How much does it cost to build?

Excavation is the removal of material from its in-situ position. The three methods of excavation are:

1. Machine excavation — the standard approach; fast digging with an excavator
2. Hand excavation — manual digging with shovels; slower but the safer method when services are present
3. Vacuum excavation — specialist suction equipment; faster than hand digging but still safe for digging near services

Disposal and haulage of excavated material are separate and subsequent activities.

Labour and plant only in GBP. All methods exclude disposal / haulage, trench support, imported backfill, prelims, overhead & profit.

Budget rate generator

• Disposal and haulage of excavated material (priced separately)
• Trench support and shoring
• Dewatering and groundwater control
• Imported backfill or filling material
• Rock breaking or blasting
• Service diversions or protection
• Compaction of fill or formation
• Contaminated ground assessment and specialist disposal
• Very small quantities — machine and vacuum excavation carry minimum call-out charges which may dominate the unit rate
• Preliminaries, overhead and profit
• VAT

Reinforced concrete (RC) is concrete cast around a steel reinforcement cage to create load-bearing structural elements — foundations, walls, columns, beams and slabs. This all-in rate covers three cost components:

1. Concrete supply and placement — ready-mix concrete delivered, pumped and placed by the pour gang
2. Reinforcement — rebar supply, cutting, bending and fixing in position
3. Formwork — shuttering supply, erection and striking

Excavation, blinding concrete, waterproofing and contractor prelims are all priced separately.

All-in rate in GBP. Excludes prelims and O&P. Ranges shown cover low to high rebar density within each element type.

Budget rate generator

• Excavation to formation level
• Blinding concrete (priced separately)
• Waterproofing membranes or tanking
• Concrete testing and trial mixes
• Post-tensioning or pre-stressing
• Concrete finishes beyond standard tamped or floated
• Small pours under 10 m³ — higher per-m³ cost due to minimum pump charges and crew setup
• Very heavily reinforced columns or beams (300+ kg/m³) — high fixing complexity pushes rates above this calculator's scope
• Preliminaries, overhead and profit
• VAT

Asphalt surfacing covers the supply and laying of bituminous surfacing to roads, car parks, paths and paved areas. A full construction typically has two layers: a base course (binder or lower layer) and a wearing course (the finished surface). The rate covers material supply and laying only — it assumes the sub-base is already in place. Area size, number of layers and accessibility are the main drivers. Large open areas with paving machines are cheap; small patching in restricted locations is expensive.

Supply and lay in GBP. Assumes sub-base already prepared. Excludes prelims, overhead & profit.

Supply and lay budgeting guide only — not a tender price.

• Sub-base excavation and construction
• Kerbing and edging (priced separately)
• Road markings and studs
• Traffic management
• Existing surface removal and disposal
• Drainage channels and gullies
• Preliminaries, overhead and profit
• VAT

Tiling is the supply and fixing of ceramic, porcelain, or natural stone tiles to floors. The rate covers tile supply, adhesive, grout, and basic surface preparation. The tile itself is the single biggest variable — a £10/m² ceramic and a £300/m² marble are the same trade, same unit, completely different rate.

All-in rates (tile supply + labour) in GBP. Excludes prelims, overhead & profit.

• Preliminaries (site setup, supervision, welfare)
• Contractor overhead and profit
• Removal and disposal of existing tiles
• Substrate preparation beyond minor patching
• Waterproofing / tanking membranes
• Movement joints and specialist trims
• Underfloor heating supply or installation
• Wall tiling (separate rate applies)
• VAT

Blockwork is the construction of walls using precast concrete blocks bonded with mortar. It is the most common walling material in commercial and industrial construction — fast to lay, structurally capable, and easy to build around openings. Blocks range from 100mm lightweight partition blocks to 215mm dense aggregate blocks for structural or below-ground use. The rate covers blocks, mortar and laying — but not DPC, lintels, cavity fill, ties or any applied finish.

Supply and lay in GBP. Excludes DPC, lintels, ties, finishes, prelims, overhead & profit.

Supply and lay budgeting guide only — not a tender price.

• Damp-proof courses (DPC)
• Lintels over openings
• Cavity wall ties and insulation
• Movement joints and sealants
• Plastering, rendering or any applied finish
• Scaffold supply (usually in preliminaries)
• Preliminaries, overhead and profit
• VAT

Brickwork is the construction of walls using fired clay bricks bonded with mortar. Common bricks are used where the face is not visible; facing bricks are specified for external elevations and feature walls. The rate covers brick supply, mortar and laying to a standard bond. Decorative bonds, arches, soldier courses and complex detailing all reduce productivity significantly and should be noted separately when pricing.

Supply and lay in GBP. Excludes DPC, lintels, scaffold, finishes, prelims, overhead & profit.

Supply and lay budgeting guide only — not a tender price.

• Damp-proof courses (DPC)
• Lintels and arch formers
• Cavity wall ties and cavity insulation
• Pointing and repointing (priced separately)
• Scaffold supply (usually in preliminaries)
• Rendering or other applied finish
• Preliminaries, overhead and profit
• VAT

Painting and decorating covers the application of paint to interior walls, ceilings, joinery and metalwork. The rate varies enormously depending on the surface preparation required — new plasterboard with a mist coat and two top coats is cheap and fast; old surfaces with multiple layers, staining and damage can require significant prep before painting begins. Premium paints, specialist coatings (fire-retardant, epoxy, anti-mould) and high working heights all add to the rate.

Labour and materials in GBP. Excludes specialist coatings, scaffold, prelims, overhead & profit.

Labour and materials budgeting guide only — not a tender price.

• Wallpaper, fabric or specialist wall coverings
• Joinery and metalwork painting (priced by item or run)
• External painting (different system, separate rate)
• Scaffold supply and erection
• Removal and disposal of old coatings (e.g. lead paint)
• Rendering or plastering preparation
• Preliminaries, overhead and profit
• VAT

Reinforcement is the supply and fixing of steel reinforcement bars (rebar) within concrete elements. In a bill of quantities, rebar is often measured and priced separately from the concrete and formwork. The rate per tonne covers bar supply, delivery, cutting and bending to schedule, and fixing in position including tying wire, spacers and supports. Bar diameter, quantity and fixing complexity are the primary cost drivers.

Supply and fix in GBP. Excludes concrete, formwork, prelims, overhead & profit.

Supply and fix budgeting guide only — not a tender price.

• Concrete supply and placement
• Formwork supply and striking
• Reinforcement mesh (A-type — priced separately)
• Post-tensioning cables or tendons
• Stainless steel or specialist alloy bars
• Preliminaries, overhead and profit
• VAT

Formwork is the temporary mould into which concrete is poured. It must be erected before the pour, propped and checked, then struck (removed) after the concrete has cured. The rate covers supply of formwork materials, erection, striking and cleaning for reuse. Formwork is often the most expensive component of a reinforced concrete element — a complex bespoke form can cost more per m² than the concrete itself.

Supply, erect and strike in GBP. Excludes concrete, rebar, prelims, overhead & profit.

Supply, erect and strike budgeting guide only — not a tender price.

• Concrete supply and placement
• Reinforcement supply and fixing
• Temporary propping beyond standard (priced separately)
• Permanent lost formwork (e.g. Cordeck)
• Specialist surface finishes to formed faces
• Preliminaries, overhead and profit
• VAT