Category: Building Costs

The cost of building a new garage has risen in the last few years. Naturally, building costs vary by size, type, and complexity, so in this article, we’ll cover the cost of building a garage across various regions in the UK. 

To give you an accurate view of costs, we’ll also compare four different types of garages: a single garage with a flat roof, a single garage with a pitched roof, a double garage with a flat roof, and a double garage with a pitched roof.

Building A Garage Construction Cost Calculations

In our calculations, we applied a consistent methodology across different regions. The cost comparisons are based on the garage being an extension appended to an existing dwelling, not building a new detached structure.

The typical sizes of garages in the UK are:

• Single – 10 x 18 feet (3m × 5.5m, with a gross external area of 16.5m2)
• Double – 18 x 18 feet (5.5m × 6m, with a gross external area of 33m2)

We have used both of these measurements to calculate the costs in this article.

In terms of build specification when using our BuildPartner pricing tool, our pricing calculator gives you three broad options (which can be revised by item at a later point):

• Low spec is a basic finish; e.g. Leyland, Everest, Wickes.
• Mid spec is a standard finish; e.g. Dulux, Hamilton, Slim Line.
• High spec is a high-spec finish; e.g. Farrow & Ball, Fine Line, Siemens.

To keep this comparison simple, we have chosen mid spec in all our cost estimations. In addition to this, we have also provided three different benchmarks to show the range you can expect amongst different contractors. These are:

• Low benchmark – smaller companies are generally lower cost but less specialised and with low project management function; good for low/mid-spec projects and tight budgets.

• Mid benchmark – medium-sized companies offer a balanced mix of cost-effectiveness and specialisation; good for mid-range projects for effective execution within moderate budgets.

• High benchmark – larger companies generally have a higher cost base but can handle a wide variety of specialist tasks; good for mid/high-spec projects and project management.

Cost Of Building A Single Garage With A Flat Roof

Here’s a table showing the average building costs of a single garage with a flat roof in the UK:

All costs exclude VAT.

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a single garage with a flat roof:

• It costs 23% more to build a garage in London than in other regions.
• The minimum cost is £21,047 and the maximum cost is £32,987.
• The total average cost is £25,023, or £1,516 per square metre.

Cost Of Building A Single Garage With A Pitched Roof

Here’s a table showing the average building costs of a single garage with a pitched roof in the UK:

All costs exclude VAT.

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a single garage with a pitched roof:

• The minimum cost is £24,686 and the maximum cost is £39,296.
• The total average cost is £29,668, or £2,382 per square metre.
  

Cost Of Building A Double Garage With A Flat Roof

Here’s a table showing the average building costs of a double garage with a flat roof in the UK:

All costs exclude VAT.

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a double garage with a flat roof:

• The minimum cost is £30,039 and the maximum cost is £47,397.
• The total average cost is £35,882, or £1,186 per square metre.

Cost Of Building A Double Garage With A Pitched Roof

Here’s a table showing the average building costs of a double garage with a pitched roof in the UK:

All costs exclude VAT.

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a single garage with a pitched roof:

• The minimum cost is £35,840 and the maximum cost is £57,322.
• The total average cost is £43,204, or £1,428 per square metre.

Summary Of The Average Cost To Build A Garage

So, how much does it cost to build a new garage in the UK? That depends largely on where you are building. If you’re building a garage in London, it will cost you an average of 23% more, whereas if you’re building in North England, it will cost you around 8% less on average.

Based on the four different types of garages covered in this article, you can expect building a garage to cost on average (when using a mid-benchmark contractor):

• Single with flat roof – £24,993, or £1,515 per square metre
• Single with pitched roof – £29,770, or £1,804 per square metre
• Double with flat roof – £36,004, or £1,190 per square metre
• Double with pitched roof – £43,355, or £1,433 per square metre

You’ll notice that the cost per square metre decreases as the project size increases due to more efficient resource utilisation and lower average costs, leading to economies of scale.

Please remember that these costs are based on appending an extension to an existing dwelling, not building a new detached structure – and all costs exclude VAT.

In the ever-evolving landscape of construction and home improvement, the question of building costs is perennially at the forefront of any designer’s mind—materials, labour, compliance with the latest building regulations, and VAT of course.

Naturally, the cost of building an extension varies by size, type, and complexity, so in this article, we’ll break down the costs across various regions in the UK. We’ll also look at four types of extensions:

• Single-storey rear extension
• Double-storey rear extension
• Ground-floor wrap-around extension
• Brick porch extension

We’ll explore both the total project costs and costs per square metre. At the end of the article, we’ll summarise with a comparison to give you a holistic view of the costs of building an extension.

Building An Extension Construction Cost Calculations

In our calculations, we applied a consistent methodology across different regions. The cost comparisons are based on the following:

• The roof of the extension is pitched, not flat.
• The extension is constructed out of brick/block, not a timber frame.

As far as rooms are concerned, we included the following in our calculations:

• Single-storey rear extension – dining room, utility room, WC.
• Double-storey rear extension – dining room, utility room, WC, two bedrooms, an en-suite bathroom, a storage room, small landing.
• Ground-floor wrap-around extension – dining room, utility room, WC, boot/cloakroom.
• Brick porch extension – vacant space.

If you’d like to try a demo of our pricing tool, sign up here.

Which rooms you choose ultimately affects the overall cost of the extension. If we were adding a room for a kitchen instead of a dining room in these extensions, we would need to factor in the cost of fitting a kitchen and the appliances – which would bump up the cost.

Important! To keep things simple, we’ve only included the costs to build the extension, not the costs to refurbish and remodel the existing space.

So, when somebody asks “How much does it cost to build an extension?” it depends entirely on the nature of the project.

There’s no single answer.

But by sharing with you the specifications for these examples, you’ll leave with a much clearer idea of the range and average costs. When using our BuildPartner pricing tool, our pricing calculator gives you three broad options (which can be revised by item at a later point):

• Low spec is a basic finish; e.g. Leyland, Everest, Wickes.
• Mid spec is a standard finish; e.g. Dulux, Hamilton, Slim Line.
• High spec is a high-spec finish; e.g. Farrow & Ball, Fine Line, Siemens.

To keep this comparison simple, we have chosen mid spec in all our cost estimations. In addition to this, we have also provided three different benchmarks to show the range you can expect amongst different contractors. These are:

• Low benchmark – smaller companies are generally lower cost but less specialised and with low project management function; good for low/mid-spec projects and tight budgets.
• Mid benchmark – medium-sized companies offer a balanced mix of cost-effectiveness and specialisation; good for mid-range projects for effective execution within moderate budgets.
• High benchmark – larger companies generally have a higher cost base but can handle a wide variety of specialist tasks; good for mid/high-spec projects and project management.

In short, contractor pricing varies due to factors such as expertise, location, and project intricacies.

Cost Of Building A Single-Storey Rear Extension

Here’s a table showing the average building costs of a single-storey rear extension with a gross external area of 30 square metres:

All costs exclude VAT.

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a single-storey rear extension:

• It costs 21% more to build an extension in London than in other regions.
• The minimum cost is £65,568 and the maximum cost is £102,408.
• The total average cost is £77,957, or £2,598 per square metre.

Cost Of Building A Double-Storey Rear Extension

Here’s a table showing the average building costs of a double-storey rear extension with a gross external area of 60 square metres:

All costs exclude VAT.

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a double-storey rear extension:

• The minimum cost is £114,540, and the maximum cost is £179,281.
• The total average cost is £136,132, or £2,268 per square metre.

Cost Of Building A Ground-Floor Wrap-Around Extension

Here’s a table showing the average building costs of a ground-floor wrap-around extension with a gross external area of 35 square metres:

All costs exclude VAT.

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a ground-floor wrap-around extension:

• The minimum cost is £78,096, and the maximum cost is £122,056.
• The total average cost is £92,804, or £2,578 per square metre.

Cost Of Building A Brick Porch

Here’s a table showing the average building costs of a brick porch with a gross external area of five square metres:

All costs exclude VAT

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a brick porch:

• The minimum cost is £5,606, and the maximum cost is £8,489.
• The total average cost is £6,584, or £1,317 per square metre.

Summary Of The Average Cost To Build An Extension

So, how much does it cost to build an extension in the UK? Based on the four different extensions we covered, you can expect it to cost on average (when using a mid-benchmark contractor):

• Single-storey rear extension – £78,186, or £2,606 per square metre.
• Double-storey rear extension – £136,525, or £2,275 per square metre.
• Ground-floor wrap-around extension – £93,064, or £2,585 per square metre.
• Brick porch – £6,569, or £1,314 per square metre.

With the exception of a brick porch, you’ll notice that the cost per square metre decreases as the project size increases due to more efficient resource utilisation and lower average costs, leading to economies of scale.

Please remember that these costs do not include VAT.

By Tommy Crabtree

The fees and costs when making an application for Building Regulations differ by local council, of which there are 317 in England, 32 in Scotland, 22 in Wales, and 11 in Northern Ireland. In this article, we’ll compare five local authorities in England – one in the North East, North West, South East, South West, and the Midlands.

We’ll also take a look at whose responsibility it is to apply for Building Regulations, the different types of Building Regulations applications, and approved documents.

What Are The Building Regulations?

In England and Wales, Building Regulations comprise 16 approved documents (ranging from A to S), and they cover the following aspects of construction:

You can access a merged document on GOV.UK which shows the contents of each approved document. With over 1,500 pages, it’s not for the faint-hearted, though! But it is particularly useful if you need to perform a word search across all documents.

It’s important to remember that these regulations apply only to England and Wales. For Scotland and Northern Ireland, see:

• Scotland’s Building Standards
• The Northern Ireland Building Regulations

These regulations are enforced by approved safety inspectors to protect people’s safety, health, and welfare in and around buildings.

The Types Of Building Regulations Approval

The three main types of Building Regulations applications are:

• Full plans applications, where documents and plans are submitted for approval
• Building notice applications, where work can be carried out without approval
• Regularisation applications, which is a retrospective application.

A full plans application is for more comprehensive construction projects like buildings and extensions, whereas a building notice application will suffice for more domestic building work and alterations. The latter is a faster process, and work can commence 48 hours after an application has been submitted (except where the work is a commercial project or close to a public sewer).

Regularisation applications are needed in instances where work has already happened but is not compliant; say, for example, a project took place in 2010, but a solicitor is requesting a completion certificate to proceed with a house purchase in 2024.

Even so, you would not be expected to comply with building regulations that have recently been introduced, such as Part S (Infrastructure for Charging Electric Vehicles). It only applies to regulations that were in place at the time.

Important! Homeowners and property owners are legally responsible for ensuring work carried out is done in accordance with Building Regulations.

The owner of the property doesn’t need to get approval if they use a contractor who is registered with a competent person scheme.

Who Can Approve Constructions?

While there is very little difference in cost, property owners now have a choice as to whether they wish to use:

• a local authority inspector employed by the local council; or
• an approved inspector from an approved building inspection company.

About one-fifth of approvals are now handled through private building control (PBCs) organisations without any involvement of the local authority. These firms must re-register with the Construction Industry Council every five years.

Any discrepancies or disagreements that cannot be resolved between the PBC and the client must be escalated to the local authority. Only they have the powers of enforcement.

Building Regulations Application Costs

Here is a table showing the cost of Building Regulations applications across five different councils. Please be mindful that Building Regulations costs are much more nuanced. For instance, there are separate costs for loft conversions, replacement windows and doors, commercial properties, and other alterations.

Here, we focus exclusively on a dwelling and an extension (between 10m2 and 40m2).

*Includes plan charge and inspection charge. 

All prices shown include VAT, except in the case of regularisation where VAT is exempt. 

Based on the above councils, the average cost for a full plan application for one dwelling is £860. To get an exact cost, you’ll need to find the information on your local authority’s website.

Some councils, however, are known to charge more, particularly those in Inner London. Westminster City Council sets its charges based on the value of the property. For a property that’s worth £250,000, you’ll pay an eye-watering £2,460.00 for a full plan application (and the same for a building notice charge), and it costs £3,075.00 for a regularisation application.

The higher the property value, the more you pay.

Other councils fail to display all costs on their website. For instance, Liverpool City Council displays application costs for extensions but not new-build dwellings. You will need to contact them directly or fill in an enquiry form to get the answers you need.

What’s The Difference Between Planning Permission And Building Regulations?

Many confuse the Building Regulations approval process with the planning permission approval process. In many instances, you require both.

Remember, Building Regulations is primarily concerned with ensuring that work has been carried out correctly, such as:

• the structural stability of the building;
• fire safety measures;
• the design standards for sanitary pipework and drainage; and

• the inspection and testing of electrical installations.

Planning permission, however, is concerned with the external appearance of the building, to ensure that a building is in keeping with the local environment. In essence, it’s there to avoid architectural eyesores.

Obtaining A Building Regs Certificate

Once the inspector signs off the project in accordance with Building Regulations, they will issue you with a completion certificate. The property owner must retain this (as well as a copy of the planning permission) if they ever wish to sell. Lenders and property insurers may also request a copy.

You may also need this as proof if you wish to claim VAT on the expense (where applicable).

What happens if you misplace your Building Regulations certificate? Your local authority should be able to provide you with a copy of your certificate or full plans approval notice.

What Happens Once An Application Has Been Sent?

After sending an application to a local authority or a PBC, they will get in touch with the applicant to arrange inspections at various phases of the building project to inspect the property. If the property owner has taken the decision to deviate from the approved plans (which is fairly common), they need to liaise with the local authority or PBC to discuss any implications this has.

Ensure You Comply With The Building Regulations

Suppose your local authority deems the work to be unsatisfactory. In that case, they have the power to order you to pull down the work or serve an enforcement notice to bring it up to standard (which can be served no later than 12 months after the completion of the building work).

If the owner of the property fails to comply with the notice, the local authority can undertake the work itself and recover the associated costs from the owner.

In some cases, this entails prosecution in the Magistrates’ Court where an unlimited fine is imposed (sections 35 and 35A of the Building Act 1984).

Building costs per square metre have reached historic highs over the last couple of years, driven by several factors which we’ll touch on in this article. More specifically, we cover the average cost of building a house per sq metre in 2024 across various regions in the UK.

Rather than providing you with an aggregated figure, we’ve mined the intel from millions of data points to show you the average costs per sq metre for East Anglia, London, the Midlands, North England, the South East, the South West, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Given the volatile rate of inflation and building materials prices, these estimates are constantly changing. We aim to publish a new article every six months to give you the latest insights.

Why Are House-Building Costs Rising?

We covered this at length in a previous article, but to give you a quick overview, building costs have risen sharply over the last couple of years, initially triggered by shortages in the pandemic, and then exacerbated by inflationary pressure.

But even after the effects of the pandemic abated, other economic factors have sustained the high materials prices:

• The Russia-Ukraine war has led to severe shortages of materials and fuel.
• Brexit has given rise to shipping delays, a reduction in foreign workers, and a widening trade deficit (the difference between exports and imports).
• A sustained level of high demand means builders and suppliers can charge more.

It’s doubtful that prices will return to previous levels.

Methodology For Our Construction Cost Calculations

House-building costs vary significantly depending on many factors. For instance, Purple Bricks reports that it costs on average £1,200 to £1,500 per square metre to build a house yet provides no context regarding the specification, location, or size of the dwelling. They’re basing that on a general rule of thumb.

The old adage “How long is a piece of string?” inevitably springs to mind.

In our calculations, we applied a consistent methodology across different regions. We focused on comparing a mid-range specification of a three-bedroom new-build project. The average number of bedrooms in the UK is 2.95 rooms per house, so we rounded it up to 3.

The average total floor area of a dwelling in the UK is 94m². However, new-build designs generally exceed the average floor area of a UK home. Our data shows that a typical two-storey three-bedroom new build has a gross internal floor area (GIFA) of 110m² – which we have based our calculation on.

Rooms included in our average costs are three bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, a living room, a dining room, a cloakroom, the hallway and landing, and a dedicated boiler and storage cupboard. A garage was excluded from our calculations since only a third of UK homes have one.

In terms of build specification, our pricing calculator has three options:

·       Low spec is a basic finish; e.g. Leyland, Everest, Wickes.

·       Mid spec is a standard finish; e.g. Dulux, Hamilton, Slim Line.

·       High spec is a high-spec finish; e.g. Farrow & Ball, Fine Line, Siemens.

For the purposes of this comparison of build costs per square metre, we have chosen mid spec.

Average House Build Costs Per Square Metre – By Region

Here’s a table showing the average building costs per square metre for a three-bedroom house in the UK (by region), where:

·       Low benchmark – smaller companies are generally lower cost but less specialised and with low project management function; good for low/mid-spec projects and tight budgets.

·       Mid benchmark – medium-sized companies offer a balanced mix of cost-effectiveness and specialisation; good for mid-range projects for effective execution within moderate budgets.

·       High benchmark – larger companies generally have a higher cost base but can handle a wide variety of specialist tasks; good for mid/high-spec projects and project management.

Cost Per Square Metre Of Building A 3-Bedroom UK House (By Region)

Average Total Cost Of Building A 3-Bedroom UK House (By Region)

Here’s a table showing the average total building costs for a three-bedroom house in the UK (by region):

Methodology For Ground-Floor Rear Extension Costs

As above, we applied a consistent methodology across different regions when calculating the average cost per square metre for a ground-floor rear extension. 

This single-storey extension has a gross internal floor area of 30m2 (which estimates suggest is the UK average) and comprises three rooms in total: an open-plan kitchen and dining room, and a living room – including the costs of refurbishments in the existing rooms.

Costs Per Square Metre Of Building A Ground-Floor Rear Extension (By Region)

Here’s a table showing the average building costs per square metre for a ground-floor rear extension in the UK (by region):

Average Total Cost Of Building A Ground-Floor Rear Extension (By Region)

Here’s a table showing the average total building costs for a ground-floor rear extension in the UK (by region):

Average Cost To Build A House In 2024

So, how much does it cost to build a new house in the UK? That depends largely on where you are building. If you’re building a house in London, the overall cost is around £327,058 (excluding VAT), whereas it’ll cost you an average of £272,496 in North England.

Bear in mind that these are averages and that significant outliers do, in fact, exist. Manchester, for instance, is situated in the Midlands (according to our geographic categorisation; we work on postcode-specific pricing). According to Statista, Manchester has the second-highest residential construction costs per square metre in the UK – second only to London.

Are you planning a new home construction or considering a renovation project in 2023? Understanding the average building costs per square metre (sq m) is crucial for budgeting and planning. In this guide, we will provide you with the latest cost per sq m rates for 2023 and the factors affecting these costs.

The Impact of 2022 on Construction Prices

2022 has been a wild ride for construction prices. As reported in our last November construction materials report, skyrocketing inflation, rising interest rates and a looming recession have all contributed to a rise in overall construction costs throughout 2022. Increases in individual construction material prices have differed significantly with some individual items increasing by over 60% while others only increasing by roughly 10% in 2022.

Estimated Building Costs Per Sq M for 2023

Based on the latest material prices in the UK and thousands of quotes assembled in late 2022, here are our best estimations for 2023 construction costs per sq m:

Factors Affecting Construction Costs Per Sq M

It is important to note that these are rough guidelines in cost. Each project will differ in cost based on a variety of factors such as:

1. Location: Construction costs typically vary depending on the location. Urban areas like London with scarce land tend to have higher construction costs, while rural areas with more available land generally have lower costs.
2. Type of finishes (specification): The materials used in construction significantly affect the cost per sq m. High-end materials like marble or granite will increase the cost, while more affordable materials like concrete or vinyl will decrease it. A building with high-end finishes will typically have a higher cost per sq m than one with basic finishes.
3. Type of Builder: The choice of builder impacts the cost per sq m, with smaller scale builders generally requiring less overhead, while larger, custom builders have higher overhead costs.

Overall, the cost per m2 for construction can vary widely depending on a number of factors. It is important for homeowners and builders to carefully consider these factors and determine a budget that works for their specific project. In general, it is a good idea to get quotes from multiple contractors and compare prices before starting a construction project.

Written by,
Ken Vilaysane
Product Manager at BuildPartner

Tip: Estimating software has come a long way in the last few years, and software such as BuildPartner can help you estimate your project faster and more accurately based on your chosen scope and specification. Our costs take in the latest market trends and rates within your region and breakdown your project costs in seconds. 

Try it out free today by clicking here. No credit card required.