[mr_edge_to_you]

Originally Posted by red mist

hi do you have details for the builder seems good price

who's builder?

[annie gilpin]

Originally Posted by muffler

Sorry. its not for me but a client .

just started the thread to see what contractors were charging around the country.

hi muffler.i also live in donegal and am building a new house and was wondering where is the best and cheapest for blocks,concrete etc.

[muffler]

Originally Posted by annie gilpin

hi muffler.i also live in donegal and am building a new house and was wondering where is the best and cheapest for blocks,concrete etc.

Quite a few good suppliers but you do need to ring them for an up to date price.

What area of Donegal are you in?

[annie gilpin]

Originally Posted by muffler

Quite a few good suppliers but you do need to ring them for an up to date price.

What area of Donegal are you in?

im going to build in creeslough,going to be getting digger man in shortly and hoping to get founds in for christmas

[DrPhilG]

Muffler, what sort of prices per square ft is common in Donegal now? Is it lower than when this thread started, due to the economic shambles?

Half thinking of looking to build now if the economy means the prices are lower. Mind you the price you quoted on the very first page worked out at about €75 per square foot.

[muffler]

Originally Posted by DrPhilG

Muffler, what sort of prices per square ft is common in Donegal now? Is it lower than when this thread started, due to the economic shambles?

Half thinking of looking to build now if the economy means the prices are lower. Mind you the price you quoted on the very first page worked out at about €75 per square foot.

Not a lot of change tbh. You should get a decent builders finish for around €75 - €80 per sq. foot, Of course if you shop around you may get it a little cheaper but like everything in this life the cheaper it gets the more wary you have to be.

[DrPhilG]

Thanks. Surprised that the prices haven't dropped. I would have assumed that with the recession etc there's be more competition among builders/tradesmen and therefore lower prices.

[angela59]

In my own opinion, I think the cost of building is still very high compared to buying a second hand house. The cost of buying a second hand once off house is now a lot cheaper than buying a site and building from scratch -so I feel the price to build - labour costs have to come more in line with the drop in prices of property. Perhaps I am wrong, but I have seen two lovely once off houses on either 1/2 acre or 1 acre being sold for anything from 230,000 to 290,000 and they are finished kitchens, wardrobes etc, landscaped, tarmaced etc etc. These houses range in size from 3000 sq feet down to 2500 sq feet - so this would equate to E76 per square foot for site and house completely finished and landscaped to E112 per square foot for site, house and everything completely finished. The price of E75 per square foot to build does not include site, finishing of house and landscaping etc etc. There is still a huge gap which needs to be bridged!

Angela59

[braftery]

Building Material Prices are on the increase throughout Europe, expected rise 7%-15% in 2011.

Ireland imports nearly all of the raw materials; ie Steel, Timber, Aluminium, and products made from them.

We can expect to see these price rises in the Irish hardware suppliers as the year goes on.

Wages will continue to stay low as people are trying to feed their families with what they can, but you cant build your house out of cheap labour alone.

[braftery]

Originally Posted by angela59

In my own opinion, I think the cost of building is still very high compared to buying a second hand house. The cost of buying a second hand once off house is now a lot cheaper than buying a site and building from scratch -so I feel the price to build - labour costs have to come more in line with the drop in prices of property. Perhaps I am wrong, but I have seen two lovely once off houses on either 1/2 acre or 1 acre being sold for anything from 230,000 to 290,000 and they are finished kitchens, wardrobes etc, landscaped, tarmaced etc etc. These houses range in size from 3000 sq feet down to 2500 sq feet - so this would equate to E76 per square foot for site and house completely finished and landscaped to E112 per square foot for site, house and everything completely finished. The price of E75 per square foot to build does not include site, finishing of house and landscaping etc etc. There is still a huge gap which needs to be bridged!

Angela59

If you feel these second hand houses are right for you and cost less than you can build for, then they represent good value.

But if you dont like the location and/or the design, then their price is immaterial, because you are never going to buy them.

We are likely to see more disconnection between prices for second hand and new one off builds.

There is going to be value in the second hand market in ireland for several years as the Banks and NAMA sell off property with defaulted loans. These "sell off" properties will be the driving force for the market values of second hand property and green site values.

The cost of construction labour will be driven by the cost of living in Ireland and the minimum wage, until demand exceed supply,which is unlikely for a while.

The cost materials will be determined by demand for those materials in Greater Europe and the UK. The slump in Ireland will have no effect on the prices, as we are simply to small a market.

Personally, I do not think cost of labour has anywhere lower to go and cost of materials will definitely rise. Therefore excluding site costs (which could do anything !), my belief is that, the cost of construction will probably start to increase in the second half of 2011.

[Rick Deckard]

any chance this could be a sticky? really handy references inc..

[muffler]

Originally Posted by peatcass

any chance this could be a sticky? really handy references inc..

Unfortunately we are full of stickied threads at the moment but I do accept your point that this thread is something that should be readily available.

I have an idea for this so leave it with me.

[doniepony]

Hey Guys,
Just at stage of sending spec of to builders to get a quote. I am building in West Cork-just wondering if anyone has recommendations for builders down this side of the country could they please PM me-also to stay on topic what to people think the cost per square foot it down here for builders finish?

[muffler]

Originally Posted by peatcass

any chance this could be a sticky? really handy references inc..

I have now started a new thread here which will contain links to all the popular threads.

Hopefully it will be helpful to people.

[galwaytt]

Originally Posted by angela59

In my own opinion, I think the cost of building is still very high compared to buying a second hand house. The cost of buying a second hand once off house is now a lot cheaper than buying a site and building from scratch -so I feel the price to build - labour costs have to come more in line with the drop in prices of property. Perhaps I am wrong, but I have seen two lovely once off houses on either 1/2 acre or 1 acre being sold for anything from 230,000 to 290,000 and they are finished kitchens, wardrobes etc, landscaped, tarmaced etc etc. These houses range in size from 3000 sq feet down to 2500 sq feet - so this would equate to E76 per square foot for site and house completely finished and landscaped to E112 per square foot for site, house and everything completely finished. The price of E75 per square foot to build does not include site, finishing of house and landscaping etc etc. There is still a huge gap which needs to be bridged!

Angela59

On face value, you are correct.

However, buying used, you are still buying used. It more than likely will not be an efficient home, in terms of current building standards (BER, etc), so the headline figure will be low (purchase), and the cost to run, high. It's long-term value will always be towards the bottom of the market.

I know of one house, 3900 sq ft 'traditional build' - built inside the last two years, and it's heating bill is €3,300 per annum........you truly do get what you pay for......

Even spending the same money on a new, maybe even smaller house, built to the best standards will make it both a cheaper and more comfortable place to live, with lower running cost, and, if you're worried about such thing's, the prospects for it's valuation, down the road, is much better.

As for cost's right now - I'm seeing A2 and higher houses coming in, on client's finished houses, in the region of € 1,000 - €1,300 per square metre. This is complete, turn-key, c/w Solar, UFH, MHRV, Hi-Spec windows (imported ), Rainwater Harvesting, all interior decoration and fit-out.

Was in just such a one last Saturday (360sq m), for the first time since the client's moved in. Ambient temp inside 20deg C, no heat on (not required), energy bill for Sept - Jan was €50 in LPG and 184 litres of oil (AGA). Compare that to the build I mention above........