What is $/sq. ft. for home building in your experience?

[Patrick Philip]

I talked to a contractor the other day, he told me he usually builds new houses for $111/sq. ft. + about $22,000 + permit, impact, and architecture fees. He says his price might approach $200/sq. ft. for higher end homes. This is near Orlando, FL.

These prices, coupled with the fact that he quoted a 5-month timeframe to build, makes this a far less ROI than residential rehabs.

What has been your experience with new residential construction costs? How do they compare to commercial?