Per square metre rates

One of the major differences between building off a spec plan and building a bespoke home is that there is no predetermined per square metre rate for a bespoke home.

Why?

When you’re building bespoke homes every house, and the process of constructing it, is different; the products are different, the owners’ requirements are different and the requirements for each site are especially different. This means that each project needs detailed investigation and research before anyone can suggest a reliable per square metre rate. Even a single difference can affect the price considerably. For example, using pine weatherboards instead of cedar cladding; flat vs cathedral ceilings; expansive soil vs highly expansive soil, let alone the specifics of bathware and interior design.

When you are given a per square metre rate (or any other type of quotation) by a building company, always check if related site costs have been included. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for some quotes to only cover the structure of the house, essentially from the floor up. Site costs are the hardest part of any build to accurately predict and can make up a high percentage of the overall build cost, so you need to confirm these have been included before you rely on the quote as an accurate indication. To provide a per square metre rate that excludes site works without clearly communicating this is potentially misleading.

At Maddren we gather site information, find out about your plans and spend some time getting to know you and your needs before we give you a per square metre price range. Preparing the estimate can take up to two weeks* as we feel it’s crucial to take enough time to ensure nothing is overlooked. The first estimate we give you will create your expectation for the whole build. If it’s not right you may feel mislead and that’s no good for you or for us.

So, make sure you gather up as much information as you can and share it all with your design and build consultant. That helps us to provide you with a per square metre rate you can rely on.

*Time varies from project to project, please check with our design and build consultant for project-specific indications

additional reading: Pricing- the devil is in the details