When planning to build a house in Cagayan de Oro, one of the first questions many lot owners ask is: “How much is your construction cost per square meter?” It is an understandable question. Multiplying the proposed floor area by a contractor’s advertised rate appears to provide a fast and convenient construction estimate. For example, if a contractor quotes ₱30,000 per square meter for a 100-square-meter house, the expected construction cost may appear to be: 100 sqm × ₱30,00