Smith Mountain Lake is a spectacular area of Virginia, with more than 1,000 miles of shoreline and an average depth of over 40 feet. It’s home to some of the best bass fishing in the world, and it’s also an excellent spot for kayaking, canoeing, and boating.
Smith Mountain Lake is also a great place to build your dream home. If you’re looking for a beautiful place to settle down with your family or just want some extra space for yourself, building a house at Smith Mountain Lake could be perfect for you.
The lake is stocked with fish every year by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The lake features many different species including bluegill, crappie, catfish, trout and largemouth bass. The water temperature stays between 70 and 80 degrees year-round which makes it perfect for swimming or boating during any season.
Building a house at Smith Mountain Lake is not cheap. When you take into consideration the land costs, fees and expenses, the out of pocket expenses can be substantial. However, if you are willing to build on your own lot or rent a lot and hire your own contractor, there are ways to save money while building your dream home. In this article we will discuss all costs involved in building a house at Smith Mountain Lake and then give some tips on how you can trim down costs while maintaining quality construction.
Land cost
The cost of land varies based on the location and size. Land near the water is more expensive than land on the north side. It’s also more expensive around golf courses and other amenities like tennis courts, parks, shopping centers, etc. Some people may choose to purchase a home in one of these more developed areas with more amenities nearby because they feel that it will be easier for them to meet their friends there or have easy access to shops and restaurants that they don’t want to drive too far for every day. On the other hand, if you’re looking for peace and quiet at all costs then it might make sense for you to look further out from these areas where there are fewer houses being built so you can enjoy your privacy without constantly hearing construction noises or cars driving by every five minutes.
Consultant fees and Insurance
- Home inspection: $2,500-$3,000
- Septic design: $1,000-$2,000
- Well design: $1,000-$2,000
- Foundation design (if you don’t hire an architect): $300-$400
- Energy audit (for window and door replacement): $1,200 if you decide to do it yourself; if not done by a professional contractor can cost up to $5-6k. The cost of this depends on how many windows and doors you want replaced. It is recommended that homeowners replace their windows with energy efficient ones since they are expensive but will save money in the long run by reducing your utility bills.
- Termite inspection: Typically around $350
Permits and fees
You’ll also need to apply for a permit from the county of your choice. The cost of these permits can vary depending on where you live, but they’re typically around $50 per application. They’re also fairly easy to get, taking only a few weeks to process. Once you have your building permit in hand, it’s time for final inspections.
Design and engineering fees
Design and engineering fees are another cost to take into consideration when building a home. These include:
- Plan review fees: This fee is charged by your builder’s architect or engineer for reviewing the design of your house plans before construction begins. This can be based on an hourly rate or flat fee, depending on the complexity of your project.
- Design fees: Design fees encompass all aspects of developing the site layout, including grading, utilities, and drainage—all elements that need to be accounted for upfront during construction.
Plan review fees will typically be paid once throughout each phase of construction; however, depending on how close you live to Smith Mountain Lake (or any body of water), design costs may come up multiple times throughout planning and construction stages due to site conditions being constantly changing as they’re built upon over time.
House Plans
The cost of house plans varies depending on the size and style of your home, but it is relatively inexpensive. The average cost for a set of house plans is between $1,000 and $2,000. If you’re looking for more elaborate designs that include custom moldings, built-in cabinetry or intricate detailing around windows and other features in your home plan, expect to pay more. Typically though, these types of things fall under custom work which can increase the overall cost to build your home.
There are many variables that affect how much building materials will cost at Smith Mountain Lake including where you live (costs differ across states), whether you’re building an addition or an entirely new house and if it’s being built on slab or slab foundation (slab foundations tend to be less expensive). The most important thing when calculating total material costs is ensuring that they are accurate so consider consulting with a professional before making any decisions about what type of materials will be used on site when building at Smith Mountain Lake.
Site Preparation
Your site will need to be prepared before construction can begin. This includes clearing the land, grading the land, and building a driveway. You may also need to install a septic system if you do not have access to a public wastewater system.
If you are planning on building on steep ground or moving earth from one location to another, your cost will go up significantly as these are more expensive than regular tasks like laying asphalt or paving stones for a driveway.
The average price of clearing and grading is $2,000 per acre depending on how much work needs to be done (and this figure does not include any necessary septic system). Other site preparation costs include:
- Clearing brush – $1-$10 per square foot depending on the type of vegetation being cleared; usually done during initial soil testing so that no contaminants are missed by contractors when they come back later with equipment like tractors or bulldozers that could damage pipes or other buried utilities
Foundation & Framing
This is the most expensive part of building a house, but it’s also one of the most important. The foundation and framing will be built by professionals who have years of experience in this field, so you don’t need to worry about making mistakes or not doing things right.
The costs for your foundation and framing can vary based on several factors:
- The type of house you choose to build (e.g., ranch-style home vs. two-story house)
- Whether or not your home has a basement
- How much land you want for your lot
Rough Electrical, Plumbing and HVAC
Rough Electrical, Plumbing and HVAC
Some of the most common rough electrical work costs include:
- Rough-in electrician labor cost is approximately $2.18 per square foot. This includes laying out conduit, switches and outlets, pulling wire through walls and ceilings, installing circuit breakers and panels, lighting fixtures, etc. It also includes testing for functionality before finishing with drywall or paint.
- Rough plumbing labor costs are about $3 per square foot with an additional charge for fixtures like sinks or toilets installed during this phase of the project.
The average rough HVAC cost is about $4 per square foot because it involves installing ductwork (for forced air heating), registers (for central air conditioning) and fans (for whole house ventilation).
Walls & Ceilings
- Walls and ceilings
It’s no secret that the walls and ceilings of your house are the most expensive part of it. But what is a secret? Your walls and ceilings are made from drywall, which is cheap, but you have to buy a lot of it because every wall needs two layers for strength: one on top, one on bottom. So if you’re building a small lake house with just four rooms (kitchen/living room area, bedroom, bathroom) totaling only 760 square feet (72 square meters), you can expect to spend at least $5 per foot ($640) on the drywall alone. If you want to add a second coat of paint or wallpaper in some areas—which is always recommended—that will cost another $3 per foot ($360). It’s also worth noting that most Smith Mountain Lake home builders use wood boards instead of drywall as their ceiling material because wood absorbs sound better than drywall does. However, these boards are not waterproof so they need to be sealed with paint or varnish after installation; otherwise, water might leak through them into your living space below.
Windows & Doors
Windows and doors are one of the most expensive parts of any house. They can be custom made, which will increase their price substantially, but even standard windows cost more than many people realize. There are many factors that contribute to the overall cost for windows and doors, including:
- The style of window or door you choose
- The material used in its construction (vinyl, wood)
- Whether it has casement or double-hung sash
Exterior Finishes
Exterior finishes are not just the last stage of construction, but they can also be the most costly. These finishing touches include siding, windows and doors as well as trim around each opening and overhangs for porches or decks.
The materials used for these exterior finishings can make or break the look of a home’s exterior. By choosing high quality products that match your style you’ll ensure your house will stand out from all others in the neighborhood. You may even want to consider upgrading certain features like adding stone veneer siding instead of wood sidings if it fits into your budget better than other options available on this list.
Roofing
The cost to install a new roof varies by material. For example, metal shingles are generally less expensive than slate tiles or clay tile roofs. Your choice of materials will also impact how much it costs to replace your current one.
Insulation can add to the total cost of your project, depending on the R-value of your chosen insulation and the amount you have installed. If you are replacing an existing roof that is already insulated with fiberglass batts, for example, you would only need extra insulation if you want greater R-values (higher R-values mean more resistance from heat transfer). The homeowner may also choose additional insulation in order to meet local building codes or energy efficiency requirements set by utility companies such as Dominion Energy.
Depending on the condition of your current roof and what kind of replacement job is being done (new construction vs repair), it can take anywhere from several days for homeowners with basic skillsets up until several weeks or months for experienced contractors working together as teams.
Interior Finishes
- Interior Finishing Costs:
- Basement Bathroom – $3,500.00 to $10,000.00
- Basement Kitchen – $5,000.00 to $10,000.00
- Basement Laundry Room – $5,000.00 to $10,000.00
Costs to Build a home at Smith Mountain Lake
What are the costs to build a home at Smith Mountain Lake?
The average cost to build a house at Smith Mountain Lake is $400,000.
What does it cost to build a house in Smith Mountain Lake?
The average cost to build a house in Smith Mountain Lake is $400,000.
In conclusion,
We hope these numbers have made you feel a little better about the costs of building a home at Smith Mountain Lake. As you can see, it’s not cheap, but the value and enjoyment that come from having your own place at Smith Mountain Lake are priceless. We also want to note that some of these costs may vary depending on where exactly you decide to build – whether it be in a higher-end neighborhood or more rural area with less expensive land prices.
