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Home, Property & Mortgages

Construction Cost Estimator

Estimate the cost to build from floor area, a local cost per unit area, finish quality, site work, soft costs and contingency.

Your inputs

Get this from local builders; it varies greatly by region.

Results

Estimated total cost

$387,200.00

All-in cost per unit of area
$193.60
Hard costs
$320,000.00
Soft costs
$32,000.00
Contingency
$35,200.00

≈Estimate based on the stated model and assumptions

Inputs are never added to links for financial, salary or health calculators.

What this calculator does

Early-stage building estimates combine a cost per square foot or square metre with allowances for site work, design and permits, and contingency. Use a local base rate from builders.

Formula and method

Hard costs = area × base cost × quality factor + site work Soft costs = hard × soft%; Contingency = (hard + soft) × contingency%

Worked example

Calculated by this tool with its default inputs:

Inputs

  • Floor area: 2000 sq ft or m²
  • Local base cost per unit of area: 150 (any currency)
  • Finish quality multiplier: Standard (×1.0)
  • Site work (foundation prep, utilities, driveway): 20000 (any currency)
  • Soft costs (design, permits, engineering): 10 %
  • Contingency: 10 %

Results

  • Estimated total cost: 387,200
  • All-in cost per unit of area: 193.6
  • Hard costs: 320,000
  • Soft costs: 32,000
  • Contingency: 35,200

How to read the results

The all-in cost per unit area is useful for comparing with quotes or with buying an existing home.

Assumptions and limitations

  • A rough order-of-magnitude estimate, not a quote.
  • Land cost is not included.

Financial results are estimates based on the inputs and assumptions shown. They are not financial advice; confirm figures with your lender, provider or a qualified adviser before making decisions.

Questions

What does the quality multiplier do?

It scales the base cost to reflect basic, standard, high-end or luxury finishes.

Methodology and verification

Result type
Estimate based on the stated model and assumptions
Formula version
1.0
Automated verification
2 reference and validation test cases, checked against independently computed values. The site cannot be built if any of them fail.
Editorial review
Awaiting human editorial review. The explanation was drafted with AI assistance; the formula and examples are verified by the automated tests above.

Privacy

Everything you enter is calculated in this browser and is not sent to Numerith or anyone else. Because this calculator can involve personal financial or health details, your inputs are never added to share links or saved to history. Privacy policy