Are you planning to build your own house or renovate an existing dwelling? Regardless of whether you are going to employ a contractor, construct by direct labour or Self- build, you should have a realistic idea about the cost of such a project right from the offset.
So how much does it cost to build or reovate a house currently in Ireland? With so many variables and unkowns involved when it comes to construction, it can be difficult to accurately estimate a realistic cost. But nonetheless it is an essential and important process that will enable you to establish your budget, and calculate how much you can afford to spend on your new home or renovation project. This cost information will not only help to determine the extent of the works you can undertake, the size and shape of house you can afford to build and the best method to procure the works. Ideally it should be carried out early in the process, even before you engage an Architect, and re-evaluated by updating in tandum with the design process. So as the design and layouts are progressed, your budget should be refined and reviewed.
Construction cost calculators are available online and are a good starting point but as they are not specific to the project they should not be taken as being 100% accutare. Price ranges quotated do not take into consideration all factors so as location, access, how complex the design may be, the required finish, how busy the Contractors are, the availability of materials etc.
It is easy to forget when you are starting off on the exciting journey of constructing or renovating your own home about all the other additional costs you need to consider to see if the project makes sense and is within budget. Addtional items to factor in include the following
- Site or House Purchase Costs
- Legal Fees
- Planning Costs & Local Authority Contributions
- Survey Costs
- Connection Fees (ESB, Bord Gáis, Eir)
- Design Team Fees (Architect, Engineer, Project Manager, Electrical Engineer, BCAR)
- Certification Costs
Your home will be completely individual to you and dependent on your own circumstances, and therefore your budget will reflect this. There are a variety of questions that you can ask yourself which will help you create the right budget for your project.