Click here for our most recent post about Construction Costs in Ireland (2014).
Calculating the construction costs for your project is not an easy task. Every year we publish some guidelines and average prices to help you getting an approximate figure.
Our posts about Construction Costs are very popular and provide useful information to guide you on the costs for your construction project in Ireland.
We have seen an increase in tender prices since contractors have realised that below cost tendering is not sustainable.
Although the reduction in construction prices has been reversed there is still very good value to be had, says Bruce Shaw’s latest report.
The newly amended Building Control Regulations will come into effect on March 2014. While these changes aim to protect the consumer lets not forget that the additional requirements imposed by them will also increase the overall construction costs.
Average Irish Construction Prices 2013
The average construction costs table is generated using Bruce Shaw’s Cost Database and sets out typical building construction costs.
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Labour Rates
Labour rates were reduced by 7.5% in February 2011. We could not find updated data in relation to 2013 rates but the lack of skilled workmanship may turn this trend around.
Construction Materials Prices
In May 2013 the CSO recorded that all building and construction materials prices increased by 1.1% in the year since May 2012. This is 1.9% less than what was recorded during the same period last year.
The most notable yearly changes were increases in Glass (+10.4%), PVC pipes and fittings (+9.9%) and Stone (+4.7%) while there were decreases in Paints, oils and varnishes (-5.8%), Other Structural steel (-3.8%) and Hardwood (-3.8%).
Guide to Rebuilding Costs in Ireland
The Society of Chartered Surveyors publishes every year a guide to rebuilding costs in Ireland. This guide is intended to assist in insuring a house and the costs included are based on building rates as of March 2013. Click here to read the full publication.
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The Society of Chartered Surveyors website provides a handy House Rebuilding Calculator. This calculator can be used as a guide to give you a minimum base cost for your construction project.
The above Irish Construction Costs should be used only as guidelines. There are a number of exclusions that you should also consider, and there is one that you cannot even calculate – risk.
Some of these exclusions will apply to your project others will not. But typically they will be:
- Land Acquisition costs
- Legal fees
- Site investigation and surveys
- Archaeology survey / excavations
- Planning fees and charges
- Architect fees
- Structural Engineer fees
- Quantity Surveyor fees
- Energy Consultant fees
- PSDP & PSCS fees
- Financial contributions (Local Authority Contributions)
- Utility suppliers fees & charges
- BER Certs
- Air Tightness Specialist
- Inflation
- VAT
- Contingency
- Loose furniture, fittings and equipment
- Financing costs
- Fire certificate fees
Isabel Barros Architects - Wexford is driven by a passion for creating high quality contemporary Architecture. Our goal is to make good design available to the general public while maintaining a strong focus on the energy efficiency and sustainability of our designs.
A graduate of Lusíada University in Lisbon, Portugal, Isabel is a Senior Architect with over 20 years experience. She is a registered member of both the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) and the Portuguese Association of Architects. Isabel is also Accredited in Conservation at Grade 3.
