Budgeting · August 21, 2026
What actually drives the cost of a custom home in Austin
Square footage is one of the weaker predictors of what a house costs to build. Site conditions, envelope complexity and finish level move the number far more.
ReadInsights · Aurea Build
What we have
learned so far.
Practical notes on building in Austin — budgeting, estimates, permitting and the decisions that quietly determine how a project goes.
Budgeting · August 21, 2026
Allowances versus selections: where custom-build budgets drift
Most custom budgets do not fail dramatically. They fail quietly, in the gap between what an allowance assumed and what the selection actually cost.
ReadWorking with a builder · August 21, 2026
Reading a builder's estimate: seven questions that matter
Two estimates for the same project can differ substantially without either being dishonest. They assume different things, and the assumptions are rarely on the front page.
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