How much does it cost to build a house?

9/5/2018

How much does it cost to build a hoMe?

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The most common question asked of architects and designers is:

How much does it cost to build a hoMe?

Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. Calculating the cost to build a house, either a new home, additions or a renovation, is a complex task and there is no clear rule to use until the design has been sufficiently resolved to allow for accurate costs to be estimated. Additionally every building project is different – with different site conditions, materials choices, size and complexity of the building works, ease of access and whether it is a new home or a renovation etc. – all factors affect the costs.

However, it is possible to provide estimates for building work based on average costs per square metre. The following information is presented as a rough guide to help you to understand the likely building costs for your project before you decide to continue with the design process. They are in Australian dollars and are accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time this was published. Regional price differences will occur.

Keep in mind that the amounts shown are very general and are to be used as a rough guide only. The only way to get an accurate estimate of the building costs is to have a quantity surveyor calculate them for you. We recommend that you get professional advice before investing in your building project.

THE main factors that affect the cost of building a home

The type of home construction

The quality of materials and finishes.

The building costs below will give you an idea of the range of costs you can anticipate when building your new home.
We’ll cover the cost of building new homes as well as alterations + additions and renovations.

Three costing options are provided for each of the building types. These are low, medium and high specification.

The Low Specification rate is for a house using basic materials and finishes. The Medium Specification rate is for a house constructed with standard materials and finishes. The High Specification rate is for a home built with top materials and high-end finishes and fixtures.

NEW HOME BUILDING COSTS

These prices include the cost of building the footings, framing, walls and cladding, roofing, flooring, internal linings, windows and doors, electrics and plumbing and also include materials and labour.

ADDITIONS AND RENOVATIONS COSTS

The costs for alterations and additions or renovations to your home can be considerably more expensive than building a new home.
The reasons for these extra cost include the need for demolition, the potential of existing problems in the building such as electrical and plumbing issues, termites, structural faults and unexpected site conditions uncovered after demolition.

The expense of renovating can often be reduced by the need to undertake less building work to provide you with the same amount of living space, and if there are few issues with the existing building then expect that the costs could be lower than shown.

Extra costs WHEN building a hoMe

The cost of building isn’t the only cost that you need to cover when you are building your new home or renovating.
Some extra costs during building include professional fees (architects, engineers, certifiers etc.), application fees for development approval and building approval, soil tests, surveys and BASIX certification, to name a few.

If you would like more details on the cost to build your home, including landscaping, kitchen and bathroom costs and extra costs you may not know about - access our Building Costs Guide below.
We've also included some extra tips on ways you can reduce costs and help to keep your home building to budget.

DIRECTOR, ARCHETYPE STUDIOS
B.A.(Architecture), B. Architecture, M.D.R.

Angela McKenzie received her degrees in Architecture from the University of Technology, Sydney and has been specialising in helping people transform their home into their Perfect Family Home for over 25 years. She also has a Masters degree in Dispute Resolution (UTS, Law) specialising in managing construction disputes.

We welcome the opportunity to work with you to begin crafting your perfect family home together ... let's talk ...

I'M READY FOR MY PERFECT FAMILY HOME