Square Foot Construction Costs in The Bahamas
by Mark Moyle
This article was originally written in 2015 and has remained one of the most-read posts on this site.
Here’s the newly updated 2025 version, reflecting today’s construction costs.
One of the most dreaded questions a builder often hears is:
“So, what are construction costs in the Bahamas these days?”
The worst part about this question is that the individual asking the question usually has a preconceived number in their head and does not really want to hear anything else. The conversation usually ends up as an unfriendly debate between the builder and a new property owner.
The new owner insists that some guy at the bar told him that he can build a house for $100 a square foot. The seasoned builder, on the other hand, knows full well that the “guy at the bar” has been drinking too much rum and Kool-Aid.
Well, the truth is that building for $100 per square foot is not entirely impossible. Get a local draftsman to reproduce a simple rectangle on a piece of blue paper, manage the entire project yourself, convince your friends and family in the industry to give you insider deals, beg, steal and borrow all the materials you can, source illegal, underpaid labor, use jalousie windows and cheap doors, cheat customs duties, forego baseboards and trim, use clearance discounted floor tiles, slap on a coat of no-name paint, fashion cupboards on-site out of left-over roofing ply. You’ll get yourself two bedrooms and one bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room, all in 1,000 sqft for $100,000.
And it will look something like this:
But if you’re hoping for something more like this…
Here are the real numbers:
| Description | Typical Upgrades | $ per Sqft | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Structure (what everyone thinks they are talking about) | $150.00 | $150,000 | |
| General Conditions (ALL the things nobody tells you about) | $30,000 | $30.00 | $180,000 |
| Some Insulation and a Central Air Conditioning Package | $20,000 | $20.00 | $200,000 |
| Upgrade Roof from Asphalt Shingle to Spanish Tile | $20,000 | $20.00 | $220,000 |
| Interior Architectural Features (Owner-selected tiles and cabinetry) | $20,000 | $20.00 | $240,000 |
| Exterior Architectural Features (Masonry columns and trim details) | $20,000 | $20.00 | $260,000 |
| PVC Hurricane Proof windows and doors | $30,000 | $30.00 | $290,000 |
| Hardscapes (Driveway, Boundary Wall & Gate, Garbage Enclosure) | $30,000 | $30.00 | $320,000 |
| Softscape (Landscaping and Irrigation) | $30,000 | $30.00 | $350,000 |
| Total Sqft | 1,000 | $350.00 | $350,000.00 |
This would be at the higher end of the typical Bahamian homeowner’s expectations. Not just a dwelling to survive in, but rather a comfortable, modern home with the A/C chilling, kids playing in the yard, and dinner in the oven.
$350 a square foot!
Now, for today’s young professionals and second-homeowners, even that “nice family home” is considered entry level. Let’s revisit that original $100/sqft base and scale it up to a 5,000 sqft high-end custom home—the kind that takes two years and a small army of designers, engineers, and contractors to build.
Now the problem is that, for most young professionals and second homeowners who are actually out researching construction costs in the Bahamas these days, is that the above house is entry-level. So let’s go back to the original base structure of $100 a square foot and estimate a 5,000 sqft custom home that will require an extremely capable team two years to design and build, and see what else we can add to our list of needs and wants
| Description | Typical Upgrades | $ per Sqft | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Structure (what everyone thinks they are talking about) | $750,000 | $150.00 | $750,000 |
| Add an Internationally Recognized Design Team (Architects & Specialists) | $750,000 | $150.00 | $1,500,000 |
| Full-Time Owner's Representatives (Accountant & Project Management) | $500,000 | $100.00 | $2,000,000 |
| Reputable Building Contractors OH&P | $1,000,000 | $200.00 | $3,000,000 |
| Extensive Reinforced Concrete Structures & Details | $750,000 | $150.00 | $3,750,000 |
| Fleetwood Hurricane Window & Door Package | $750,000 | $150.00 | $4,500,000 |
| Exotic Hardwood and Stone to Interiors & Exteriors | $500,000 | $100.00 | $5,000,000 |
| Exotic Hardwood Interior Doors & Hardware Package | $250,000 | $50.00 | $5,250,000 |
| Venetian Plaster to Walls (that aren't exotic hardwood and stone) | $100,000 | $20.00 | $5,350,000 |
| Designer European Kitchen and Bathrooms | $400,000 | $80.00 | $5,750,000 |
| Commercial Stainless Steel Appliance Package | $100,000 | $20.00 | $5,850,000 |
| High-Level MEP Specifications (high SEER AC, Schedule 80 plumbing, Lutron fixtures) | $150,000 | $30.00 | $6,000,000 |
| Whole-House Audio/Video/Lighting Control Package | $150,000 | $30.00 | $6,150,000 |
| Restoration Hardware Plumbing and Light Fixtures | $200,000 | $40.00 | $6,350,000 |
| Special Equipment (Standby generator, RO watermaker) | $200,000 | $40.00 | $6,550,000 |
| Infinity Edge Swimming Pool & Jacuzzi | $300,000 | $60.00 | $6,850,000 |
| Designer Landscape with Exterior Lighting & Irrigation Budget | $350,000 | $70.00 | $7,200,000 |
| Change Orders and Unforeseen Contingencies | $300,000 | $60.00 | $7,500,000 |
| Total Sqft | 5,000 | $1,500.00 | $7,500,000.00 |
That’s right. This whole program can get up to $1,500 a sqft and often does by the time you add in all the bells and whistles. This is also by no means a limit. Until a few years ago, Fleetwood Windows & Doors were considered the best manufacturer of doors and windows in town, and the most expensive. These days, clients are requesting windows and doors made in Switzerland that cost three times as much. That’s three times as much to buy, three times as much on shipping and import duty, and three times as much to fly a Swiss specialist over to install them.
But coming back down to earth. This blog is to help you get an idea of construction costs in the Bahamas. Most of you are going to fall somewhere between $350 and $700 a square foot because you want a nice house with a few trimmings, but don’t need all of the above.
The real secret is, don’t listen to the guy in the bar. Don’t just listen to me either. There are highly trained and experienced experts in the Bahamas who specialize in construction costing. With some input, for a small fee, they will give you an official estimate of what your costs will be in advance. Treat it like a business plan and consult with them before you even purchase a property to build on. It may be the best money you never spent.
Two of my favorite firms:
If you know of other reputable firms, let me know and I’ll add them here.
Notes from the Builder’s Bench
Custom Homes:
The Bahamas is a small, very remote, and fragmented housing market compared to North America and Europe, and there is virtually no modular or mass-production building here. Pretty much every home is a one-off design and build. I get a lot of expats complaining about building costs here when they are actually comparing mass-production house prices with custom prices. If you go back home and ask an architect what it will cost to design and build a ‘custom’ home, I think you will find that we are not so “Coconuts in the Bananas.”
General Conditions:
In a nutshell, general conditions are all the ‘associated’ costs with building a house. The builder’s secretary and office expenses, depreciation on the tools and equipment, business license fees, the foreman’s truck, and a reasonable profit margin. Small, inexperienced builders typically don’t charge enough for this… and go out of business halfway through the job!
