You are considering building a Morton House (or other passive solar building). You may have heard that they cost more in the past, but now with more efficient materials and more information available, this is not true. But what do the actual costs look like? To get a clearer view, below you will find a breakdown of the cost of some common options for building your Morton house. I’ve also included a breakdown of the costs to build much larger custom passive solar homes using comparable materials to show you have potentially save tens of thousands on your home depending on your square footage requirements.
Are you searching for a general guideline of how much it would cost to build your own morton house, how much for a morton building house, how long does it take to build a morton home? Although there are some individual projects that vary significantly, the following is an estimation on what you can expect to spend to build your morton house.
📝 What Affects These Costs?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
Cost per Square Foot |
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Size of the House |
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Layout |
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Building Options |
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Morton Homes Overview |
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Average Cost of a Morton House |
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- Base structure: Morton shell vs. full stick-built house
- Site work & foundation: Concrete slab often extra in Morton shell quotes
- Interior finishes: Electrical, plumbing, HVAC etc. included in full build
- Customization & location: Insulation, climate, labor costs impact overall price
If you’re interested in building a morton home, check out their website at Morton Buildings Incorporated
Morton Buildings is a manufacturer of steel-framed, pre-engineered residential and commercial buildings. The company’s headquarters is located in Morton, Mississippi.
Morton Buildings has built more than 25,000 homes since its founding in 1954. Mortenson Construction Company was founded by Jim Mortenson and his wife, Nellie Mortenson, in 1954. The company was renamed Morton Buildings in 1989 after Jim Mortenson’s death at the age of 61 in 1987.
🏠 Standard Home Construction Costs
- Typical custom home: $150–200 / ft² for average features.
- A 2,000 ft² house = $300K–400K, depending on region (e.g., NYC or SF higher)
🏗️ Morton home (post-frame steel structures)
- Shell-only cost: $75–125 / ft² (structure itself)
- Additional finishing costs: $50–100 / ft² (concrete, HVAC, plumbing, interior finishes)
- Total build cost: $125–225 / ft², fully equipped and finished
🔍 3. Comparative Case Examples
- 40×60 footprint (~2,400 ft²)
- SMA Estimating reports a basic Morton shell at $34K–64K (~$14–27/ft²) excluding finishes
- But industry norm (Morton + finishing): $300K–540K+ (2,400 × $125–225/ft²)
- Metal home vs. traditional stick-built:
- Finished metal homes: $50–145 / ft²
- Prefab kit materials alone: $10–25 / ft², plus $5–10 / ft² labor
📊 4. Summary Table
| Project Type | Cost per sq ft | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Custom stick-built home | $150–200 | Nationwide average |
| Morton post-frame shell only | $75–125 | Basic steel structure only |
| Morton shell + finishing | $125–225 | Includes interior build-out |
| SMA: 40×60 un-finished shell | $14–27 average | Excludes foundation + finishes |
| Metal home complete (various types) | $50–145 | Full build cost, kit + finish included |
💡 Want help estimating YOUR build?
Let me know:
- Your planned size (ft²)
- Location or region
- Shell-only or fully finished goal
If you are in the market for a new home in Morton, Illinois, then you should be aware of the advantages of building a morton home. The first advantage is cost savings. A morton home is much less expensive than buying an existing house. A morton home will save you thousands, if not tens of thousands, of dollars compared to an existing home. The second advantage is that a morton home will provide more value than an existing home because it will be custom built for your needs.
The third advantage of building a morton home is that it allows you to customize every aspect of your new home. You can choose everything from the materials used to build your new house to the style and color scheme used inside and out. This gives you complete control over how your new home looks and feels.
The fourth advantage of building a morton home is that it allows you to take advantage of green building techniques such as solar power and geothermal heating systems that are not available with older homes or even newer homes built by developers who don’t specialize in green building techniques like Morton Homes does
Morton Buildings are a very popular choice for building your own home. They come in many different sizes and styles, and can be customized to suit your needs.
Morton Buildings have been around since the 1960s, and they have become one of the most popular choices when it comes to building a home.
The reason they are so popular is because they are great quality and they last for years. When you use a Morton Building, you will not have any problems with leaks, or with the floors or walls cracking. The panels come in many different shapes and sizes so you can build almost anything you want. If you want an extra large kitchen area then you can get one that is larger than normal, or if you want two bathrooms instead of one then that is possible too! You can choose from a wide range of colours for all your panels as well as windows and doors which makes them even more customizable than before!
🧱 Morton Building Costs
The best thing about Morton Buildings is that they are affordable compared to other types of buildings such as log cabins or log homes which can be expensive due to the materials used in them (such as logs). Morton Buildings are made using thick plywood sheets which makes them strong enough
Morton Buildings has a lot of options to offer. From their standard and custom designs, to their high-end premium line, they have something for everyone. Their buildings are also available in multiple sizes and shapes.
Their standard buildings are great for those who want a simple and affordable building solution. The custom buildings are ideal for those who want something customized to their specific needs and wants. The premium buildings are ideal for those who need a higher quality building that will last longer than most other structures on the market today.
If you’re looking for an affordable building solution that will not only meet all of your needs but also provide value for years to come, then Morton Buildings is the solution for you!
How many options you want to add into your building design
A Morton Building can be built for as little as $5 per square foot or as much as $8 per square foot depending on how many options you want to add into your building design and what size structure you want to purchase. You can also get pricing based on the size of your land plot or building site by contacting us at (574) 763-2223 or filling out our online contact form.
Morton Buildings is one of the most reputable and trusted brands in the world. The company has been around for over 100 years, providing high quality prefabricated homes and buildings to many different people. If you’re looking for a pre-made home, then Morton Buildings can help you find the perfect one for you.
Morton Buildings offers a variety of different types of homes, including single-story homes, double-story homes, modular homes, and more. They also offer commercial buildings as well as agricultural buildings like barns and sheds.
The company uses only the highest quality materials available so that customers get exactly what they expect every time they order a new home or building from them. Their products are also backed by a warranty that makes sure that they’ll last for many years to come with little maintenance required during this time period.
✅ Bottom Line
- ✅ Morton shell-only: $75–125 / ft²
- ✅ Morton fully finished: $125–225 / ft² — comparable to or slightly lower than conventional builds
- ✅ Metal home kits: $50–145 / ft², kit-inclusive depending on finish level
So while a basic steel shell is cheaper, once you add all finishes, mechanicals, and site work, full Morton structures typically match or slightly undercut standard custom builds in cost-per-square-foot.