Building cost in the West

clarelady

I know this is like asking how long a piece of string is and its been asked loads but we got a price back from our architects and think its way over the top so wanted to see what people thought it would cost to build to the below spec. We are worried we cant afford what he is saying

5 Bed dormer approx 2800 sq ft, regular type nothing unusual.
120 sq foot garage
well insulated, b1-a3 rated, block build, solar panels, UFH, OFCH.
Precast first floor.
uPVC windows
Footpaths. Septic tank
Roadway of approx 700 m to be built

I would like to know per sq foot what it would cost for above (direct labour v contractor), also what the price doesn’t include ie what else we would have to do after this.
If there is anything im missing just let me know

braftery

I have been looking at prices thrown about on the forum and some amaze me.

This is only my opinion and i am sure there are other opinions too.

260 sq mtr (2800 sq ft) house @ about €1000/sq mtr incl VAT
11.5 sq mtr (120 sq ft) garage @ about €600/sq mtr incl VAT

It does not include for the 700m road or anything other than basic groundworks.

The above have a basic builders finish you need to have a serious think about the following;

Floors
They range from €10-€100 a square mtr.
And if you are thinking of floor tiles check that a price for adhesive, grout, etc is included. eg: sometimes you see a PC sum for €50/m2 for a tiled floor, but that needs to include for all the materials, so you will NOT have €50/m2 to spend on your new floor !



Bathrooms
Builders can put 4 bathrooms into a house for €2000, I dont know they do it !

Kitchen
€5k-€50k

The finishes in your building can make a huge difference to the price and are really totally down to your choice.
If you dont specify the builder will always put down a very basic finish price. This makes his price look lower at the start.

My own experience:

Floors:

for a decent mix of engineered timber floors and tiles

€40-50/sq mtr

Bathrooms:

We had 4, our builder quoted €2k we spent €7k
Do you want to tile all the walls in your bathroom ?!? make sure this is allowed for !!

Kitchen:

We gave or builder a PC sum .. and we nearly managed to stay within it !
But ... we got some great advice from our architect about this ... It is easy to change a kitchen in a few years time .. if money is tight .. but in a cheap one today and change it later.

The best of luck with your build

clarelady

thanks brafterty, the below prices are good but to be honest i was thinking of those prices as a complete house - finished rather than just builders finish so does seem more than i was thinking of.

braftery

Clarelady,

I think your budget is not far off the mark. There is very good value to be had with builders at the moment and you might be able to get everything you want for the price. If I were you i would go out for pricing, review and then vet the short list based on the following;

1. You can communicate well with the builder.
2. The builder understands and is capable of delivering the level of finish you require
3. The builder can give you references and details of past clients.

It is always wise for you to do some research and pricing of finishing elements (floors, kitchen, bathrooms, etc) yourself, this will give you a guide on costs and it will also give a smart builder a good guide on the kind of finish level you are looking for.

Good luck with your build.