What will your project actually cost?
An honest, no-email-required estimate for luxury home builds, remodels, and commercial build-outs across Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego — built on the same 2026 market ranges we publish in our cost guides. Adjust the inputs; the number updates live.
This is what those numbers build.
Photoreal pre-construction visualizations and finished work across Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. Every project was resolved in a digital twin and walked in VR before construction.
The 2026 market ranges behind every number.
This calculator multiplies your project size by realistic 2026 Southern California cost-per-square-foot ranges for your tier, then adjusts for metro (Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego) and site condition (flat, hillside, or coastal zone). The ranges below are the same figures published in our Answers library — the tables are public so you can sanity-check any estimate by hand.
Luxury custom home — construction cost per square foot (flat lot, 2026)
| Build tier | $/sq ft (construction) | What it buys |
|---|---|---|
| High-end production luxury | $850–$1,200 | Stock-plan-derived, large-builder execution, mid-luxury finish package, predictable schedule. |
| Architect-led custom | $1,200–$1,800 | Bespoke design, full custom millwork, premium appliances, integrated AV, structural sophistication. |
| Trophy / no-compromise | $2,000–$3,500+ | Imported stone, museum-grade glazing, signature architect, art-handling finishes. |
Site premiums: hillside adds ~15–35%, Coastal Commission jurisdiction adds ~10–25%. Land, soft costs, and FF&E typically add 25–40% on top of construction (the "all-in" toggle layers these on).
Luxury home remodel — cost per square foot (2026)
| Remodel scope | $/sq ft | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | $150–$350 | Finishes, paint, flooring, fixtures, light kitchen/bath updates — no structural change. |
| Full whole-home renovation | $350–$700 | New kitchen and baths, reconfigured layout, new finishes and systems throughout. |
| Down-to-studs / structural + addition | $600–$1,100+ | Gut renovation, structural work, new MEP, square-footage addition. |
Kitchens and bathrooms concentrate the highest cost per square foot. Interior design fees typically run 10–18% of construction; FF&E is additional.
Commercial build-out — cost per square foot (LA / OC baseline, 2026)
| Space type | Tier | $/sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant | Fast-casual / QSR | $150–$300 |
| Full-service | $300–$550 | |
| Fine-dining / chef-driven | $550–$1,000+ | |
| Cafe | Kiosk / compact | $150–$300 |
| Full cafe | $250–$450 | |
| Roastery-cafe | $400–$700 | |
| Office TI | Spec suite | $40–$90 |
| Creative office | $90–$175 | |
| Executive HQ | $175–$350+ | |
| Retail | Standard inline | $100–$250 |
| Elevated boutique | $250–$500 | |
| Luxury flagship | $500–$1,500+ | |
| Boutique hotel (per key) | Refresh / soft-goods | $25k–$75k |
| Full renovation | $150k–$450k | |
| Ground-up | $450k–$1M+ |
San Diego commercial typically runs slightly below LA/OC on labor (~8%). See the detailed guides: restaurant, office TI, retail, cafe, and boutique hotel.
What actually moves the number.
Square footage sets the rough scale; these five factors decide where in the range you land:
Structural sophistication. Open spans, cantilevers, and large frameless glazing add $80–$200/sf in steel and engineering. Stone & slab budgets. A $400k stone package and a $1.2M one buy very different homes. Glazing system. Aluminum-clad wood vs thermally-broken steel vs minimalist systems can swing $150–$400/sf on a glass-heavy home. Integrated systems. Crestron + Lutron + climate + shade done right is $80–$150/sf. Custom millwork volume. Millwork in 22 rooms vs 6 is a six-figure difference. The single biggest budget-killer, though, is change orders — field-driven changes commonly cost 5–10× the same scope priced up front, which is exactly why we resolve the entire project in a photoreal digital twin and walk it in VR before construction starts.
Cost calculator FAQs.
How accurate is this calculator?
It gives a realistic planning range, not a quote. It uses 2026 SoCal market cost-per-square-foot ranges by tier and adjusts for site and metro. Actual cost depends on design complexity, finish specification, structure, and site-specific conditions only a real scope can capture. Use it to set a budget range and a reserve, then get a scoped estimate.
How much does a luxury custom home cost in LA in 2026?
Construction-only, roughly $850–$1,200/sf for high-end production luxury, $1,200–$1,800 for architect-led custom, and $2,000–$3,500+ for trophy work. Land, soft costs, and FF&E add 25–40% on top; hillside adds ~15–35% and coastal jurisdiction ~10–25%.
How much does a high-end remodel cost per square foot?
About $150–$350/sf for a cosmetic refresh, $350–$700 for a full whole-home renovation, and $600–$1,100+ for a down-to-studs remodel with structural work or an addition. Kitchens and baths carry the highest cost per square foot.
What is not included in a per-square-foot figure?
Usually land, soft costs (architecture, structural, MEP, geotech, civil, and interior design fees — 15–30% combined), FF&E and art, permits and impact fees, and financing. Turn on the all-in option to layer those on, and always carry a 10–15% contingency.
Do you build, or just estimate?
Vividly Built is a luxury interior design and architecture firm. We design the project — architecture, interiors, FF&E — and produce a photoreal digital twin you walk in VR before construction, which is how budgets stay intact. Tell us about your project for a real, scoped estimate.
Detailed cost guides & design services.
Ready for a real number?
Tell us the project — location, type, size, and timeline — and we'll come back with an honest scope, a realistic build range, and a design + visualization plan that protects the budget before construction starts.