#construction-costs

#construction-costs

In fall 2017, Piccin and his wife lost their ranch house when the Tubbs fire roared through Northern California's famed wine region. Contractors found themselves in high demand and overbooked, and the one the couple hired abandoned the project halfway through. In the time it took to find a new builder, the price tag rose by a third to $2.4 million, forcing the Piccins to sell a rental property they owned to pay the bill.

The cost of demolishing a house is calculated based on square footage. On average, it costs between $4 and $10 per square foot to demolish a home.

Steven Mulholland, CEO of the Construction Plant-hire Association, says: "Construction costs have skyrocketed - this isn't a temporary squeeze, it's a structural problem making renovations increasingly unaffordable."

"While periodic work has been done to keep these buildings occupiable, neither building has seen a comprehensive renovation since they were first constructed."

VTA officials said they've negotiated with Kiewit Shea Traylor for about 18 months, but their prices were nearly twice what VTA could afford.

The council said that the conversion of the depot at the historic park included a dining area, a serving area, storerooms, toilets, and other facilities.