Recent Build/Material Costs

M

MacTheKnife1

Registered User
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165
Hi, Am going to start a new build shortly. A few questions:

- Is the price of building materials (bricks, concrete, steel, windows etc) falling now we are in a recession?

- Is the price of labour falling? I heard brickies are working for 60c a block but what about the other costs?

- What about solar panels - these would appear to have dropped in the last year or two?

Would be interested in hearing what people have to say about recent build cost trends.

Mac
 
>> Yes, they are on the way back down.

All materials or some? To what extent?

You hear of house prices falling in the press but you never hear that the standard cement block price fell 10% last month. Or the price of a kingspan insulated panel dropped 3% last week.

I am just wondering if anyone has evidence of a serious drop in prices of building materials in the last 2-3 months?
 
All the insulations went up by at least 10% in June. That was after earlier rises but haven't got the figures.
 
Simeon said:
All the insulations went up by at least 10% in June. That was after earlier rises but haven't got the figures.
Click to expand...

These figures are lightly drop in the next year, the insulation increase was as a result of oil.

Joejoe
 
OK what about cement blocks, rads, bathroom fittings. Surely after the boom one would expect the prices of these items to drop in price.

I am looking at building - I estimate that if I build the house will be worth less than what I paid to build it!!! I reckon 280k to build and finish a 2500 sq ft house and 100k for the land - the house will have cost me 380k. But will be worth only 300k at best. I will have lost 80k?

Sure its not all about money and I am building to live there not to make money but it does make me question what I am doing!
 
I take it that you have already purchased a site, there is no escaping the fact that site costs have dropped hugely and unfortunately there is nothing you can do about that now. The present market is very much in the favour of buyers, who can now go out and buy at very much reduced prices and get genuine bargains from cash strapped developers. You on the otherhand are in the situation as you spelled out :cost to build €380k versus posible value €300k. Is it possible to hold on to the site for the long term and put building cost say €280 into a purchase of a bargain from a cash strapped Developer. Possibly worth looking at, but probably not what you want to hear !

Good luck on whatever you decide.

Secman
 
Hi, you may wish to consider buying the more expensive materials from England and hiring a arctic and driver to deliver, i have done this on 2 builds now and saved around 25% after ex,s.
If you want the contacts providers etc pm me, hope that helps
 
I think you could get the house built for a lot less than 280,000. Get the shell built for as reasonable a price you can and go direct labour for the rest.
 
Thanks for all the good posts.

Is there anyone out there who can point me in the direction of a sample specification for a block built house. I want to see what format the spec takes. I suppose what I am doing is looking for a template that I can follow for my own spec.

I know that each spec is individual to each house but to see what others have done in terms of spec would be interesting.
 
newname said:
I think you could get the house built for a lot less than 280,000. Get the shell built for as reasonable a price you can and go direct labour for the rest.
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I want to specify the build as precisely as I can and then let a contractor have the lot to do a builders finish. I do not think I would have time to do direct labour. I would hope that in the current climate there are contractors hungry enough for work that they will do it for a decent price. Otherwise I will not build and they will not get (my) work.
 
MacTheKnife1 said:
I want to specify the build as precisely as I can and then let a contractor have the lot to do a builders finish. I do not think I would have time to do direct labour. I would hope that in the current climate there are contractors hungry enough for work that they will do it for a decent price. Otherwise I will not build and they will not get (my) work.
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The best of luck, I would suggest that you may get a builder in for as little as 230k depending on spec.

Joejoe
 
joejoe said:
The best of luck, I would suggest that you may get a builder in for as little as 230k depending on spec.

Joejoe
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Hi Joejoe - Do u think I can get a 2500 sq ft house (+ decent garage) fully finished for 230K? I am looking for:

- high spec windows
- decent insulation (hopefully to get an A3).
- NO underfloor heating
- NO oil fired heating.
- Just one big Mulberry range in the kitchen feeding the rads
- HRV.
- 3 solar panels.

But no stone finish to outside wall. Also the siteworks are complete and would not be part of this price.

Mac
 
Fully finished for 230k would be difficult enough for an A3 rating and garage.... To go back to a post at the start, you stated that the house would only be worth 300k after build - I assume this is based on similar sized houses in the area. You must factor in that you are paying to build an A3 and all the extra costs that go with that. To build an A3 instead of C3 could well cost 30k more after all the extra in materials and labour. I would guess an awful lot of Irish houses built 5 years ago would find it hard to achieve C3!!

The finish you go for will determine how big the costs get. To put it simply, my builders finish is coming in at about €65sqft (I've gone direct labour with project manager)... When I include site works, landscaping, ESB connection, water connection, kitchen, flooring, paths, room finishes, professional/legal costs to name just a few things my cost is coming in at €100sqft! Also, to put things in perspective, my "water tight shell" - built to roof level with ext plastered, but nothing done internally (no wiring, no plastering etc.) cost me €40sqft..... Basically, all the groundworks, blockwork, roof, insulation (except for insulated p.board) and windows came in at 40% of my overall build cost.... To build a shell is pretty cheap, it's what you do after that!
 
This post will be deleted if not edited immediately, 280k for a 2000 Sqft house seems really high. We build our 1800sq in 2005 for 110k, but maybe prices doubled. We also used a contractor to do the whole lot. I would however try and go down the direct labour route, it will save you a fortune.
We built a 800sq workshop this year by direct labour, its the same finish as the house and not that much hassle.
 
MactheKnife1,

Are you building the house in Dublin.Outside of Dublin you can achieve a build cost of €60/square foot (€150,000) with all the services & groundworks being separate.You can include your A3 rating, your solar panels & your MHRV.

These renewable technologies are much cheaper if imported directly and either installed by yourself or a competent tradesman.If structured correctly you could have some of the finishes included in that price.
 
wexford dude said:
MactheKnife1,

Are you building the house in Dublin.Outside of Dublin you can achieve a build cost of €60/square foot (€150,000) with all the services & groundworks being separate.You can include your A3 rating, your solar panels & your MHRV.

These renewable technologies are much cheaper if imported directly and either installed by yourself or a competent tradesman.If structured correctly you could have some of the finishes included in that price.
Click to expand...

Where would you import the renewable technologies from? I would be very surprised if you could build a energy efficient, good quality house for €60/p sf, just remember this guy want a builder to do the work.

Joejoe
 
I got a quote for a 3 panel velux U12 solar (supply only) for 2470 ex VAT. Tank not included. I would think this would be hard to beat elsewhere, even "out foreign"??
 
wexford dude said:
MactheKnife1,

Are you building the house in Dublin.Outside of Dublin you can achieve a build cost of €60/square foot (€150,000) with all the services & groundworks being separate.You can include your A3 rating, your solar panels & your MHRV.

These renewable technologies are much cheaper if imported directly and either installed by yourself or a competent tradesman.If structured correctly you could have some of the finishes included in that price.
Click to expand...

Dude,

I am building in Mayo.

Would love to hear from where I can import the renewable technolgies:

- velux solar panels (3 or 4 of them)
- HRV system
- wood burning range to heat rads/water/cook. Must heat at least 8 rads - I will have 14 in 2-3 zones.
 
MacTheKnife1 said:
Dude,

I am building in Mayo.

Would love to hear from where I can import the renewable technolgies:

- velux solar panels (3 or 4 of them)
- HRV system
- wood burning range to heat rads/water/cook. Must heat at least 8 rads - I will have 14 in 2-3 zones.
Click to expand...

Mac,

I have looked into importing renewable technolgies and have found no justifiable savings. We are getting pretty good value in Ireland.

Joejoe
 
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