Find out what you can realistically afford to build—before you commit to a house plan.

The Buckeye Plans Home Build Feasibility Calculator is a downloadable construction-planning workbook designed to help homeowners and owner-builders turn a total budget into a realistic home-building plan.

Enter your project size, land cost, available cash, financing assumptions, site conditions and finish level. The calculator does the math and shows how those decisions affect your estimated construction cost, all-in project budget, financing needs and approximate buildable living area.

What this calculator helps you understand

Estimated construction cost and all-in project cost
Approximate maximum living area supported by your budget
Budget surplus or shortfall
Estimated construction cost per living square foot
Cash needed and estimated financing requirement
Estimated principal-and-interest payment
Estimated taxes, insurance and total monthly housing cost
How land, garage, porch, site and utility costs affect the house you can build
Owner-builder versus GC-managed planning assumptions
Economy, Standard, Upgraded and Luxury finish levels

Included tools

Home Build Feasibility Dashboard — see the big picture at a glance
What Can I Build? — reverse-calculate an approximate house size from your maximum budget
Project Inputs — customize the workbook around your project
Editable Cost Assumptions — replace planning assumptions with pricing from your local market
Financing & Payment Planner — estimate financing and monthly housing costs
Three Build Scenarios — compare Save Money, Target and Upgraded approaches

Who is it for?

Ideal for people planning a custom home, barndominium, owner-builder project, small home or other new residential construction who want to understand their budget before purchasing plans or requesting final contractor pricing.

Instant digital download

You are purchasing a downloadable Microsoft Excel workbook (.xlsx). No physical product is included and nothing will be shipped. The workbook is editable so you can replace the included assumptions with your own local estimates and quotes.

Important planning disclaimer

This calculator is an educational budgeting and planning tool. It is not a contractor bid, loan approval, appraisal, architectural or engineering opinion, or guarantee of construction cost or financing. Actual costs and loan terms vary based on location, site conditions, design, code requirements, materials, labor, contractor, lender, taxes, insurance and market conditions. Verify figures with qualified local contractors, suppliers, lenders and applicable professionals before making financial or construction decisions.

Ready for the next step?

Once you understand the size and budget that make sense for your project, Buckeye Plans can help with stock plans, plan modifications and custom home design.

Buckeye Custom Plans