A precise cost breakdown
Design, permissions, site preparation and construction, broken down into 7 sections and more than 25 line items.
300+ cost estimates delivered
A full cost estimate across more than 25 line items, floor plans for every storey, 3D visualisations and your house sited on your own plot. Delivered the moment you pay, with a 30-minute architect consultation thrown in.
- Delivered instantly
- One-off payment, no subscription
- Architect consultation included
Calculator · House build costs
House build costs: a quick estimate per m², turnkey or self-build
Work out what it costs to build a house in the UK in a few clicks: the rough figure per m², and the total for a turnkey build or a self-build. For an exact figure with every line item, see our full cost estimate.
Net internal floor area
160 m²
50 m²500 m²
Number of storeys
Construction type
Specification
Roof type
Garage
Basement
I own the plot
Claiming self-build CIL exemption
I have documentation and permissions
Build region
Estimated cost
£835,400
Range £668,000 to £1,002,000
£2,800 / m²
A
Design services
RIBA Stage 2: concept design
£5,000
RIBA Stage 3: planning application drawings
£9,500
RIBA Stage 4: technical design
£5,900
Section total
B
Surveys and supervision
Topographical survey of the existing site
CDM health and safety plan
Building control and site inspections
Ground investigation survey
Section total
C
Fees and levies
Planning application fee
Other statutory charges
Section total
D
Site preparation
Land purchase
Stamp duty on the plot
Demolition and clearing the plot
Utility connections
Site set-up
Setting out the building
Section total
E
House construction
Excavation works
Service runs across the plot
Foundation slab
House build, turnkey
Outbuildings
Landscaping and external works
Section total
F
Completion and handover
As-built drawings
Air-tightness and commissioning tests
As-built land survey
HM Land Registry registration
Building control completion certificate
Section total
G
Reserve
Contingency for unforeseen work
Section total
Total estimated cost
£835,400
Unlock the full estimate
A rough estimate. New-build homes are zero-rated for VAT in the UK, and self-builders can reclaim VAT on materials through the DIY housebuilder scheme. The full breakdown, priced for your house and your plot, comes with the paid package.
What you get
A one-off payment, no subscription. The whole package is worked out for your house and your plot.
Detailed floor plans, every storey
Plans with every room and dimension, ready to put in front of an architect or a builder.
3D visualisations
Your house rendered from every side, so you can see it before it is built.
Sited on your plot
Your house positioned on your own plot, allowing for the building envelope and planning constraints.
Key technical data
The key technical parameters of your house, gathered in one place for whatever comes next.
Bonus
A 30-minute architect consultation
A video call where you and an architect go through the estimate, the plans and your next steps together. Included in the price.
Get your full cost estimate · £79
A one-off £79, no subscription. The package lands the moment you pay.
Inside the app
Three steps from plot to priced estimate.
Two screenshots and one screen recording from the tool that produces your estimate. The house shown is the same in all three: 10 by 8 metres, two storeys, 134.5 m² gross internal area.
01
Design the house
Set the footprint, the number of storeys, the roof pitch and whether the roof is habitable. The massing updates as you go, positioned on your own plot with the neighbouring buildings shown for context.
02
Compare four specification levels
Basic, Standard, Mid-range and Premium, each with its own total and its own rate per m². Standard here comes to £394,376, or £2,465 per m² gross, shown beside the house data the figure was calculated from.
03
Read every number behind the total
The full estimate, section by section, down to the individual line items. The app works to its own cost structure, priced against your design rather than the regional averages the calculator above relies on.
Breakdown
A precise breakdown of the whole investment
The whole investment is split into seven sections. Each one comes itemised, with every figure worked out for your house and your plot.
3
line items broken down
A
Design services
3 items
B
Surveys and supervision
4 items
C
Fees and levies
2 items
D
Site preparation
6 items
E
House construction
6 items
F
Completion and handover
5 items
G
Reserve
1 item
A
Design services
3 items- RIBA Stage 2: concept design
- RIBA Stage 3: planning application drawings
- RIBA Stage 4: technical design
B
Surveys and supervision
4 items- Topographical survey of the existing site
- CDM health and safety plan
- Building control and site inspections
- Ground investigation survey
C
Fees and levies
2 items- Planning application fee
- Other statutory charges
D
Site preparation
6 items- Land purchase
- Stamp duty on the plot
- Demolition and clearing the plot
- Utility connections
- Site set-up
- Setting out the building
E
House construction
6 items- Excavation works
- Service runs across the plot
- Foundation slab
- House build, turnkey
- Outbuildings
- Landscaping and external works
F
Completion and handover
5 items- As-built drawings
- Air-tightness and commissioning tests
- As-built land survey
- HM Land Registry registration
- Building control completion certificate
G
Reserve
1 item- Contingency for unforeseen work
What clients say
300+
cost estimates and concept designs delivered for private clients across the UK.
“For the first time in 10 years I actually felt in control of a project. Every cost was set out up front in a proper estimate, and I ran the whole build from a single interface.”
“I’ll be honest, the idea of building my own home frightened me. The Lynx copilot guided me through the whole thing, which meant I could make decisions properly rather than on a hunch. We finished ahead of schedule and under budget. I still can’t quite believe it.”
How it works
Three steps to a precise figure.
01
Secure payment of £79
A one-off payment through Stripe. No subscription, no hidden costs.
02
Instant delivery
The moment you pay you get access to the whole package: the cost estimate, floor plans, 3D visualisations and your house sited on the plot.
03
Your architect consultation
We arrange a 30-minute video call by email, then go through your package and your next steps together.
The problem
You get the picture in pieces.
Your architect cannot give you the full cost picture, because too much of it depends on specifics outside their remit.
01 · Architect
quotes for preparing the documentation.
02 · Builder
quotes their own line, not the total.
03 · The internet
gives you an average with no context.
The Lynx full cost estimate is the first tool that changes this. You can now see every cost, from the first sketch to the final invoice.
Price guide
What does it cost to build a house in the UK?
A guide to the rough cost of building a detached house, per m², turnkey and self-build, with an explanation of what each figure covers.
House build cost per m²
In the UK the cost of building a house runs roughly between £2,200/m² for a straightforward build and £2,800/m² to a high specification, with mid-range work around £2,400/m². Passivhaus adds a further 5 to 15 per cent. The final figure per m² depends on the region, the roof type, the number of storeys, whether there is a basement and the materials you choose.
Turnkey house build cost
A turnkey price covers the whole job, from the structural work through to all the services, internal finishes and permissions. For a detached house of 150–180 m² in the UK, a turnkey build runs between £330,000 and £500,000, depending on the region, the specification and the extras (basement, garage, land).
Self-build cost
Building it yourself can bring the cost down by 15–25% against a turnkey price, but it means actively coordinating subcontractors, ordering materials and supervising the site. A realistic estimate also allows for documentation, consents, connections and unforeseen work; Lynx itemises all of these and keeps them up to date in real time.
What does the full cost of building a house include?
The whole investment is more than the build: it takes in the land, design and technical documentation, the infrastructure contribution, connections (water, electricity, gas, broadband), landscaping, fittings and a contingency for unforeseen work (~10%). Lynx shows each of these sections separately, so you know what the project will really cost.
The result
Join more than 300 clients who planned their house with a full cost estimate. The cost breakdown, floor plans, 3D visualisations and an architect consultation, all the moment you pay.
Get your full cost estimate · £79
One-off payment, no subscription · Delivered instantly