With an aging population in the UK, Bungalows are in high demand. The average price of a bungalow rose by 17% in 2023, compared with 13% for houses and 5% for flats. The rising demand (and prices) has many wondering what the total cost of building a bungalow is. Naturally, building costs vary by size, type, and complexity, so in this article, we’ll cover the cost of building a bungalow across various regions in the UK.To give you an accurate view, we’ll compare the cost of building three different types of bungalows:

• Two-bedroom bungalow (90m2)
• Three-bedroom bungalow (100m2)
• Three-bedroom bungalow with garage and driveway (125m2)

Let’s delve into the cost breakdown for each bungalow, as well as the average costs per sq metre, to ensure your project is accurately costed and to minimise overspend.

The Bungalow Bottleneck

With no stairs, bungalows are practical for people who have mobility issues, but there aren’t enough of them to go around. The National House Building Council (NHBC) says bungalows are “on the critically endangered list” after construction recently hit an 80-year low.

There are just 228 new bungalows registered to be built between July and September 2024. But the need to provide housing for those aged 65 and over has reached a critical point. Right now, there are over 10 million people currently aged 65 and over (18% of the population).

In the next 40 years, the number of people:

• Aged 65-79 is predicted to increase by 30% to over 10 million.
• Aged 80 and over is set to more than double to over 6 million.

Is now a good time to build a new bungalow? Demand is certainly not lacking, but developers find it challenging to make them financially viable due to limited space and lower profit margins compared to two-storey homes.

Let’s take a look at how much they cost.

Building A Bungalow Construction Cost Calculations

In our calculations, we applied a consistent methodology across nine regions: East Anglia, London, the Midlands, North England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South East England, South West England, and Wales.

In terms of build specification, BuildPartner’s pricing tool 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 our comparisons simple, we have chosen mid spec in all our cost estimations. We’ve also provided three different benchmarks to show the types of 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 Two-Bed Bungalow (90m2)

Below is a table showing the average cost of building a two-bedroom bungalow (90m2) in the UK, comprising the following rooms:

• Two bedrooms
• Open-plan kitchen-living-dining room
• Bathroom
• Cloakroom
• Pantry

Two-bed bungalow (90m2)	Total Average Build Cost			Average Cost Per Sq Metre
	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark
East Anglia	£156,796	£171,051	£185,305	£1,742	£1,901	£2,059
London	£180,904	£203,693	£227,662	£2,010	£2,263	£2,530
Midlands	£153,565	£167,526	£181,486	£1,706	£1,861	£2,017
North England	£146,917	£166,410	£180,277	£1,632	£1,849	£2,003
N. Ireland	£149,446	£160,273	£173,630	£1,632	£1,781	£1,929
Scotland	£151,975	£165,790	£179,607	£1,689	£1,842	£1,996
South East	£166,677	£186,375	£206,781	£2,013	£2,251	£2,471
South West	£155,249	£175,327	£192,432	£1,742	£1,948	£2,138
Wales	£153,701	£171,866	£184,256	£1,708	£1,910	£2,047
Average	£157,248	£174,257	£190,159	£1,764	£1,956	£2,132

All costs exclude VAT.

 

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a two-bedroom bungalow (90m2):

• It costs 20% more to build a two-bedroom bungalow in London than in other regions.
• The minimum cost is £146,917 and the maximum cost is £227,662.
• The total average cost is £173,888, or £1,951 per square metre.

Cost Of Building A Three-Bed Bungalow (100m2)

Below is a table showing the average cost of building a three-bedroom bungalow (100m2) in the UK, comprising the following rooms:

• Three bedrooms
• Open-plan kitchen-living-dining room
• Bathroom
• Cloakroom
• Pantry
• Separate WC

Three-bed bungalow (100m2)	Total Average Build Cost			Average Cost Per Sq Metre
	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark
East Anglia	£167,968	£183,238	£198,507	£1,680	£1,832	£1,985
London	£193,862	£218,334	£244,445	£1,939	£2,183	£2,444
Midlands	£164,484	£179,437	£194,390	£1,645	£1,794	£1,944
North England	£157,344	£178,247	£193,101	£1,573	£1,782	£1,931
N. Ireland	£160,067	£185,953	£171,648	£1,573	£1,860	£1,716
Scotland	£162,789	£177,588	£192,387	£1,628	£1,776	£1,924
South East	£178,720	£199,842	£219,338	£1,943	£2,172	£2,384
South West	£166,305	£187,819	£206,143	£1,680	£1,878	£2,061
Wales	£164,642	£184,099	£197,382	£1,646	£1,841	£1,974
Average	£168,464	£188,284	£201,927	£1,701	£1,902	£2,040

 

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a three-bedroom bungalow (100m2):

• The minimum cost is £157,344 and the maximum cost is £244,445.
• The total average cost is £186,225, or £1,881 per square metre.

 

Cost Of Building A Three-Bed Bungalow With Garage & Driveway (125m2)

Below is a table showing the average cost of building a three-bedroom bungalow (125m2) with a garage and driveway, comprising the following:

• Three bedrooms
• Open-plan kitchen-living-dining room
• Bathroom
• Cloakroom
• Pantry
• Separate WC
• Garage with a pitched roof
• Driveway

 

Three-bed bungalow w. garage/driveway (125m2)	Total Average Build Cost			Average Cost Per Sq Metre
	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark	Low Benchmark	Mid Benchmark	High Benchmark
East Anglia	£178,546	£194,777	£211,009	£1,428	£1,558	£1,688
London	£205,980	£231,885	£259,317	£1,648	£1,855	£2,075
Midlands	£174,904	£190,805	£206,705	£1,399	£1,526	£1,654
North England	£167,406	£189,541	£205,336	£1,339	£1,516	£1,643
N. Ireland	£164,058	£185,750	£201,229	£1,312	£1,486	£1,610
Scotland	£173,022	£188,751	£204,481	£1,384	£1,510	£1,636
South East	£189,869	£212,308	£235,553	£1,519	£1,698	£1,884
South West	£176,804	£199,646	£219,124	£1,414	£1,597	£1,753
Wales	£175,062	£195,751	£209,832	£1,400	£1,566	£1,679
Average	£178,405	£198,801	£216,954	£1,427	£1,590	£1,736

 

Here’s what the data shows for the cost of building a three-bedroom bungalow (125m2):

• The minimum cost is £164,058 and the maximum cost is £259,317.
• The total average cost is £198,054, or £1,584 per square metre.

 

How Much Does It Cost To Build A Bungalow In 2024?

So, how much does it cost to build a new bungalow in the UK? That depends largely on where you are building. Based on the three types of bungalows covered in this article, building a bungalow could cost on average (when using a mid-benchmark contractor):

• Two-bed bungalow (90m2) – £174,257, or £1,956 per square metre
• Three-bed bungalow (100m2) – £188,284, or £1,902 per square metre
• Three-bed bungalow w. garage/driveway (125m2) – £198,801, or £1,590 per square metre

Please remember all costs exclude VAT.

Other Build Costs To Factor In

Please note that these costs do not encompass utility fees like gas, water, and electricity, nor do they include design fees for NHBC, architects, civil engineers, structural engineers, or party wall agreements. Additionally, costs for anomalies such as ground obstructions, contaminated waste, or project-specific site requirements are excluded. There is no contingency included in these costs, which would typically add around 5% to the budget.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Build Cost Of Bungalows

Here are some frequently asked questions about building a bungalow in the UK.

Can I build a bungalow in my back garden?

You can build a bungalow in your back garden, subject to obtaining planning permission from your local authority. There are building regulations and guidelines you’ll need to adhere to, such as those concerning the size, height, and distance from property boundaries. 

Can you build up on a bungalow?

It’s possible to build upward on a bungalow by adding additional floors on top of the existing single-storey structure. Although the foundations are already in place, any plan to build upward would require an evaluation of their capacity to support additional floors.

As always, you would need to obtain planning permission from your local authority before proceeding, as there are regulations and guidelines governing building height, structural integrity, and aesthetics.

Is there a shortage of bungalows?

Construction of new-build bungalows has hit an 80-year low, and there is a huge demand for accessible living due to the ageing population. However, building upwards instead of on the ground floor allows a builder to maximise land usage (particularly where land is expensive) and create more dwellings within the same footprint.