HOW BUILD ROUTE AFFECTS COSTS

Build Route A: Main contractor – standard option

The figures in our benchmark cost table are based on a main contractor route, where a general building firm manages the project to completion on your behalf, using a standard contract. You can bring prices down by taking on more of the responsibility yourself. Here are typical indicative savings for the most popular build routes:

Build Route B: Builder plus subcontractors – potential saving 10%

You could potentially reduce build costs by circa 10% by hiring a main contractor to complete the structure to watertight stage. At this point you take over from the main contractor as a project manager and the remaining work is undertaken by subcontractors (individual trades), whom you manage through to project completion.

Build Route C: Self project managed – potential saving 20%

By project managing the entire scheme yourself, including the main structural phase, you could knock up to 20% off total build costs. This route doesn’t involve undertaking any construction works yourself, but rather fully managing the subcontractors on a DIY basis. So you are both client and building contractor, hiring trades and supplying plant, machinery, tools and most of the materials. You will need to be confident that you can keep the works on schedule to meet your budget.

Build Route D: DIY – potential saving 25%

Undertaking a large proportion of the build on a DIY basis could enable you to reduce project costs by as much as a quarter. This route assumes you’ll use trades for the key structural and infrastructure works, but will carry out much of the second fix tasks, landscaping, general labouring, decorating, tiling etc yourself. You will also be project manager, buying most of the materials and supplying all tools, plant, scaffold etc.