Budgetary Tool
LA Luxury Build Calculator
We’ll start with two essentials (square footage and $/sf), then reveal live totals as you complete the rest.
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Assumptions & Sources
Step
1
of 7
Project & Size
New Build
Major Gut Renovation
Main House Size (sf)
Slider:
Ceiling Height
Standard (8–9')
10'
12'+
Floors
1
2
3
Bedrooms
Bathrooms
Garage
None
2-car
3-car
Base build $/sf
?
Construction cost per interior square foot for the main house. Includes core build & typical finishes for your chosen level. Excludes land, pools/landscape, major utility upgrades, soft costs, and contingency.
Luxury $800/sf
Ultra-Luxury $1100/sf
Custom $950/sf
Custom $1200/sf
Neighborhood
Bel Air
Beverly Hills
Brentwood
Pacific Palisades
Hollywood Hills
Santa Monica (N of Montana)
Malibu (LA County)
Lot Type / Slope (auto-sets hillside premium)
Flat
Gentle <10%
Moderate 10–20%
Steep >20%
Hillside premium multiplier:
0.00
Pool
None
Premium ($140k)
Resort ($400k)
Spa Add-on
None
$35,000
$60,000
ADU / Guest House (sf)
Basement / Safe Room (sf)
Hardscape & Sitework ($/sf of yard)
Yard sf:
High glazing premium
?
Adds cost for large glass areas (multi-panel sliders, floor-to-ceiling windows, minimal frames).
Smart home / AV allowance
?
Typical allowance covering distributed audio/video, networking, shades, security, and controls.
Solar PV Size (kW)
Solar Cost ($/W)
Battery Storage Units
0
1
2
3
Battery Cost (each)
Architecture Fee (% of hard)
?
Architectural design and coordination.
Engineering (% of hard)
?
Structural, civil, and specialty engineering.
Permits & City Fees (% of hard)
?
Plan check, permits, school fees, etc.
Insurance/GC Conditions (% of hard)
?
General liability, builder’s risk, site conditions & overhead.
Utility Upgrades
New transformer ($50k)
Vault ($100k)
Service upgrade ($50k)
Water meter ($5k each)
Gas infrastructure ($25k)
If water meter is on, qty:
Contingency (% of hard+soft)
?
Safety buffer for unknowns and changes.
Hillside Premium Multiplier
Flat 0.00 • Gentle 0.15 • Moderate 0.20 • Steep 0.30
Cost-Plus Mode
Show cost-plus comparison
GC Markup % (Cost-Plus)
Trade Cost Discount % (Cost-Plus)
Notes (prints to PDF)
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Assumptions & Sources (planning level)
Base build: $700–$1,200+/sf common for LA luxury; choose what fits your target.
Hillside premiums: +15–30% depending on slope/retaining/access.
Pools: Premium ~$140k; Resort ~$400k+; spa $35–60k.
ADU ~$750/sf; Basement ~$650/sf; Hardscape default $50/sf of yard.
Solar PV ~ $2.30/W installed; batteries ~$13k each (typical).
Soft costs: Architecture 8–15%, Engineering 2–6%, Permits 0.5–3%, Insurance/GC 1–5%.
Contingency 10–15% typical at schematic level.
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