Calculator
House building cost calculator
Describe the house and the site, and find out what it should cost to build: phase by phase, from published, dated local rates rather than a single price per square metre. It takes about a minute.
Where you're building
Country
Town or area
The house
Bedrooms
Not studies or offices
3
Bathrooms
En-suites included
2
Floors
Storeys, ground included
Finishes
The site, and who builds it
The ground
Who builds it
What you get
The likely cost, with its range
What the whole build should come to, and how far real builds stray either side.
Phase by phase
Foundation, walls, roof and the rest, so you know what each stage should cost before it starts.
Budgets you can track against
One tap turns it into your budgets. Then ask service providers for quotes, each set against it.
What a typical house costs
A three-bedroom house with standard finishes, built by a contractor in each country's main city, with a boundary wall, all in. Land is extra. Choose a country for its own calculator and figures.
| Where | 3-bedroom, all in |
|---|---|
| Harare, Zimbabwe | $96,700 |
| Nairobi, Kenya | KSh 9,930,000 |
| Lagos, Nigeria | ₦41,100,000 |
| Gauteng, South Africa | R2,160,000 |
| Accra, Ghana | GH₵891,000 |
Questions people ask
Which countries does the calculator cover?
Zimbabwe, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana, each in its own currency and priced by city or region. Every rate names its source and date.
How does the calculator work out the cost?
It sizes the house from the rooms and finish you choose, prices it at published, dated rates per square metre for where you're building, adjusts for the ground and for who builds it, and adds what a real build also pays for: site works, a boundary wall, plans and approvals, a 15% contingency and prices rising over the build.
How accurate is it?
It's an estimate for budgeting, not a quote. The likely figure sits inside a low and a high that reflect how much real builds vary. Before you sign with anyone, get a bill of quantities priced for your own plans and plot.