How Much Does It Cost to Build a House?

We are frequently questioned about the actual cost of construction in London and the United Kingdom when we are working on our clients’ projects.

This is a challenging question to answer because each project is different in its construction methods, associated structural approaches, and required degrees of fixtures, fittings, and material finishes.

The most straightforward response we can offer to the issue of ‘how much does it cost to build a house?’ is to examine your project’s drawings and bills of quantity (BOQ).

Although this is the greatest technique to accurately estimate the real cost of building a house in the United Kingdom, there are still a number of possible traps to be aware of when using this method.

At the same time, you may utilize industry standards, such as UK construction prices per square meter or UK building costs per square foot, to estimate your home’s construction expenses in advance.

If you don’t yet have your planning permission drawings, building regulations drawings or tender drawings for your project, you may utilize typical £/m2 building prices as a starting point.

Did you know that construction costs are rising in London, where they currently rank second-highest worldwide?

A house’s cost might vary greatly depending on where it’s built. They differ from one part of the country to the next. Central London is the most expensive in the UK and the second most expensive in the world.

As we’ll see, building a house in 2022 will be affected by several things. Starting with the location and the competition for tenders, the design and specifications of the building can also play a significant role. In the UK, labour makes up about 40% to 45% of the total cost to build a house. This should be taken into account.

To help you figure out how much your project should cost, we’re going to give you some early advice. We will show you how much it costs to build a square meter in the UK and how much it costs to build a house in the UK.

As well as providing advice on how to save money at every stage of the construction process and avoid unpleasant surprises, we will go through the three most critical aspects that determine how much it really costs to build a house.

Want to know more about the cost of building a house in the United Kingdom?

Want to learn more about what you can do to ensure the success of your project using simple-to-follow tips?

Well, you’ll soon discover out…

 1. The Design of the Building

Imagine with a budget in place; you’re looking forward to building a new home but have no idea how much it will cost to do so. Suddenly, boom! Construction expenses have risen due to poor planning, which has put a damper on your plans to build a home.

There is no doubt that you’d want to punch a wall after an experience like that, but worry not; we are here to help you with this vital issue and how I can prevent this small but huge mistake from happening.

As you may expect, the final cost of your house depends heavily on its design. There’s no doubt you’ll need to work with an architectural firm with a track record of creating projects like yours, so they can assist you in realizing your vision while staying on budget.

In addition, you’ll need to work with a construction company that is familiar with the ins and outs of setting realistic project budgets. Many building contractors under-quote at the beginning of a project, especially for design and build contracts, and then demand more money afterwards. In order to prevent this from happening, you should hire an independent architect to serve as your project’s Principal Designer and Contract Administrator.

It is imperative that your architects rigorously construct the long-term architectural design of your project from the outset. This includes the building’s structural and insulating components, as well as its air-tightness. These are the sections of the building that will remain present for the whole life of the building, and they will also have a substantial impact on the lives of the building’s occupants.

Architects should hand over your project’s planning permission, building regulations, and tender drawings to the builders when they begin bidding on the project. This is done before construction begins so that prospective builders may better grasp the design and, more crucially, assess costs. The builder you pick will not be allowed to adjust the cost of the structure during construction if you do this.

What is the result?

No additional fees will be ringing your doorbell so that you can rest and enjoy your time. You will be less likely to receive substandard materials or workmanship if the requirements are well-detailed.

What are the advantages to you?

That way, there are no questions regarding what is and is not acceptable in terms of material or quality of workmanship when it comes to the finished product.

2. The Specifications of the Building

New construction involves hundreds of design and specification options that all impact the cost. More expensive materials will cost you more money on your project.

Fixtures finishes and other specifications you choose for your project will impact both the final cost and the construction timeline. They must have a thorough awareness of the necessary parameters for specifying building materials, which can significantly impact your budget. The reason for this is that the specifications of your project are critical to the flawless operation of a structure during its lifetime.

A thorough specification will rely on the job’s complexity and requirements. Professionalism in this field necessitates it. Things like listing out items and materials by brand and model for total correctness and precision are among the fundamental standards we can offer.

Now, take a moment to ponder this.

Each builder has 100 distinct cost estimates if you hand out 100 identical designs and requirements to 100 different builders.

Isn’t it Astonishing?

An acceptable range of around +/- 10% should be expected if your tender paperwork is accurate. Uncertainty regarding the project can lead to larger estimate discrepancies; therefore, if your project’s specification list is incomplete, expect this to be a problem.

At Udex, we help our clients design their living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. When it comes to finishing, we provide a wide variety of choices ranging from flooring to wall paint to windows and doors and lighting to sanitary items, switches, and sockets, so that our customers may get the most value for their money.

3. Project Management

the project management strategy that you have to choose will greatly impact your overall house building cost.

Now, you might do most of the project management work yourself, hire subcontractors, and save money by not hiring the main builder. To save time and effort, you might decide to hire a major contractor as the project manager for your project.

Can you see where this is going?

Let us show you how Udex does things.

Clients benefit from our easy, low-risk approach to delivering hands-on project monitoring as well as smart cost engineering. How do we go about accomplishing this goal?

Simply by combining design and construction principles with quality control, cost control, and, eventually, work program management procedures.

Overall, several aspects might influence your construction cost estimate and have a substantial impact on project cost, including:

• Investigation of the site, demolition, clearing of the site, and installation of new utilities.
• Drains, foundations, insulation, substructure, and a floor slab.
• Internal and external walls, the roof structure, insulation, and air-tightness.
• Exterior finishes, including roof tiles, doors and windows, wall cladding, and gutters.
• Building services, plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, electrical systems, doors and stairways.
• Finishing touches include paint, plaster, flooring, tiling, and lighting.
• Patios, walkways, driveways, and landscaping.
• Scaffolding, fencing, site management, health and safety.

Please be aware that additional expenditures may develop due to unexpected problems on your property, which are not included in this blog post’s building prices. Slopes, poor ground or structural conditions, and pollution are just a few of the issues that will be considered as the project progresses.

 House Build Cost in the UK (per Square Metre)

The cost of building a square meter in the United Kingdom starts from £1,750.

And in 2022, the cost of a home is expected to range from £1,750 to £3,000 per square meter.

With these additional expenditures, you will need to budget an additional 15% of the building’s total cost to cover the costs of paying your architect (or a multidisciplinary architectural practice like us!) and other incidental consultants. Allow an additional 8 per cent of the total building cost to cover statutory approvals and unanticipated circumstances.

Building a new house would be calculated in pounds per square meter of floor space, which means a larger floor area will cost more. RICS’s cost per square meter and schedule of rates are used by most of the main UK housebuilders to acquire a thorough analysis of building costs.

How Much Does a Two-Bedroom House Cost to Build?

Building a two-bedroom home in the United Kingdom can cost anything from £187,625.00 to £281,437.00 per square foot.

How Much Does a Three-Bedroom House Cost to Build?

In the United Kingdom, the costs of building a three-bedroom house range from £242,250.00 to £363,375.00.

How Much Does a Four-Bedroom House Cost to Build?

The cost to build a four-bedroom house in the United Kingdom ranges from £294,500.00 to £441,750.00.

How Much Does a Five-Bedroom House Cost to Build?

The costs of building a five-bedroom house in the United Kingdom range from £318,250.00 to £477,375.00.

Udex Cost Calculator

But, hold on a second…

Think about how much time and money you’d save if you could obtain an accurate estimate for your renovation, extension, or new build project right away.

Well, with us, you can…

To make this procedure as simple as possible for you, we’ve designed our own tool that’s completely free. It’s the result of combining our experience and the costs of other projects we’ve done.

Get a quote today to discover more about your project and get a Udex expert.

Use our Udex Build Cost Calculator to get an idea of how much is your project’s construction cost. You may use this tool to estimate the total cost of your project, and it will also provide you with a breakdown of the various costs.

If you are ready to take the next step, you can take a look at our previous works and book a free architectural consultation to discuss your project and get a Udex expert. We’d love to assist you.

You might also enjoy the Udex blogs, which is sent out weekly by email. Get in touch by simply filling out the Udex blog registration form