1 A reasonable estimate for house building lumber costs is somewhere around $15 to $30 per square foot. 2  For an average sized home, this works out to approximately $35 to $55,000 (this price also includes the price of nails, etc.). The labor costs to frame a home typically run $5 to $10 per square foot. 2  This can fluctuate a bit depending on local labor costs and seasonal rates. 3  It should work out to an average total of $15,000 to $30,000 to frame a building.