On a per-square-foot basis, a Custom new build ($400 to $600 per square foot) is actually less expensive than a Custom whole-home remodel ($500 to $850 per square foot). Remodels carry a higher per-square-foot cost because working around an existing structure includes demolition, unforeseen conditions inside walls, and coordination with existing utilities. However, when a homeowner already owns the lot and loves the location, remodeling the existing home is almost always the right decision — as it was on The Astoria, where the clients loved the house and only wanted to change the finishes. Building new becomes the right choice when the existing structure has fundamental problems or when the client’s design vision cannot be achieved by remodeling the existing shell.