If you are planning on building a home in the UK, you will no doubt have wondered just how much it might cost you. Well, for a start, the cost will depend on which part of the UK you are planning to build your home.
London is the second most expensive place in the world to build a home and those costs are consistently rising. Even the best London residential architects will not be able to build the home you want in the capital if you do not have the budget required for it.
So What Are the Average Costs of UK Home Building?
In the UK, building costs are usually calculated by square meter. Obviously, the more square metres, the more it is going to cost you to build your home. As of 2020, you can expect to pay anywhere between £1,500 and £3,000 per square metre depending on location.
It does not end there either, as you will need to set aside as much as an extra 20% of the total cost to actually build the home to cover the costs of an architect, engineer, project managers and any other consultants you might need for your project.
Additionally, an extra 8% will also need to be set to one side to cover the costs of planning permission and other statutory consents that you may need to obtain before you can even go ahead with your build.
So using mathematics based on the numbers above, you will need to pay (depending on location) between:
- £160,000 to £320,000 to build a 2 bedroom house
- £207,000 to £414,000 to build a 3 bedroom house
- £252,000 to £504,000 to build a 4 bedroom house
- £272,000 to £544,000 to build a 5 bedroom house
Those calculations are made using the cost per square foot range and the additional costs that you will need for consultants and statutory consents.
How Do Those Figures Stack Up With Buying a Second Hand House in the UK?
Generally, building your own home will cost more than purchasing an older home that is being sold on the market. This is because you are building to your own specifications and the property will be new and require no costs to renovate/repair etc.
Brand new homes that are mass built by home building contractors will also come in a bit cheaper too. These homes will not be your own design or in a location of your choosing. They will be modern, however.
Summary
As you can see, building your own home will come at a cost but with a number of benefits. You get to have a say in the design, the location it is built and who to use as builders, engineers and contemporary residential architects London, Manchester or wherever. Whether this is all worth the extra expense will come down to personal circumstances but if you want more say in the construction of your home, building one yourself is certainly your only option.
