Step One

Select the average build cost per square metre from the H&R Build Cost Guide (reverse of this page) by reference to your chosen build route, number of storeys, the area in which you are building and the quality of your specification � the details are explained below.

Choose Your Build Route

Your own level of involvement in the project will influence the build costs. For simplicity, the four most common build routes have been identified below.

Build Route A: The costs for building on a largely DIY basis, substituting around a third of labour costs with your own labour, employing local tradespeople to help with the rest of the building work. Materials purchased directly from suppliers/merchants.

Build Route B: The costs for building using local tradespeople hired on a direct labour basis. Minimal DIY involvement. Most materials purchased directly from suppliers/merchants.

Build Route C: Costs for building using a main contractor (builder) or package supplier to complete the structure to a weathertight stage, with the remaining work being undertaken by subcontractors with most materials purchased by self-builder direct from suppliers.

Build Route D: Building using a main contractor, typically a small regional building firm, or a design and build package supplier. Building in this way requires the least involvement from the self-builder.

Choose the Number of Storeys

Are you building with one or more storeys? The design of your home, and in particular the number of storeys, will influence the build cost (£/m2). A bungalow has a larger footprint and roof area than a two-storey house of the same internal floor area. As foundations and roofs are two of the most expensive elements, a bungalow will be more expensive to build than a house of the same area over two storeys.

Choose the Size of Your Home

The size of the property you build will influence the build cost. A larger property will tend to have larger rooms and proportionally fewer internal walls, fixtures and fittings. The economies of scale in building a larger property are incremental but for the purposes of estimation, three categories have been selected: small, medium and large.

Choose Your Region

There are considerable cost differences from region to region and within the same geographical area, e.g. between town and country. For the purposes of estimation, however, the country has been divided up into four main regions. Urban areas are likely to be more expensive.

Choose the Level of Build Quality

The standard of specification that you choose will have an enormous influence on your build cost. For the sake of estimating purposes, three general categories of quality have been identified:-

Standard: This represents a basic build quality equivalent to that offered by most speculative developers/housebuilders. Cavity walls: facing bricks (£250/1000 or £45/m2 laid), insulation, 100mm blockwork; concrete interlocking tiles (£28/m2 laid); off the shelf softwood joinery; studwork partition walls; basic range contract kitchen; basic range white sanitaryware; radiator central heating.

Good: This represents a superior level of quality equivalent to that offered by quality developers. Cavity walls: facing bricks (£450/1000 or £56/m2 laid) insulation, 100mm blockwork; clay machine made interlocking tiles (£36/m2 laid); high performance off the shelf softwood joinery; blockwork partition walls; top of the range contract quality kitchen; quality sanitaryware; underfloor heating.

Excellent: This represents a very high standard of build quality. Cavity walls: facing bricks (£650/1000 or £67/m2 laid), insulation, 100mm blockwork; plain clay tiles (£45/m2 laid); hardwood joinery; blockwork partition walls; bespoke kitchen; quality sanitaryware; underfloor heating.