Stick-built (site-built)
Conventional wood framing built on site. The default for rural custom homes. Published ranges for this method generally represent a complete build including foundation and on-site work, though not utility service to the parcel.
- At 1,500 sq ft
- $262,500–$450,000
- Timeline
- 8–14 months
What this figure rests on
A federal survey, covering the West region
Anchored to the Census Bureau annual series on new contractor-built single-family houses started. For the West region in 2025 the median contract price was $176.87 per square foot and the average $213.85, with relative standard errors of 4 and 6 percent. That contract price excludes the value of the improved lot, which suits this tool because land and service connections are costed separately. The range starts at the regional median. The upper end is set above the regional average to reflect custom work and rural site access; that part is a judgement rather than a surveyed figure.
Last verified August 16, 2026 · source
What it costs, broken down
- Stick-built (site-built) — base construction$262,500–$450,000
Published ranges for this method generally represent a complete build, though not utility service to the parcel.
Advantages
- Easiest to finance, appraise and resell
- Most builders available; design flexibility is highest
- Well understood by county building departments
Tradeoffs
- Longest timeline and most exposure to weather delays
- Highest cost per square foot of the common methods
- Most sensitive to local labour availability, which is tighter in rural areas
What building does to the tax base
Oregon generally limits growth in a property’s maximum assessed value to three percent per year, and treats new construction as an exception to that limit.
In general terms, holding unimproved land tends to mean a low tax base that grows slowly and predictably.
Adding a dwelling generally causes a step change in assessed value rather than a gradual increase, because the new structure is brought onto the roll at its own value rather than inheriting the capped figure.
Illustrative assessed value added: $131,250–$382,500
This range is illustrative only. It applies a wide assumed ratio to construction cost to show rough scale and direction, and is not a tax estimate. Actual assessed value depends on the county’s changed property ratio for the year and the assessor’s valuation, and the resulting tax also depends on the district’s permanent rate.
- Ask the county Assessor how new construction would be brought onto the roll for this property.
- Ask for the current changed property ratio and the applicable district tax rate.