Building Costs Calculator

[jaycee]

Hi,

Just stumbled across this Construction cost/estimator calculator and wondered if any has any thoughts/knowledge about it or these sort of things ?

http://www.homedesigndirectory.com.au/calculators/ConstructionCostEstimatorPage2.shtml

I don't know much about building, and I guess I'm trying to peice together information.

cheers....

 

[Aaron_C]

Let's put it this way jaycee - even builders don't know how much it will cost to build something. They rely on their cost estimator to do so.

 

[jaycee]

Let's put it this way jaycee - even builders don't know how much it will cost to build something. They rely on their cost estimator to do so.

So therefore....... ??

 

[Ergophobia]

all in square meter rates should only be used for order of magnitude estimates, you would be lucky to get +/-30%

To get it to +/-10% you need to base the estimate on a material takeoff

 

[jaycee]

Sooall in square meter rates should only be used for order of magnitude estimates, you would be lucky to get +/-30%

To get it to +/-10% you need to base the estimate on a material takeoff

Thanks for the reply & input ergophobia, unfortunately it all went over my head (just to give you an idea of my level of understanding at the moment)

 

[Ergophobia]

the estimate you posted uses what we refer to as an all in rate (all inclusive)

you will often hear people comparing the cost of residential construction in $/square meter.

This house for example is $161,422 for 239 square metres, or $675/square metre

you can use these rates to get a ball park figure for a 260 square metre house by just applying this all in rate = $175,500

As you can imagine, there are many variables when building a house, so this high level exstimate is usually good for +/-50% but sometimes you just want a ballpark.

Taking it down a level builders will have similar all in rates for kitchens, bathrooms, living areas, bedrooms, garages etc as these areas have different fittings and finishes required. This level of estimate is usually good for +/-30%

Ask a builder to give you a fixed price lump sum however and they will usually produce a bill of quantities and price that (concrete slabs, bricks, tiles, carpet, light fittings, etc)

 

[Chomp]

I will give you a ball park for Perth

1000 m2 low end

1500 m2 middle of the road

2000 m2 very nice

3-3500m2 architect designed top end finishes

Chomp

 

[Lupo]

Architect (if hes good) can get everything priced to exactly your choosing of materials and products throughout the house, more timely process but closest to the estimated cost.

 

[jaycee]

Architect (if hes good) can get everything priced to exactly your choosing of materials and products throughout the house, more timely process but closest to the estimated cost.

yeah I'm nowhere at the stage of employing an architect

I was just trying to see if someone (me) could find out how the $ numbers work when it came to getting a place built that's all ...

Guess another way to get a rough number to work from and allow a %age for errors/extra etc would be just to ring someone like Ventura Homes and say what do you roughly charge to build a 3 x 2 villa -= maybe this is easier

But having something visible in front of me like this calculator presented might be more useful for someone with my lack of experience.

 

[Aaron_C]

So therefore....... ??

Use it as a rough guide jaycee - it is a good resource. But don't rely on it too much.

What I advise you do is draw up some rough plans, and get it costed by a QS. They can do it for about $2,000 and it will be very accurate.

 

[Ergophobia]

Use it as a rough guide jaycee - it is a good resource. But don't rely on it too much.

What I advise you do is draw up some rough plans, and get it costed by a QS. They can do it for about $2,000 and it will be very accurate.

you should probably only bother the QS when you have approved for construction plans in hand, otherwise he will just need to do it again later.


The bathroom calculator on that site looks pretty good http://www.homedesigndirectory.com.au/calculators/BathroomCostCalculator.shtml
this is more like a quantity based estimate.

 

[Aaron_C]

you should probably only bother the QS when you have approved for construction plans in hand, otherwise he will just need to do it again later.

Depending on the size of the project getting a QS on board early will be money well spent. It's just for estimation purposes and also as a tool to negotiate when you tender out to builders.

 

[jaycee]

Depending on the size of the project getting a QS on board early will be money well spent. It's just for estimation purposes and also as a tool to negotiate when you tender out to builders.

There is no project.

There is no money for a project.

There is just a guy who doesn't know how people cost projects trying to understand a bit more about it.

 

[Aaron_C]

There is no project.

There is no money for a project.

There is just a guy who doesn't know how people cost projects trying to understand a bit more about it.

Yes it may not apply to you specifically jaycee but for anyone who wants to know how much it costs to build something.

 

[jaycee]

Yes it may not apply to you specifically jaycee but for anyone who wants to know how much it costs to build something.

Oh sorry, I was hoping for an answer to my query !

 

[Aaron_C]

Oh sorry, I was hoping for an answer to my query !

I already have! It's OK for very rough estimates. That's all.

 

[Chomp]

Jaycee,

Go through the Saturdays paper, there are loads of builders on there of varying standards showing their plans & m2 rates.

or go on to their web sites, there is even more information , Im sure you can do a comparison as to what you want to build and get a rough idea.

Chomp

 

[jaycee]

Jaycee,

Go through the Saturdays paper, there are loads of builders on there of varying standards showing their plans & m2 rates.

or go on to their web sites, there is even more information , Im sure you can do a comparison as to what you want to build and get a rough idea.

Chomp

Thanks Chomp[.. I didn't think of that / didn't know that I'd find information readily available like that

cheers

 

[Ergophobia]

Order of magnitude estimates are good for early planning and narrowing in on options.

Never proceed to construction on one tho.

 

[Ocean Architect]

Thanks Chomp[.. I didn't think of that / didn't know that I'd find information readily available like that

cheers

When you do this, beware of tricks and traps that builders use to squeeze extra money out of people either through omission of necessary works (eg they'll give you a price and then later mention that you have to pay for a surveyor, plus a soil report, plus utility connection etc etc that some other builder included in his overall price) or through stinging you very badly for extra works (a major builder here in Darwin will hit you for an extra 20% for extras - little stuff like adding an extra power point here and there, or changing your mind about a color/fixture, or something you forgot in your plans like a fire alarm that they then charge you something obscene to include).

General estimates are good for strategic decisions (which area to buy in, what kind of product to build) but when you get into late stage/specific decisions, other factors will come into play that may blow it all out.

I would very strongly suggest getting a mentor. Make sure you choose someone who knows what they're doing (ie has done it before or is a master builder plus has worked in your area) that has no motive to rip you off (eg a builder may try and get you to commit to a development so that he can make money and rip you off). Even then be careful - there are scumbags everywhere.

There are all sorts of tricks in the development/building game that you can't learn online. You'll blow your mind listening to someone with a lot of experience about the many and fabled ways other people have been ripped off, burned, made mistakes, got rich or went bankrupt - and then learn how to protect yourself.