Build cost per sq ft

Hi

quick question for you...leaving the cost of the site out of this...has the cost of building a house fallen in line with the fall in house prices?

I'm aware that builders are willing to work for less now but have building material prices also dropped?

Cheers.

Slimbo

Hi All,
Just a quick question.

I am looking for a ballpark cost to build a house per sq ft.

Both seperate prices with a builders finish and finished completely.

The house in question will be oneand a half storeys, rendered finish with nothing too difficult on the build. It is in Louth.

Thanks.

Slimbo

smashey

Read through this thread.

Builderfromhell

Labour costs down. Some blocklayers will charge 50c per block for labour.
Timber prices down. Lead prices down.
Most sub-contractors now more competitive.

wardwil

I was told only recently by a contractor that the cost is about €80 per squar foot. I am currently building a 2750 sq/ft so I have estimated the build to come in at 220,000.

I hope it is no more with the current way things are.

Best of luck... you building?

Hi

that's great thanks,

and what about things like block prices, brick prices and the cost of roof tiles?

I was quoted 200 per sq meter, so to build a house of approx. 250 sq meters, the cost of building would end up being very close to what the house would actually sell for.

that is why I'm interested to know if material prices have come down.

Any more info on this is appreciated.

anoble66

from the quotes i have received so far, you should be able to build for a little under 100e /sqft....obviously depends on where your located, quality of finish..etc..but i would of thought 200e/sqft is way off in the current climate.

whitelightrider

wardwil wrote: »

I was told only recently by a contractor that the cost is about €80 per squar foot. I am currently building a 2750 sq/ft so I have estimated the build to come in at 220,000.

I hope it is no more with the current way things are.

Best of luck... you building?

Hi wardwill, what does that price cover?

Someday

I was speaking to a TF company yesterday and they told me Contractors have dropped their price by about 15 euros a sq ft and some are coming in at 80 for builders finish now, push them more and you may get it down, building myself at 3500 sq ft and I should get Car port and that build for 300K.

whitelightrider

Just to give an idea as to where we are at the minute. We've built a 2250 sq ft house in Galway. At the end of the build we will have spent 220,000 and will have the following completed:
2 story house with hollowcore flooring.
House finished - 2nd fix timber, stairs, etc. Insulated to the hilt!
Monitored alarm
Large separate garage
boundary wall - unstoned
Gardens levelled and seeded
Kerbing around gardens and driveway
Cobblestone footpaths and 19sq meter paved patio deck.

Worked out 20k more than I thought but then again I hadnt budgeted for the gardens, patio, septic tank, etc!!

muffler

Building costs in most rural areas would have dropped considerably since the beginning of the year. You would be looking at around €70 - €75/sq.ft. in Donegal at the moment for a builders finish.

bbam

Hi..
We're nearing the end of our 1.5 story 3200 sq ft self build. Price currently running at €68 per sq ft.
This includes all costs including solicitor & auctioneer, not site but all site works, and brings finish ready to move in... painting, flooring and tiling done..

Slan...
bam

muffler

Merged with an identical thread. The posts will be a bit mixed up but if you have any complaints then PM Mellor

Quazzie

I'm building a very similar house (one and a half storey, Simple design) and I am hoping to get it finished for €60 a sqft but I am taking into account a lot of work being done at mates rates, sub-contracting and by my dad (blocklayer/site manager). €80/sqft sounds about right from some of the quotes I have gotten. I would expect this to be just a builders finish. The majority of the differences in house price is down to insulation levels, window design and spec, and finishing costs (Fixtures & Fittings).

A lot of costs you get will include a kitchen but will be priced for a stock kitchen. A "better" can be fitted but they will add extra, so its always worth asking how much they allowed for a kitchen, and then adjust your price accordingly based on that. Its the same situation for stairs AFAIK. Some contractors will not include for these at all, so make sure to enquire with the contractor what exactly is included.

Good luck with the build and keep us informed as to your progress.

stevemc01

Ok here is the situation that I'm in.............

I am planning to build an extension to my house measuring about 800 sq ft.

Of this area, foundations and floor is already in place for 400 sq ft.

The house is a bungalow and the extension is also single story.

I also have a garage out the back which is about 375 sq ft, which is fully built, that I want to convert into a 1 bed flat, nothing fancy, dry lining , plastering, electrics and water.


I have gotten the follwoing quotes:

Father In Law quoted me €130k in total for the job but when we were not to happy with that, he came back to us 4 days later with a qoute of €100k.

A different contractor has come back to me with a qoute for €72k for the extension and €12k for the garage conversion a total of €84k.

The way I'm looking at this is that the amount of time saved on not having to put in the foundations and floor for half the extension would be the equivalent of converting the garage , timewise anyway.

So I'm looking at it as an 800sqt ft extension from scratch to try and compare my prices to other peoples.

Using this thinking, my FIL's quotes are working out at €162.5 and €125 per sq ft with the alternative quote working out at €105 per sq ft.

All qoutes are for builders finish.

Am I right in thinking that these rates are still a bit high for the south east?

Would anyone recommend a contractor in that area or suggest I build by direct labour? If I go by direct labour, would anyone have a checklist for items I'd need to cost up in order to get myself an accurate quote before I start?

Any advice or PM's are welcome.:)

Builderfromhell

stevemc01 wrote: »

Ok here is the situation that I'm in.............

I am planning to build an extension to my house measuring about 800 sq ft.

Of this area, foundations and floor is already in place for 400 sq ft.

The house is a bungalow and the extension is also single story.

I also have a garage out the back which is about 375 sq ft, which is fully built, that I want to convert into a 1 bed flat, nothing fancy, dry lining , plastering, electrics and water.


I have gotten the follwoing quotes:

Father In Law quoted me €130k in total for the job but when we were not to happy with that, he came back to us 4 days later with a qoute of €100k.

A different contractor has come back to me with a qoute for €72k for the extension and €12k for the garage conversion a total of €84k.

The way I'm looking at this is that the amount of time saved on not having to put in the foundations and floor for half the extension would be the equivalent of converting the garage , timewise anyway.

So I'm looking at it as an 800sqt ft extension from scratch to try and compare my prices to other peoples.

Using this thinking, my FIL's quotes are working out at €162.5 and €125 per sq ft with the alternative quote working out at €105 per sq ft.

All qoutes are for builders finish.

Am I right in thinking that these rates are still a bit high for the south east?

Would anyone recommend a contractor in that area or suggest I build by direct labour? If I go by direct labour, would anyone have a checklist for items I'd need to cost up in order to get myself an accurate quote before I start?

Any advice or PM's are welcome.:)

Where are you located?

sinnerboy

The rates seem low to me - but they always do looking from Dublin .

you need to document whatever it is you want done and then look for documented quotes

maybe FIL is factoring in building for his child i.e. good quality - and others are not ?

Echelle

Location: rural Wexford
Build type General contractor
House Size: 135 sq m approx 1500 sq.ft 1.5 storey
Construction method: Block,timber windows, Tegral slating,60 mm polyiso insulation, solar panel, oil heating,plastered walls, good quality finishes, simple construction
Planning process length: 9 months approx.
Costs ( approx)
Main Contractor €175,000
Painter €6000
Solar heating €5000
Kitchen €9000 incl fittings (cooker fridge etc)
Tiling €3500
Start date: Sept 06
Finish : june/july 07
Months to complete:11 months.
extra costs :solicitor,architect, site.
Lessons Learned: Contractors background is in carpentry, on advice we were told carpenters turned contractors are best, good knowledge and careful attention to detail.Certainly proved true in our case. Excellent young builders and very pleasant to deal with.No, I wont divulge their name. Architect friend designed house but my husband searched for builder. Architect friend was surprised to hear we managed to get them as other architects had recommended them and they were hard to get.Befor employing them they were delighted to show us examples of their work,drove us in their van. Obvious they were keen and proud of thier work, but not cocky.Good relationship from the start.
overall coxt approx. €135/metre squared

harly1516

Builderfromhell the price of 50 cent a block seems very low I would be weiry of anyone giving that price it means a block layer would have to lay 300 a day to get 150 euros a day I dont think anyone would get a trades man for that in any part of the country as for materials droping again most builders providers hold stock so there not going to sell at a loss lead might be down on the stock market but not to you and me in fact timber, lead and copper have gone up and with the cost of transporting timber and raw materials from round the world going up and up we wont be seeing any drop for a wile yet

stevemc01

Builderfromhell wrote: »

Where are you located?

Wexford, Gorey area.

Slimbo

Hi All,

some good info and great quotes there.

Can anyone PM me with a name of their builder if they are in the Meath/Louth area that could quote for my work.

I am building 2 houses on one site with ready to go planning permission.

Thanks.