I am going thru a similar process right now. We bought our land 2 years ago and are now in the preliminary stages of talking to a builder. We have a floorplan we like that we found online, but want to make some changes.

Here's the big thing...nobody can accurately answer your question as you asked it. Building costs vary from area to area, and by that I mean not only state to state, county to county, but 2 areas only 5 miles away from each other. Also, what are the builders "standards" as far as material selection (truss' vs stick frame, 2x12 floor joists vs engineered I-beam, window mfg and type, basement type and depth, PVC/Pex/Copper plumbing...you get the point).

Other factors go into it too. Is this a tract home or on a rural lot? You're going to pay more for the rural lot because they have to transport equipment and materials to your site vs building one house next to another where the equipment already sits. Also, are they taking care of the entire project, or just the house? Are they doing to have to deal with a shallow water table and take extra measure to keep the basement dry?

Keep in mind too that septic systems can vary greatly in cost, mainly dependant on the soil type. Did the site pass a perk test, or are you going to have to put in a raised bed system? The raised bed could put the cost of the system over the $20k mark in my area.

What I am facing is my property is on the edge of a wetland. I will have to be very careful how the house is placed and how the entire property is graded. It is all stuff that can be overcome, but could greatly affect the final price.

If anyone offers you an opinion on their cost, it is only an opinion. It will never be an apples to apples comparison. The best thing you can do is bid it out to whoever will look at it. Even that isn't apples to apples, you have to go back to what each builder is offering and "standard". From the information you provided, it sounds like if 2 builders came in about the same price, neither one is trying to jack you and you'll end up paying a similar price from anyone else, +/- a small percentage.

It really comes down to what you can afford and what you're willing to pay. Don't listen to the bank. Twice now, I've been approved for almost double what I could realistically afford.

Fun, ain't it??

Good luck!