How Much Does an A-Frame House Cost?

Average A-Frame Houses Cost per Square Foot

Building an A-frame costs between $100 to $200 per square foot for labor and materials. Similar to the cost of building a tiny home, your square footage costs might run upwards of $300 per square foot or more. In fact, some kits run from $400 to $600 per square foot.

“Costs are higher in cities like Los Angeles. We have seen a steeper labor and material price increase over the past year in the construction sector compared to other industries. I would venture to say that costs today are between $185,000 to $350,000 with an average of about $270,000,” says Ezra Laniado, Residential and Commercial Construction and Remodeling Expert.

A-Frame House Cost Breakdown

A lot goes into building a house, even a small A-frame one. You've got to account for preparing the lot, construction materials, labor, installing utilities, and more. Consider these key cost factors.

Site Prep

How much you'll pay for site prep depends on the size of the area and the state of the land you want to build on. Some of the things you may need to budget for include:

• Land survey costs: $375–$750

• Cost of excavating and grading: $1,500–$5,600

• Land clearing costs: $1,250–$4,400

• Soil testing costs: $700–$2,000

• House plan costs: $840–$2,700

• Tree removal costs (per tree): $200–$2,000

• Cost of a building permit: $1,200–$2,000

Utilities and Services

Just like the cost to build a standard house, building an A-frame house includes the cost of installing and connecting utilities. You'll need to hire professionals for these tasks, as most states require only licensed professionals to conduct electrical and plumbing. Plus, because they're so critical to the safety and comfort of your home, utilities shouldn't be where you try to save a few bucks. 

At the very least, you'll need to hire an electrician and find a good plumber. On the other hand, if you've hired a local general contractor or a construction manager, they'll hire their own pros, so you won't need to worry. 

If you've purchased an unfinished lot, you'll also need to connect your new A-frame to the local utility system. Connecting to the power grid will cost between $250 and $5,000, while connecting to the sewer system costs $500 to $20,000. 

To live more sustainably or to reduce your reliance on the grid, you can go solar; installing solar panels costs between $18,000 and $35,000. For water, if you don't want to use the town's main line, you may be able to drill a well, at a cost of $1.500 to $12,000.

Materials

Materials account for around 50% of your project total and encompass everything from nails and wire to lumber, metal, roofing supplies, and finishing touches like paint. This puts the typical cost of materials at $50 to $150 per square foot. 

The costs vary so widely because there's such a huge range to choose from in terms of finish and quality. For example, you could save money by installing vinyl flooring priced around $1 to $3 per square foot. Or, you could go for a super-high-end finish and use stone floor tiles, which cost up to $20 per square foot.

Take a look at some common house building materials and their typical prices, without the cost of installation.

Construction

Building a house of any kind is labor-intensive and requires multiple professionals. Expect to spend around 30% to 50% of your budget on labor costs. You'll build your A-frame house from the foundation up, even if you purchased an A-frame house kit. The easiest way to achieve this is to hire a general contractor who oversees the logistics for you and makes sure that the right pros are on the site at the right time. 

Take a look at some of the pros you'll need to hire and how much you can expect to pay for their services, without supplies and materials. 

• General contractor costs: 10%–20% of the total project cost

• Architects cost: $125–$250 per hour

• Structural engineers cost: $100–$200 per hour

• Draftspeople cost: $50–$130 per hour

• Interior designer rate: $50–$200 per hour

• Landscape architect fee: $70–$150 per hour

• Construction manager costs: 5%–15% of the total project cost

• House framer rates: $7–$16 per square foot

• Electrician rates: $50–$100 per hour

• Plumber costs: $45–$200 per hour

• Siding installer costs: $1–$4 per square foot

• Painter costs: $2–$6 per square foot

• Handyperson costs: $60–$125 per hour

Finishing

Finishing includes both interior and exterior finishing. On the outside of your home, finishing includes the cost of roofing, at between $5,700 and $12,000. You'll also have to budget for window installation, priced between $3,000 and $9,600. Once everything else on the outside is done, you'll need to think about painting the exterior, which costs between $1,800 and $4,400, including taking care of the trim. 

Interior finishing includes everything from installing a kitchen and bathroom to flooring, window dressings, appliances, and furnishings. The interior is where you can really put your stamp on the place and spend as little or as much as you'd like. You can do some of the work yourself and use budget-friendly materials to reduce costs, or splurge and hire an interior designer and use the highest quality materials your budget allows. 

Here are some critical interior finishing projects and their costs:

• Countertop installation costs: $2,000–$4,350

• Price of flooring installation: $3–$22 per square foot

• Light fixture prices: $2,000–$12,000

• Cost of appliances: $3,000–$15,000

• Price of installing a fireplace: $700–$30,000

• Cost of interior house painting: $3.50 per square foot on average

• Price of window treatments: $150–$3,000 per window

• Cost of furnishing the interior: $1,500–$25,000

Cost Factors

Size, location, and accessibility impact the cost of your build. While you'll likely pay less for the actual build in a rural location well off the beaten path, you'll pay more for difficult-to-access sites with challenging terrain. You may even have to pay for an access road or track wide enough and stable enough to accommodate your contractor's equipment and vehicles. 

In more urban areas, there's likely to be a greater demand for services and, therefore, higher base prices. Additionally, you may need to spend more on permits, zoning issues, and figuring out how to work within local restrictions, as some locations have strict guidelines about the construction of A-frame houses.

Cost of Windows for A-Frame Homes

Window installation costs for an A-frame house span from $150 to $800 per window. Prefab kits might have different costs for windows, depending on the layout you select. However, if you hire a contractor to help with window installation, your prices might still fall in this range. 

Keep in mind that the sloping sides of an A-frame home usually don’t have windows, but large windows in the front or back of the house can let light into the space. Talk to a general contractor near you to learn more about A-frame window installation.

A-Frame Cabin Cost

A-frame cabins typically cost between $125 and $175 per square foot to build. Since cabins are usually smaller than traditional houses, cabin building costs per square foot might be higher than the cost to build a house. Still, you can expect your costs to be comparable, if not the same, to building an A-frame house.

A-Frame House Kits Cost

A-frame house kits usually run from $60 to $140 per square foot but costs can vary. Some kits might run upwards of $600 per square foot.

An important thing to note is that the starting prices of A-frame kits don’t typically reflect the final price. Getting the foundation ready and preparing the electrical and plumbing lines in the proper locations or connection to the kit home will also be a significant cost. Besides that, adding fixtures, cabinets, windows, and doors will all cost extra as well. Installing plumbing fixtures costs extra, as does shipping and sometimes even insulation.

A-Frame Cabin Kit Prices

A-frame cabin kit prices start at around $10,600 and can quickly reach costs of $100,000 or more, depending on size. Cabin kit starting costs often only include the basics, such as a shell or walls. Below are starting costs for some of the most popular brands.

Advantages and Disadvantages of A-Frame Houses

A-frame houses are great alternatives to regular housing, with plenty of attractive benefits. But they do have some downsides, which means they're not for everyone. 

Pros:

• Cost-efficient

• Strong and able to withstand extreme weather

• Let in lots of natural light

• Prevents snow and ice buildup

• Compact

Cons:

• Privacy is minimal, so not well-suited to families

• High ceilings make airflow, ventilation, and heat distribution challenging

• Lose functional square footage because of steeply sloping walls

• Difficult to hang things on sloping walls

• Need short furniture to maximize usable square footage

DIY vs. Hiring a Professional

Whether you opt for a kit, a custom build, or trying to take everything on yourself, at some point you will likely need a professional’s help when building an A-frame. This is especially true if your design has a heavy metal roof or shell. You’ll need special equipment and a special license to get everything into place.

While kits might seem more affordable, those prices often don’t include things like plumbing or flooring. In some instances, a custom A-frame could actually be more cost-effective. Find a custom home builder to get a quote and weigh out all your options.

FAQs

What is an A-frame?

A-frames are houses that are notable for their steep roofs, which usually extend all the way to the ground. Their design tends to be more naturally energy-efficient than a traditional house. While often designed as cabins or getaway houses, A-frames have become increasingly popular as full-time homes.

How long does it take to build an A-frame?

A-frames take between four to eight months to build, on average. Highly custom designs or tricky building locations will take longer.

Is it cheaper to build an A-frame house over a traditional house?

While you’ll spend less heating or cooling an A-frame house, they don’t generally cost less to build in comparison to traditional houses. You may be able to save on costs by purchasing a prefab kit, depending on the one you choose, and sometimes a custom A-frame is more cost-effective. Some find the A-frame prefab construction appealing because it’s easy to put together yourself, but if done incorrectly, it could end up costing you a lot more in the long run.

Additionally, the construction of an A-frame leaves more of a home's exterior exposed to weather than with a traditional build. Therefore, the cost of materials can be higher. If the roof sustains damage, it is also more costly to repair. 

Is an A-frame house strong?

A-frame homes are very strong, thanks to the structural integrity and strength of the triangle shape. A-frames are also very sturdy for living in areas with extreme weather like snow and rain.