Cost Of Building A House In South Africa

The average cost of building a house in South Africa is R10 000 to R15 000 per m². The cost varies depending on factors like the location, type of your house, and labor costs in your area.

Therefore estimating the exact cost can be a challenging task. In our post, we shall help you to calculate how much you need to build a 1,2,3,4,5, and 6-bedroom house in south africa.

1. Cost Of Building A 1 Bedroom House In South Africa

Building your house in South Africa can be an extremely difficult task however it’s worth the risk. The cost of Building a 1 bedroom house in South Africa is around R700 000, including labor and materials. There are some factors that contribute to the cost of building a house in South Africa. These factors include;

• Location
• Local regulations and rules
• Construction materials
• The landscape or the construction site
• The size occupied by the house

Factors affecting the cost of Building a 1 bedroom house in South Africa

location

Location is a major factor in determining the cost of Building a one-bedroom house in South Africa. Construction rates in South Africa vary from city to city, hence its better you do your research first before determining the best home location. Here are the construction rates for different cities in South Africa.

Province	Average cost per meter square	Standard 146m house	Standard 90m house
North west	R10 500	R1 500 000	R920 000
Limpopo	R10 600	R1 600 000	R960 000
Mpumalanga	R11 400	R1 700 000	R1 100 000
Western cape	R14 100	R2 100 000	R1 410 000
Gauteng	R15 800	R2 300 000	R1 580 000
KwaZulu natal	R19 300	R2 900 000	R1 740 000

Construction materials and property size

The property size and the overall cost of construction materials greatly affect the cost of Building a house in South Africa. Generally, the cost of construction materials has increased in the past five years. Here are some of the average prices of construction materials;

1. 1000 roofing tiles- R1200 to R4000
2. 1000 bricks- R1600 to R7000
3. Foundation concrete slab (16 m³) – R24000

Features and rooms

The number of rooms in the house including bathrooms and kitchen greatly add up on the cost of Building a house in South Africa.

Kitchen costs

Kitchen costs	Average price
Small Kitchen	R45 000 – R65 000
Medium kitchen	R65 000 – R90 000
High-end kitchen	R90 000 – R160 000

Bathroom costs

Bathroom costs	Average price
Small bathroom	R9000 -R14 000
Medium bathroom	R14 500 – R17 000
High-end bathroom	R17 500 – R26 000

Saving on costs

Building a house rather than buying one, has many advantages, such as saving on costs in the following ways;

• Transfer duty isn’t to be paid.
• You are provided with tax benefits that include tax depreciation.
• No charges were incurred in transferring the home to another owner.
• Experience a few maintenance issues.

2. Cost Of Building A 2 Bedroom House In South Africa

If you plan to build a house in South Africa, you should be in a good position to research the ultimate costs and the factors that contribute to the overall construction costs. The cost of Building a 2 bedroom house in South Africa is R800 000 on average. It is generally cheaper to build a house in a rural area as opposed to an urban area. Below we help you estimate the cost it shall take you to build your two-bedroom house in South Africa.

Factors that contribute to the cost of Building a house in South Africa

There are some factors that contribute to the total cost of Building a house in South Africa. These factors include;

1. Building cost charges
2. Electricity and water connection charges
3. Professional fees
4. Land price
5. Service costs
6. Municipal rate

Land price

This is the first step you should take before you begin construction of your house. You should first purchase your piece of land and ensure that you have the right documentation that shows you are the owner. After you purchase the land, you can begin construction.

Professional fees

You will need to draw a house plan, henceforth you will require professional services that include architect services, quantity surveyor services, electrical services, and structural engineering services. They often vary in price hence it is better you consult with them first and set your budget right. Some of the professional services include;

1. Lawyer – R950 per hour
2. Quantity surveyor- Consumes 4% of the total construction cost.
3. Structural engineer- Consumes 2% of the total construction cost.
4. Land surveyor- Consumes 5% of the total construction cost.
5. Architect- Consumes 5% of the total construction cost.

Construction costs

To be able to build a house, you should have the necessary construction items that include cement, tiles, wood, sand, roofing materials and electrical components. Here are some of the average costs of various construction equipment.

Construction items	Number/Area	Average price
Roofing tiles	1000	R1200 – R4000
Bricks	1000	R2000 – R6000
Concrete slab	16m³	R23 000

Specialist items

These are the items that are not included by the chief contractor. These items include lights, cupboards, bathroom, and kitchen fittings plus other accessories. These items can increase the overall cost of Building a house in South Africa.

Miscellaneous costs

These are expenses that cover accommodation, travel services, planning expenses, administrative fees, and meals. These expenses should be included in your overall budget to ensure the construction process goes smoothly.

3. Cost of building a 3 bedroom in South Africa

Building your own house in South Africa can be a very exhausting task, although it will give you the chance to live in your dream house. In South Africa, most of the citizens live In 3 bedroom houses and therefore it’s best you are aware of the various house costs.

The cost of Building a 3 bedroom in South Africa can range from R2,500,000 to R7,400,000. You should also be aware that these prices tend to vary and increase from year to year, although the figures might decrease if you expel the avoidable costs.

Building costs or prices in South Africa vary from city to city and are majorly influenced by various factors, which include;

• The design of the house.
• Construction materials used.
• The size of the house.
• The landscape
• Legal and economic external factors.

The cheapest method to build a house in South Africa

It is better that you still save on costs while still building a beautiful house that you won’t regret in the future. This can be achieved by cutting down costs as we have discussed down below;

1. Purchase a surveyed land

Bush clearing, excavations, fencing, and the survey can cost you a penny. You can cut down these costs by purchasing already surveyed land that is ready for construction. The survey costs were already handled by the seller.

2 Adjust your home size to fit the budget.

You should be able to adjust your home size according to the budget in hand to avoid incomplete projects. You should employ a trusted and qualified contractor to help you adjust your home size to fit the budget accordingly.

3. It is cheaper to build storey houses

In South Africa, it is cheaper to be in storey houses than flats. The taller you go, the cheaper it becomes, as you do not have to deal with expensive roofing hence you save on costs.

4. Choose simple house designs

Complicated house designs tend to be costly, hence it is advisable that you choose simple designs for your house and ensures that you use a simple floor to cut down roofing and construction costs.

5. Use cheap construction materials

It is advisable that you use cheap construction materials as an alternative method to cut down costs. You can also choose to recycle or hire construction items rather than purchase them. some of the cheap construction materials in south Africa are;

• Fresh concrete or concrete slab
• Prefabricated materials
• Industrial iron or corrugated metal
• Bamboo or reclaimed timber
• Thatch roof
• Old ship containers

4. Cost of building a 4 & 5 bedroom in South Africa

Building a house in South Africa can be very exhausting and expensive, though this will give you a chance to live in your dream house and save up on costs in the future. The cost of Building a 4 & 5 bedroom in South Africa ranges from R3 million to R5 million, though the prices vary from city to city.

Factors affecting the cost of Building a 4 & 5 bedroom in South Africa

Before you start building your house, you should be aware of the factors that contribute to the overall construction cost, which we have outlined down below;

• Location
• Size
• Design and Quality

1. Location

The location of your house will impact the overall cost of Building a house in South Africa. It is generally expensive to build in urban areas as compared to rural areas. In case you decide to build your house on the coast, it will cost you more due to the usage of thick roofing and waterproof construction materials.

2. Size

The overall floor size of the house you are planning to build will greatly affect the cost of Building the house. The greater the floor size, the more it will cost you to build your house.

3. Design and quality

The house designs and the quality of the construction materials that include paint, soil, and plaster, greatly impact the cost of building a house in South Africa. The best home designs and construction materials will cost you a Fortune.

Cost of Building a house in South Africa Per Quality

As we have already mentioned, the cost of Building a house in South Africa varies, though here are some of the average costs of building your home In South Africa.

House type	Average cost (per m²)
Lower cost houses	R5000
High-quality houses	R8000 – R13 000
High-end houses	R20 000 – R50 000

Expenses that contribute to the overall cost of Building a house in South Africa

We have broken down the overall expenses that contribute to the overall cost of Building a house in South Africa. They include;

1. Cost per square meter

The floor size of your house will greatly impact the cost of Building the house. You can acquire the average cost rates from quantity surveyors, contractors, property developers, and municipalities.

2. Specialist items

These items include bathroom and kitchen fittings, lights, and cupboards. They add up to the overall cost of Building a house in South Africa.

3. Construction materials

You will definitely need to purchase construction materials that include bricks, cement, sand, and so forth. These items add up to the cost of Building a house.

4. Professional fees

You will also need to spend money on professional services that include quantity surveying, survey, and engineering services.

Miscellaneous fees

You will also need to spend money on accommodation and travel services for remote locations, planning, and administration fees.

Saving on costs

Building a house will definitely save you costs in the future. Some of the costs and services you will save on include;

1. Transfer duty can be ignored
2. Few maimaintenance issues
3. Administrative fees can be ignored when transferring hone to another person legally
4. Tax depreciation over the next couple of years.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Cost Of Building A House In South Africa