Costs In Oklahoma
So maybe you don’t need to build a new house. You might just need to add a room to your existing home. How much does adding a room cost? This will depend on what kind of room you plan it to be and if you plan to install a new HVAC system or use a window unit.
If you are adding another living space, such as a bedroom, and don’t have a slab poured for it, don’t forget to factor that into your price point. If you already have the slab poured and all you need to do is frame it, put a roof on it, and cut a hole in the wall for a door, then it’s going to cost much less, probably closer to the $100 per square foot mark.
If you want to add a garage, whether attached or unattached to the house, it will be much cheaper than adding a bedroom because you are not “finishing it out” as you would with a bedroom.
This trend of getting less expensive changes if you plan to demolish an existing house to rebuild on site. This is because it will cost several thousand dollars to remove all the debris from the old house. Taking out the foundation will only add to the removal costs.
Financing for Oklahoma Home Construction
With decent credit, most financial institutions in Oklahoma will offer a home construction loan. You can go to your local credit union or go with a more prominent state bank like the Bank of Oklahoma. You will probably get the best interest rates from a credit union of which you are a member.
- Arvest Bank
- Bank of Oklahoma
- First Oklahoma Bank
- Oklahoma’s Credit Union
- RCB Bank
- Tinker Federal Credit Union
Hidden Costs
Oklahoma is known as Tornado Alley. So having a tornado shelter is HIGHLY recommended. While this might seem like an unnecessary expense to outsiders, Oklahomans realize it’s worth the extra $2,000-$10,000 it cost to purchase and install a storm shelter in their home.
Other hidden costs might include hiring a home designer or architect to design certain aspects of the home. Another is the cost of a realtor; if you need to purchase land to build on, this can cost up to 10% of the purchase price.
Property taxes can be a sneaky cost. While they might not be initially considered while building, they will emerge while you pay your mortgage every year, so before you finalize the loan factor in how much your property taxes will be each year.
