Cost of building a house NZ: what's the average cost?
Cost of building a house NZ: what's the average cost?
Although Auckland is and remains the most expensive city in New Zealand to buy a house in, don’t be alarmed by the real estate & house prices! It is not the most expensive when building your own home.
Like anything, though, the cost of building a house depends on the size, material, complexity, land, and specifications you choose. Typically speaking the average new-build price for building a new home in 2021 is around $2,500 per square meter in Auckland (REINZ) and can reach up to $10,000 per square meter and beyond for complex, high-end homes. These average costs include consent applications, labour costs, material costs, and everything in between.
The best way to get an accurate estimate of how much it will cost to build your new home is to get in touch with a quantity surveyor or building company to complete a detailed cost based on your architectural plans.
Things to consider when thinking about building costs
The land you will build on
With technology today, virtually any land is possible to build a new home on. However, when wanting to keep costs down, think about the land contours. Generally speaking, flat land is much easier and cost-effective to build on than those with a steep gradient.
The size of the house
The smaller the house, the less it will cost overall. BUT, the square meter rate will be higher – no matter the size of the house you still have to have a kitchen, bathroom, deck, balustrade – the list goes on. Adding on extra space will make your square meter rate more cost-effective in the long run.
Where you allocate your money
To make the process as smooth as possible it is important to have a good architect and builder, therefore allocating budget to these areas should not be overlooked. By working with you the architect will create your dream home and with their specialized skills, they will turn this dream into working drawings for the builder. This makes the builder’s job more efficient and cost-effective if the plans are clear and detailed.
Investing in a good builder can be the difference between a stressful house build or a smooth sailing experience. The builder is the manager of the entire project – they have to deal with all sub-trades which they often recommend and any complications onsite they will handle. Allocating budget towards hiring a good and trustworthy builder is well worth it.
What you can do to ensure you are doing your part
If you have any specialty products that you are sourcing yourself such as tiles, or unique features, make sure these are delivered well in advance – this will minimize delays in completing the house build. Organization is key throughout the entire process, so it is important to be prepared with your choices in light fittings and fixtures, colour details, and design choices. Your aim at the end of the day is to ensure all your specific details and wishes are clearly communicated from the beginning. This does not mean you can’t make a change here or there! Just be sure to communicate that over at your earliest convenience.
Find out a closer estimate of how much your new build might cost you by getting in touch with us at Roberts Residential today.