Read all about it on ColumbusBestBlog.com.  ActiveRain member Kristal Pooler shared a Building Cost Calculator.

Building Cost Calculator  

I did one... I built a theoretical home in Powell Ohio 43065 with 3200 SF and the Building Cost Calculator priced it out at $304,933  In my mind  the 3200 square foot single family home was in Powell Ohio, a community where YOU can build new in Central Ohio.  I also could have visualized this new construction home in New Albany, Dublin, Hilliard, Lewis Center... 

I was not thinking of inside 270...  for some reason. 

A problem with the new home cost calculator is you don't get to choose WHERE the home is until the very end.  Powell 43065 was not a choice.  The very cool Building Cost Calculator uses Columbus 432_ _ as a zip-code. Oh I could choose other areaa... just not in Central Ohio. I could choose zip codes for  Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron, Dayton...  even Chillicothe, Zanesville and Marion... just not Central Ohio areas, with a zip-code that is not 432_ _.

Disappointment. My theoretical new build priced at $304,933 is in Columbus OH 432_ _.  Maybe my theorteical new home is in Columbus Ohio 43235, the West Wortington area (Worthington, Dublin or Columbus School Districts depending on where in the 43235 zip-code.)  I don't know Columbus Ohio or Central Ohio by zip-code.  I think of Central Ohio by neighborhoods.  I think of Central Ohio by school districts. 

Columbus 432_ _  leaves out many of the parts of Central Ohio where NEW HOMES... single family homes are being built.  When you look at homes in the 432_ _ zip-code too you discover single family homes on average sell lower than condominiums! Of course with all the new condo development in downtown Columbus, the Short North etc. that would be true.  

Visit ColumbusBestBlog.com's Build YOUR Columbus Dream Home for $304,933. Columbus here, really, really means Columbus, not Greater Columbus, not the Columbus Metro area, not even necessarily just within the Columbus School District, just those that have a mailing address (zip-code) that is Columbus (unless I am misunderstanding and 43085, 43065, 43035, 43016, 43017 etc. are included.)  However $304,933 seemed too low to me for Dublin, Lewis Center, Powell etc.  On the Building Cost Calculator you have to choose quality too... Best, Good, Average for various classifications... 

On ColumbusBestBlog.com I did a comparison with new builds sold year-to-date in 2007 in the Big Walnut, Columbus, Dublin, Hilliard, Olentangy School Districts.  I tried to compare new build homes in other Central Ohio School Districts as well Buckeye Valley, City of Delaware, Plain Local (New Albany), Westerville and Worthington but could not find comparable homes (not all new builds are sold through the Columbus Board of Realtors multiple listing service so don't show up in the data!) 

All in all it was a fun tool.  Maybe in other markets across the US they have more zip-code choices.  As Kristal said "Like all such calculators, it can provide a rough estimate at best. However it is still a very useful place to start and to understand the variables involved. According to the site - "you can develop a home construction or replacement cost that considers all the important variables: materials used, design features, quality, size, shape, heating, cooling and geographic area."

...Some geographic areas.  Or some zip-codes anyway.

"New Homes Search on the Real Living New Construction Portal

The Building Cost Calculator says: " The numbers used in this calculator are from the National Building Cost Manual, published by Craftsman Book Company."