How Much Does a Concrete House Cost to Build in 2024?
Typical Range:
$242,000 - $550,000
Cost data is based on research by HomeAdvisor.
Updated August 13, 2024
Written by HomeAdvisor.Highlights
Concrete houses offer better durability, sound-dampening, and fire and earthquake protection than traditional materials like wood.
Concrete house costs range from $110 to $250 per square foot.
The main types of concrete houses are blocks, precast, poured, and insulated concrete forms (ICF).
Certain materials, such as ICF, have higher material costs but are faster to build, reducing labor costs.
You can reduce building costs by limiting customizations, choosing less expensive materials, and reducing the overall size of the home.
On average, a 2,200-square-foot concrete house costs $340,000, or between $242,000 and $550,000. Because of rising lumber prices, it'll cost about 10% to 60% more to build an insulated concrete form (ICF) home over a traditional wooden house, depending on the labor required. Additionally, concrete houses offer energy savings of about 20% to 30% over traditional wood-framed houses.
There are many advantages to building with concrete over wood, including:
Excellent energy-efficiency
Higher sound-dampening than wood
Increased strength and stability in hurricane- and earthquake-prone areas
Multiple design options
Average Concrete House Costs
| Average Cost | High Cost | Low Cost |
|---|---|---|
| $350,000 | $550,000 | $242,000 |
Find Local Concrete House Building Pros
Concrete House Cost per Square Foot
The cost of concrete homes is between $110 and $250 per square foot. Because of rising lumber prices, the costs of a concrete home are very similar to a stick-built home on the low end, with concrete costing approximately 10% more per square foot than wood. But because of the increased labor required for building concrete homes, the maximum average price of concrete homes is much higher than wood—costing as much as 60% more per square foot than stick-built homes.
Cost to Build Concrete Houses
The average concrete house cost is $180 per square foot to build, depending on the method and finishes you choose. Like any home construction project, many components factor into the final price. While concrete homes have some cost variances compared to traditional homes, they're still somewhat similar in price. Talk to a home builder near you to compare prices and get an estimate.
Concrete House Cost by Size
Depending on the planned size of your new home, you can expect the total cost to vary quite significantly. Bear these costs in mind when you’re deciding on the final square footage that you’d like your new concrete house to be.
| Home Size (Square Feet) | Average Cost Range |
|---|---|
| 800 | $88,000–$200,000 |
| 1,000 | $110,000–$250,000 |
| 1,200 | $132,000–$300,000 |
| 1,500 | $165,000–$375,000 |
| 2,000 | $220,000–$500,000 |
| 2,500 | $275,000–$625,000 |
| 3,000 | $330,000–$750,000 |
| 3,500 | $385,000–$875,000 |
Get Concrete House Building Estimates from Local Pros
Concrete Homes Cost by Type
While the average 2,200-square-foot concrete home costs between $242,000 and $550,000, prices vary based on the construction type. When building a concrete home, you can opt for concrete poured onsite, precast concrete forms, insulated concrete forms (ICF), or concrete cinder blocks.
| Concrete Home Type | Average Cost Range per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Concrete blocks (Cinder blocks) | $190–$250 |
| Poured concrete | $110–$160 |
| Precast concrete | $120–$180 |
| Insulated concrete form (ICF) | $120–$230 |
Concrete Block House Cost
A concrete block house ranges from $190 to $250 per square foot. This translates to $418,000 to $550,000 for a 2,200-square-foot home. Sometimes referred to as "cinder blocks," this house type involves layering premade blocks and filling in gaps with mortar. Cinder block walls cost more than poured concrete since stacking blocks is more labor-intensive and requires the services of skilled contractors.
Poured Concrete House Cost
A poured concrete house costs around $110 to $160 per square foot. While the average wood-built house costs between $200,000 and $450,000, poured concrete costs slightly more than building with traditional wood framing. For a 2,200-square-foot home made of poured concrete, you can expect to pay between $242,000 and $352,000.
Prefab or Precast Concrete Home Prices
Precast or prefab concrete homes cost around $120 to $180 per square foot. Building with precast concrete panels is slightly more expensive than working with poured concrete, but it has its advantages. Instead of pouring on-site, panels are constructed ahead of time and shipped to your location. It's often faster and requires less on-site labor.
Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) House Cost
An ICF house costs between $264,000 and $506,000 for 2,200 square feet, or between $120 and $230 per square foot. Insulated concrete forms are concrete walls that are cast between two layers of rigid foam insulation. Some people call ICF homes "foam concrete homes" because the forms are made from polystyrene.
In its expanded state, polystyrene is like Styrofoam. This is a very common method for concrete home building in much of the world. The only time it’s not recommended is for very warm climates, where the extra insulation isn’t necessary.
ICF Construction Cost
ICF construction costs at least $20 more per square foot of floor area than traditional wood construction but could cost upwards of $75 per square foot or more. Construction prices vary depending on the following factors:
Location: If there aren’t many ICF contractors near you, it’ll cost more for them to travel to you.
Project complexity: Custom homes, curved walls, and two-story projects may drastically increase the pricing of an ICF construction project.
Material: Different concrete mixes have different prices. For example, fly ash mixes cost less than cement mixes.
ICF Foundation and Walls Cost
Even if you only want to pour a basement with ICF, it still insulates better and goes up faster than traditional methods. ICF foundation costs around $10 to $25 per square foot. You can expect similar prices for concrete wall costs. Because the forms stay in place, ICF takes less time and labor to install and, as such, usually costs less than poured concrete when labor costs are factored in.
Find a Concrete House Builder Near You
Additional Cost Factors
Concrete house costs include more than just the forms and the concrete. You'll need to decide on HVAC systems, windows, doors, plumbing, electrical, and the pros to design the space of your dreams. Consider the following elements:
Home wiring costs: $6,000–$22,500
Plumbing installation costs: $2,280–$5,120
Window installation costs: $3,000–$10,000
Roof installation costs: $5,700–$12,000 (for asphalt shingles)
Structural engineer fees: $500–$3,000
Landscaping costs: $2,000–$5,000
HVAC costs: $7,000–$16,000
Demolition and Prep
The only reason you may need to demolish anything to build a new concrete home would be if you are tearing down an old structure to make way for a new one. It typically costs between $6,000 and $25,000 to demolish a house, depending on its size, location, and the conditions of the surrounding land.
To prep for building a concrete home, you’ll need to pour a foundation, or footer, on which to build the rest of the structure. Concrete footing costs average at $7 per square foot, or about $15,400 for a 2,200 square-foot home.
Permits
You’ll need to secure several permits to build a new home, whether it’s made of concrete or traditional lumber construction. These permits should be included in your budget for a concrete house cost. These permits might include:
Grading permit
Building permit
Electrical permit
Plumbing permit
Septic permit
Plans inspection
Costs to acquire these permits can vary greatly depending on your project but tend to range between $1,000 and $3,000 for most home builds.
Concrete House Finishing Costs
Besides the guts of the home, you’ll also need to put on the finishing touches before moving in. You’ll want to include some of the following:
Hardwood flooring costs: $14,000–$50,000
Trim costs: $600–$3,000
Interior painting prices: $1,600–$5,600
Siding costs: $10,000–$32,500
Is a Concrete House Less Expensive Than Wood?
Constructing a concrete house can cost anywhere from 10% to 60% more than a wood-framed house. But that gap is closing with rising wood and material prices outpacing the increase in concrete prices. Even at a higher price, concrete has many advantages over wood, including:
Fire-resistant: Concrete and steel don’t burn. You may even save up to 25% on your insurance because of it.
Earthquake-resistant: It’s sturdier than most wood-framed homes but less flexible.
Sound-dampening: It takes outside noises to a minimum compared to wood.
Energy-efficient: You’ll save anywhere from $250–$650 per year on HVAC bills, depending on the insulation level.
Budgeting for Building a Concrete House
As with any new home construction, building a concrete house can be quite expensive. However, you can make the project slightly more budget-friendly by thoughtfully choosing the type of concrete you use for the construction.
If you live in a warm climate where cold temperatures aren’t a concern, for instance, you could opt to build your home with concrete blocks, precast concrete, or concrete poured onsite, all of which are cheaper options than insulated concrete forms (ICF). Other tips to reduce cost when building a concrete house include:
Reducing the square footage of the home overall to cut material and labor costs
Opting for a less expensive type of roof, such as a flat poured concrete roof rather than concrete roof tiles
Reduce or remove irregularities like curved walls in the house design
Save on labor costs by using prefabricated panels
How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data
No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. After a project is complete, we survey real customers about the costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Still Have Questions About Building a Concrete House?
FAQs
What are Spider Tie concrete house prices?
Spider Tie concrete houses range in cost from $240,000 to $360,000, at $120 to $180 per square foot. The Spider Tie system uses plastic ties to hold the forms together, costing one-sixth the cost of a traditional ICF house. Spider Tie houses can be a budget-friendly option for those seeking the durability and modern look of concrete homes without the high price point.
What's the cost of an ICF foundation versus traditional concrete?
ICF foundations usually cost between $10 and $25 per square foot, whereas a traditional concrete foundation can cost anywhere between $5 and $8 per square foot. But prices depend on the type. For full ICF basements, expect to pay $10 to $25 per square foot. On the other hand, expect concrete slab costs to sit around $5 per square foot.
What are the pros and cons of concrete houses?
Concrete homes present mostly pros and fewer cons. They're quickly gaining popularity due to advanced building techniques, with prices comparable to wood structures and more general contractors near you who know how to build them. They’re durable, well-insulated, great at dampening noise, naturally fire-resistant, and offer a modern look. Their main downsides are their higher price compared to stick-built homes, the need to hire specialized contractors to build them, and the fact that they’re harder to fix or modify than lumber-built homes.
How long do concrete houses last?
A concrete house lasts approximately 50 to 100 years. After that, you can extend the life of the home, but it may require significant repairs, particularly if you need to fix damage to the foundation.
Is it hard to maintain a concrete house?
A concrete house isn't any harder to maintain than a traditional home. Like any other house, you'll need to maintain the paint, trim, windows, and doors. And unlike wood homes, you'll also need to inspect the concrete every few years for spalling, cracks, and signs of deterioration.
Find Pros Nearby
