Building costs. Jan 2023

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122633068#Comment_122633068

I would not agrèe. There is a lot of price gouging going on. Lads pricing to see what the market will bear. My son is build a house at present. Prices can vary by 20-30% and this is only at the trade stage. Price has f@@kall to do with quality IMO. A lad that is going to gouge you is going to gouge you any way he can.

Yes there can be a problem with adherence to airtightness requirements however some of the building regs are crazy and along with certification are adding crazy costs to building. Without compromising quality you could shave 25-30% off a house costs by not needing a mortgage and that is not paying cash

DrPsychia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122635066#Comment_122635066

I am not very experienced in this field, can you please elaborate on how you think some regs are crazy? We didn't have enough regs during the Celtic tiger and it caused a lot of problems as we all know.

When you say that you can save up to 30%, do you mean by pricing around?

I'm just sharing my experience. I got cheap work done before for a few jobs, promised high quality workmanship(had to be redone), the difference in workmanship and attention to detail was very noticeable compared to the more expensive options. I'm not saying this applies across the board to all trades, and I absolutely agree that some lads will gouge.

scwazrh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122637762#Comment_122637762

We had plenty of regs during the Celtic tiger , they were just ignored with no oversight and self certification in place .And it’s not hugely different now.Despite the extra regs if they are ignored there will be little to no accountability for mistakes on site.

It’s more the application and paperwork of regulations that I see as the issue .I don’t think anyone is against improving the quality of buildings but there are elements of regulations adherence that are getting excessive.

Example I came across this week in Kildare - Small Porch extension 4sqm to front of a 1970s house , build cost of €18k Planning application €3k , BCMS opt and final certification by engineer €2k , Draft DEAP report now required with all commencement notices €500 .So 35% additional above build cost for what has no value to the homeowner and for a project that regardless of how it is built will have no negative impact on the current property.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122637762#Comment_122637762

Radon barriers have to be installed by a certified fitter. However you have to do all the work fit the piping, vents and radon traps. Skim the complete area with sand. You lay out blocks for to hold down the membrane. The certified fitter then arrives lay out the membrane tapes around the any pipes coming above ground ( toilets ducts into plant room etc) if you have above approx 5 they charge extra ( ie if you wanted to have your sink and shower waste pipes down below subfloor).

The total materials cost about 450 euro for my sons house, the fitting company charge 1200+vat forthe installation. That was the cheapest price next cheapest was 1800+vat.

The Installation crew of two lads took 45 minutes to do the job. The crews are notorious for trying to find an issue so they can charge for a call back.

It's a job any body could do and your engineer should certify

mickie smyth

Just curious about your original post, you said that extra costs don't apply when a mortgage isn't needed, but as far as I can see, all these additions are needed regardless of financing source. Am I missing something?

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122644396#Comment_122644396

It would be helpful if you quoted the post you are referring to or at least say who you are addressing.

obi604

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058278795/building-costs-jan-2023

Its nearly 2 years since I posted the above. This is the back of a fag packet maths and really really high level.
Does this sound about right for costs of building at this time for a 180 square metre house in east galway.

Build of the house and basic finish = 180 x 2,500 = 450,000
Professional fees, site services = 30,000
Small garage = 10,000
Landscaping = 10,000
Furniture = 5,000
Site = 50,000

Total = 555,000

SodiumCooled

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122638917#Comment_122638917

I never heard of a certified radon fitter, it’s always done (in my experience) by who ever is doing the ground work and foundations for the house - who will generally be one of your local plant hire operators for a self build anyway. Your engineer will probably want to inspect then before concrete is poured but that’s part of the their site visits anyway as assigned certified.

The above is how mine way done about 1.5 years ago and I know the man who did mine is doing houses all around the area on an ongoing basis.

bfclancy2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122808056#Comment_122808056

they'll try get everything certified these days, money racket, do it yourself and engineer signs off, if they won't sign off you got the wrong engineer

cute geoge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122807985#Comment_122807985

It would be a poor site me thinks at 50k ,it all about location,location,location .Imo a 400k house is worthy of a grand site

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122808056#Comment_122808056

Engineer insisted on certificated fitter, there was two crowds doing it. Engineers may or may not have the course done but the fitter has to have a Radon barrier course done as well. Ya a money racket hindsight I'd 20/20 vision but engineers charge extra for everything now whether it's building drawings, BER's, marking out site etc

muffler

"but engineers charge extra for everything now whether it's building drawings, BER's, marking out site etc"

You seriously think they shouldn't be charging for the jobs? What planet are you living on?

obi604

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122810144#Comment_122810144

so change site to 100k

do other costs look about right?

Gusser09

Why do you need a 180sqm house? Bring it back to 160sqm and save 50k. Get rid of garage for steel shed. 7k saved. Cut back on landscaping 5k saved. Ffs. Your not asking for much. Dont be whinging looking for a mansion.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122807985#Comment_122807985

My son is doing a self build at present 2100sqft expects to get to builders finish for between 250-300k. He is putting In a bit of work himself. We did the site and foundations ourselves, he scudded the house himself, did the sealing on the flat roof. He is pricing all materials himself and there is significant saving in that. It takes time though.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122810376#Comment_122810376

Even doing it yourself you get little enough Landscaping for 10K on a half acre site, basically you are looking at tiding up the site laying out your driveway, making it fairly usable and putting in lawns maybe a bit of hedging and a few trees.

You will not get much of a steel shed for 3k either. Mind I be holding off on the garage until I could build a decent one. I had a friend who reckoned it was important to have a garage to convert as when the wife kicks you would've a place to live in.

Gusser09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122810469#Comment_122810469

Fair point. If its a decent conversion the wife might live in it herself 😉

I think though nobody needs a house of 190sqm or 210sqm. Mine is a 5 bed of 150sqm and its too big. Sizing rooms right and maximising space can save a pile of money. Especially if your talking about 1500 -2500k per sqm.

Sir_Name

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122810495#Comment_122810495

Not being smart but I just checked daft, and I could not see one house for 150sq with 5 bedrooms. Now I limited it so the south and commuter towns but the closest I got was 160sq and that kitchen didn't have room for a proper dining table (it did have an island), I'd love to seer your floor plan as my brain can't compute!!! unless some of the rooms you literally can't swing a cat in or are more like office space than a room.

testtech05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122811116#Comment_122811116

Kinda going off topic but I would be interested to see how you fit 5 bedrooms in a footprint that size if you dont mind. Is it a 2 story maybe?

BoardsMember

Surely only possible with a single story?

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122811116#Comment_122811116

Probably counting living rooms as possible bedrooms.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122811177#Comment_122811177

A three bedroom semiD is usually sub 1000sqft so you are looking at those size bedrooms.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122810495#Comment_122810495

IIf You are building a one off 15/1600 is the smallest that is worth the effort, 1800-2.3k is the sweet spot anything over that is willy waving with present building prices

crinkley

there’s definitely an attic counted as a bedroom or maybe two

obi604

at this time we are in, is 2,500 euro per square metre a rough ball park for the costings of a build? I am just trying to work out the rough costs in my head

Gusser09

Hi Lads. So see attached house. 116sqm with 4 bedrooms. The other 127sqm. The third is a 5bed at 135sqm. Rooms are slim though granted. Mine is 150sqm with 5 beds. Yes a 2 story semi d with an extension on the side. No attic conversion.

What I'm saying is to save money you can easily have 4 of 5 bedrooms at 160sqm. Ok the rooms aren't going to be like the national convention centre in size but they are a good comfortable size. If you cut back by 40sqm or 50 sqm at 2.5k an sqm do the maths on it. Fair enough if you have been given a site and you want the 210sqm or 250sqm. But if you don't have the money you can easily have a decent sized house at 160sqm. We have gone obsessed with size over quality I think.

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MacDanger

Reducing the size is the easiest way to reduce cost alright. If you are though, I'd consider dropping a bedroom rather than making them smaller

Bass Reeves

IT amazes me tge amount of people that get houses designed that have no idea of tghe cost of building them. As well it's surprising the amount of people who design them that do not advise there clients of the cost of building them.

Heard of a house drawn up lately with 8 corner windows. Luckily for the couple.one if the fathers was in the building trade and when he saw the design he told them to resign it as each window was adding 5k+ to the house cost compared to a standard window

Widdensushi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122814510#Comment_122814510

Exactly, designer is focused on design rather than cost

crinkley

when I got my house designed the first thing we talked about was budget and adjusted our expectations of the house accordingly. Also FYI we were keen to have a couple of corner windows and got quotes from multiple companies, none of which charged anywhere near an extra 5k for them

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122814740#Comment_122814740

The actual window is the small part of the price it's the steel that goes into it and the placement of that steel it adds to the building cost. It's a certified welded frame. Blockwork has to be left settle and the Window bolted into place.

crinkley

I know ad I’ve already paid for the steel and block work and got advice from those before I proceeded. Obviously it was more expensive but nowhere near 5k a window