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 labour 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. Learn more about the price of roofing sheets in South Africas here.
Please find out how much it costs to install a solar system for your house in South Africa here.
1. Cost Of Building A 1 Bedroom House In South Africa
Building your house in South Africa can be extremely difficult; however, it’s worth the risk. The cost of Building a 1 bedroom house in South Africa is R700 000, including labor and materials. Some factors 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
Here is the cost of ceiling boards in south africa.
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 it’s better to do your research 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 |
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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;
- 1000 roofing tiles- R1200 to R4000
- 1000 bricks- R1600 to R7000
- Foundation concrete slab (16 m³) – R24000
Features and rooms
The number of rooms in the house, including bathrooms and kitchen, greatly add to 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.
Here is the current price of tiles in south africa
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 contributing 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 than 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
Some factors contribute to the total cost of Building a house in South Africa. These factors include;
- Building cost charges
- Electricity and water connection charges
- Professional fees
- Land price
- Service costs
- Municipal rate
Land price
This is the first step before you begin constructing your house. First, You should purchase your piece of land and ensure you have the correct documentation showing you are the owner. After you purchase the land, you can begin construction. View the price of land in South Africa on this post.
Professional fees
You will need to draw a house plan; subsequently, you will require professional services, including an architect, quantity surveyor, and electrical and structural engineering services. They often vary in price; hence you should consult with them first and set your budget right. Some of the professional services include;
- Lawyer – R950 per hour
- Quantity surveyor- Consumes 4% of the total construction cost.
- Structural engineer- Consumes 2% of the total construction cost.
- Land surveyor- Consumes 5% of the total construction cost.
- Architect- Consumes 5% of the total construction cost.
Construction costs
To build a house, you should have the necessary construction items, including 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 |
View cement prices in South Africa here
Specialist items
These are the items that the chief contractor does not include. 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 expenses 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 exhausting, although it will allow you to live in your dream house. In South Africa, most citizens live In 3-bedroom houses.
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 yearly, 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.
See apartment prices in south africa.
The cheapest method to build a house in South Africa
It is better to save on costs while building a beautiful house you won’t regret. 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 reduce these costs by purchasing already surveyed land ready for construction. The seller already handled the survey costs.
2 Adjust your home size to fit the budget.
You should be able to adjust your home size according to the budget 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 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 exhausting and expensive, though this will give you a chance to live in your dream house and save on costs in the future. Building a 4 & 5 bedroom in South Africa is 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 compared to rural areas. If you decide to build your house on the coast, it will cost you more due to thick roofing and waterproof construction materials.
2. Size
The overall floor size of the house you plan 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 contributing 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 need to purchase construction materials, including bricks, cement, sand, etc. These items add up to the cost of Building a house.
4. Professional fees
You will also need to spend money on professional services, including quantity surveying, survey, and engineering services.
Miscellaneous fees
You must also spend money on accommodation and travel services for remote locations, planning, and administration fees.
Saving on costs
Building a house will save you costs in the future. Some of the costs and services you will save on include;
- Transfer duty can be ignored.
- Few maimaintenance issues
- Administrative fees can be ignored when transferring hone to another person legally.
- Tax depreciation over the next couple of years.
How much does land cost in south africa? Find out here.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Cost Of Building A House In South Africa
Building a house in South Africa costs around 30% more than renting, although building a house is a good long-term strategy that will save you money in the long run.
Draft a good house plan; it will cost you 50 to 130 dollars per hour. It can take around 10 hours to draft a three-bedroom house.
It will approximately take around five to seven months to complete a house in the urban area as compared to the rural area, which takes around six to nine months.
It will take approximately 6 months to complete a double-storey building in south africa.
According to the town laws in South Africa, you are not allowed to establish your house anywhere you prefer.
Building a small house in South Africa will cost you R10,000 to R20,000 per square meter.
It will take five to six months to completely build a house in the urban region instead of the rural areas, which takes around six to nine months.
It is rather expensive to build with wood than brick in South Africa. The natives do t support wood-building customs.
Buying a piece of land and constructing a house is cheaper than buying an already established house.
Although it might seem that it costs a penny to build a house, it’s a good investment for the future and will help you save on costs.
Renting a house is cheaper than buying a house, although in the long run buying a house will save up on future costs and keep you secure.
Prices tend to vary from city to city, however, it will averagely cost you around R10 000 to R20 000 per m².
Building a double-story apartment from scratch will take you around 7 to 12 months to complete.
Cement stone bricks are The best bricks for building story houses in south africa.
The average size of the RDP house is 50m². It will cost you around R1500 per m² to build an RDP house.
RDP houses are free however, RDP house beneficiaries must pay all their municipal rates, including electricity and water charges.
A ranch home is the cheapest type of house to build in South Africa as they are well suited for low-budget costs and are reliable.
In South Africa, house framing services cost the most out of all the construction expenses, starting from $20,000.
According to per square foot, building a one-story building will cost you more in South Africa than a two-story building.
It can cost you around R8000 to R13000 to build a house in South Africa
it will take you around 10 months to 2 years to complete the construction of a mansion house in south africa
It will take you around six to nine months to complete the construction of a two-storey house in South Africa.
Building an RDP house in South Africa will cost you R1500 per m².
An RDP house in South Africa is around 50m², and the cost per m² is R1500.
It will cost you around R10 000 to R15 000 per m² to build a house in the urban areas of South Africa.
Building a two-story house in South Africa costs around R8000 to R13000 per square meter.
In rural areas, it will take around 6 to 7 months to build a house in South Africa compared to urban areas, which take around 5 to 6 months.
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