In 2026 a standard stick-built house costs about $166 per sq ft to build at the US median, while barndominiums run about $65 to $160, modular homes $80 to $160 installed, and a new manufactured home averages about $129,400 for the home itself. Tiny houses and shipping container homes cost the least in total but the most per square foot.
How much does each type of house cost to build?
| House type | Typical total | Per sq ft | Source (year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stick-built house | about $332,000 for 2,000 sq ft | $143.50–$215.50 by state, $166 median | Autodesk / Today’s Homeowner (2026) |
| Barndominium | about $230,000 for 2,000 sq ft | $65–$160 finished | Houseplans.com (2026) |
| Modular home | $160,000–$320,000, average $240,000 | $80–$160 installed | Amerisave, citing Angi and HomeAdvisor (2026) |
| Manufactured home | $129,400 average new home (June 2026) | not reported per sq ft | U.S. Census Bureau MHS (2026) |
| Tiny house | $30,000–$60,000, average $45,000 | $300–$400 | Rocket Mortgage (2025) |
| Shipping container home | $25,000–$250,000+ | $150–$350 | Angi (2026) |
| ADU | $40,000–$360,000, average $180,000 | $150–$300 | PropStream, citing Angi (2026) |
| Duplex | $180,000–$600,000+ | $100–$200 | Houzeo (2026) |
| Log cabin | $50,000–$150,000 for small cabins | $125–$175 | Angi (2022) |
| Cabin | varies widely | $100–$400 | Fixr (2022) |
| A-frame house | varies with size | $125–$175 | Angi (2022) |
| Pole barn house | shell only: $30,000–$90,000 for 2,000 sq ft | $15–$45 shell only | Summertown Metals (2026) |
| Garage | $20,000–$30,000 for 2 cars | $35–$70 | HomeGrail (2026) |
| Basement finishing | about $15,000 per 1,000 sq ft | $7–$23 | This Old House (2026) |
Sources use different methods, sizes and years, so treat the table as a starting comparison rather than a like-for-like price list. Figures from 2022 have not been adjusted for inflation, and construction costs have risen since then.
Which type of house is cheapest to build?
Per home, the cheapest options are a tiny house, a single-section manufactured home (average $82,200 in May 2026, home only) and a small shipping container home. Per square foot of finished living space, a barndominium or a modular home is usually cheaper than a site-built stick frame house. For a full-size family home the cheapest route is usually a simple rectangular plan with basic finishes, built in a lower-cost state.
Which type of house costs the most per square foot?
Tiny houses ($300–$400 per sq ft) and shipping container homes ($150–$350) cost the most per square foot, because a kitchen, bathroom, utilities and permits cost about the same whatever the size. Custom homes and mansions cost the most in total because of size, design and finish level.
What the calculator assumes for each type
Our calculator starts from the state cost per square foot for a standard stick-built house and applies a type factor. These factors are our own estimates, drawn from the ranges above, and they are listed in the methodology.
| Calculator setting | Factor vs stick-built | US median equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Stick-built house | 1.00 | $166 per sq ft |
| Custom home | 1.30 | about $216 |
| Detached ADU | 1.35 | about $224 |
| Tiny house | 1.60 | about $266 |
| Log cabin | 1.15 | about $191 |
| Shipping container home | 1.05 | about $174 |
| Duplex | 0.97 | about $161 |
| A-frame | 0.92 | about $153 |
| Cabin | 0.90 | about $149 |
| Modular home | 0.85 | about $141 |
| Barndominium (turnkey) | 0.78 | about $129 |
| Pole barn house | 0.72 | about $120 |
| Garage | 0.42 | about $70 |
| Barndominium shell kit only | 0.32 | about $53 |
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to build a barndominium or a house?
Usually a barndominium. Houseplans.com estimates barndominiums cost 15% to 25% less than a comparable stick-built home. See barndominium vs house.
Is modular cheaper than stick-built?
Usually by 10% to 20%, according to Amerisave’s 2026 guide, and modular homes are often finished in 3 to 6 months. See modular vs stick-built.
Does the cost include land?
No. The figures on this page are for the home and its construction. Land, utility connections and site work vary so much by lot that they are listed separately in the cost breakdown.
Sources
- Autodesk: How much does it cost to build a house in 2026? (state totals for a 2,000 sq ft home, based on Today’s Homeowner data; the $166/sq ft US median used on this site)
- Houseplans.com: Barndominium cost (2026)
- Amerisave: Modular home prices, complete cost breakdown (2026, citing Angi and HomeAdvisor)
- U.S. Census Bureau via FRED: Average sales price of new manufactured homes (Manufactured Housing Survey, June 2026)
- Rocket Mortgage: How much does a tiny house cost? (December 2025)
- Angi: Shipping container home cost (2026)
- PropStream: How much does it cost to build an ADU? (July 2026, citing Angi)
- Houzeo: What is the cost to build a duplex in 2026? (May 2026)
- Angi: How much does a log cabin cost? (February 2022)
- Fixr: Cost to build a cabin (October 2022)
- Summertown Metals: Pole barn cost guide (February 2026, a pole barn builder)
- HomeGrail: Cost to build a garage (January 2026)
- This Old House: Cost to finish a basement (April 2026)