By Bryce Swager, owner of SwagerBuilds
The hardest number to get out of a Teton Valley luxury builder is the actual all-in cost of a custom home. Builders quote per-square-foot. Owners think that number includes everything. It does not include almost half of what you will actually spend.
Here is the complete picture for a 2026 luxury custom home in Driggs, Victor, or Tetonia. Real ranges, real line items, and the hidden costs every per-square-foot quote leaves out.
The headline ranges
- Construction cost (the home itself): $550-$1,200 per square foot finished
- Typical SwagerBuilds Teton Valley range: $700-$950 per square foot
- Total project cost (home only): $2.5M-$5M for a 3,500-5,500 SF footprint
- All-in cost (home + everything else): $3.5M-$5.5M+ for a luxury 4,500 SF Teton Valley build
The complete line-item breakdown
1. The home itself ($2.5M-$5M)
This is the construction cost — labor, materials, subcontractors, and builder fee. Per-square-foot pricing depends on three things: finish level, lot complexity, and architectural complexity.
- Standard luxury: $550-$700/SF — standard hardwood, mid-range tile, semi-custom cabinetry, name-brand appliances
- High-end luxury: $700-$950/SF — wide-plank engineered hardwood, custom tile, custom-milled cabinetry, premium appliance package, $100K+ kitchen
- Top-tier luxury: $950-$1,200+/SF — European white oak, custom steel windows, full smart-home integration, $200K+ kitchen, Jackson-Hole-tier finishes throughout
2. Site work ($80K-$400K)
Almost never included in per-square-foot quotes. Required to turn a raw lot into a buildable site.
- Clearing and rough grade: $5K-$30K
- Excavation and foundation prep: $25K-$80K
- Driveway and approach: $15K-$120K (longer rural driveways cost more)
- Well drilling and pump: $15K-$45K (Tetonia wells run deeper, $25K-$60K)
- Septic system and drain field: $15K-$45K standard; $25K-$60K for engineered systems on difficult soils
- Power line extension: $5K-$60K depending on distance to nearest pole
- Erosion control and stormwater: $3K-$15K
- Snow-melt approach systems: $20K-$50K if specified
3. Permits and impact fees ($15K-$45K)
- Driggs city + Teton County, ID permits: $8K-$20K
- Impact fees (city + county): $5K-$15K
- Water and sewer hookup (if on city): $5K-$15K
- Septic permit: $1K-$3K
- Plan review and resubmittals: $1K-$5K
4. Architect and engineering ($150K-$500K+)
- Architect fees: 8-12% of construction cost. On a $3M build, that is $240K-$360K.
- Structural engineering (stamped): $10K-$25K
- Geotechnical / soil report: $3K-$8K
- Energy compliance documentation: $2K-$5K
- Survey (boundary, topo, ALTA if required): $3K-$15K
5. Interior design and selections ($25K-$200K+)
Optional but increasingly common on $3M+ builds. Interior designer fees typically run 10-20% of FF&E and selections budget, or a flat retainer of $25K-$150K depending on scope.
6. Landscape ($30K-$300K+)
- Rough grading and topsoil: $10K-$30K
- Lawn, sprinkler, basic plantings: $20K-$60K
- Hardscape (patio, walkways, retaining walls): $30K-$200K
- Mature plantings, irrigation, landscape lighting: $40K-$200K+
- Snow-managed driveway approach landscaping: add $15K-$50K
7. Furniture, art, and FF&E ($100K-$500K+)
Per-square-foot quotes never include this. It is its own line and it adds up fast on a luxury build. Plan $50-$100/SF for FF&E on a typical luxury Teton Valley home.
8. Idaho sales tax (6% on materials)
Idaho charges sales tax on construction materials. On a $2.5M build with materials roughly 50% of total, that is $75K in sales tax built into your contract.
9. Contingency (5-10%)
Even on a fixed-price contract, owners should hold a 5-10% contingency for owner-driven changes, selections that come in over allowance, and decisions made mid-build. On a $3M build, that is $150K-$300K held in reserve.
The real all-in math: A 4,500 SF Driggs example
A 4,500 SF custom home in Driggs at the high-end luxury tier all-in:
- Construction (4,500 SF × $850/SF): $3,825,000
- Site work (medium complexity lot): $180,000
- Permits, impact fees, hookups: $32,000
- Architect (10% of construction): $382,500
- Structural, geotech, survey, energy: $22,000
- Interior design: $75,000
- Landscape (moderate scope): $120,000
- FF&E: $300,000
- 5% contingency held by owner: $215,000
- Total all-in: $5,151,500
That is $1,145/SF all-in for a high-end luxury Driggs build. The construction-only number was $850/SF. The other $295/SF is everything per-square-foot quotes leave out.
The three line items that move the price most
- Window package. Andersen 100-Series ($60-90/window) vs Marvin Ultimate ($150-300/window) vs custom European steel ($800-3,000/window) can swing a build $150K-$500K.
- Cabinetry and millwork. Stock cabinets ($150-300/LF) vs semi-custom ($350-600/LF) vs shop-built locally ($600-1,200/LF) vs flown-in custom panels ($1,200-3,000/LF) can swing $150K-$400K.
- Site complexity. Flat lot in town vs walk-out basement on sloped lot with 200-foot driveway and high snow load can swing $150K-$400K.
How to get a real number for your project
Per-square-foot numbers are useful for back-of-envelope. They are not useful for actual budgeting. SwagerBuilds runs every project through a 30-day plan-or-walk window before signing. We design, scope, and price the build before you commit. If the budget cannot carry the vision, you walk — no fees.
Want a real number for your project?
30-minute planning call. Tell me your lot, your finish-level expectation, and your timeline. I will give you a real range against real scope.
SwagerBuilds LLC · 4510 E 168 N, Rigby, ID 83442 · (208) 520-0636