Ask three builders what a self build costs per square metre and you will get three different answers, because the honest answer is that it depends on your plot, your spec and your patience. That said, there are sensible ranges you can plan around. Here is what we see on projects in East Devon, and where the money actually goes.
For a straightforward self build in the UK, most people should budget somewhere between £1,800 and £2,500 per square metre for the build itself, excluding the plot. A simple rectangular house with a standard spec can come in towards the lower end. Add complex rooflines, large areas of glazing, high end kitchens and bathrooms, or a sloping site, and £2,500 to £3,500 per square metre is more realistic. Genuinely high specification builds go beyond that.
In practical terms, a modest 120 square metre three bedroom house might cost £220,000 to £300,000 to build, while a 200 square metre family home could run from £360,000 to £600,000 or more. These are build costs only. Plot purchase, professional fees, services connections and VAT handling all sit on top, which is why the per square metre figure alone can be misleading.
The biggest single factor is complexity. Every corner, dormer, change in roof pitch and structural opening adds labour and materials. A two storey box is cheaper per square metre than a sprawling single storey of the same floor area, because the foundations and roof, the two most expensive elements, serve twice the space.
Ground conditions matter enormously and are the classic budget wrecker. Clay soils, high water tables and sloping plots, all common around the East Devon coast and river valleys, can mean deeper foundations, retaining walls or engineered solutions that add tens of thousands before you are even out of the ground. A proper site investigation before you buy a plot is some of the best money you will ever spend.
Building in and around Budleigh Salterton brings a few local realities. Much of the area sits within a National Landscape (the former AONB designation), so planning conditions often specify materials such as render, natural slate or local stone detailing that cost more than standard brick and concrete tile. Coastal exposure also means specifying joinery, fixings and external finishes that will stand up to salt air, which is worth doing properly once rather than cheaply twice.
Labour and material logistics in East Devon tend to sit slightly above national averages, partly because good trades are in demand and partly because rural access adds time. Against that, a well designed home here holds its value strongly, and self building remains one of the few ways to get a genuinely bespoke house in this area for less than buying an equivalent finished property.
Whatever figure you land on, hold back a contingency of at least 10 to 15 percent. Nearly every self build uncovers something unplanned, whether that is ground conditions, a planning condition or simply changing your mind about the staircase once you can stand in the space.
Get your design largely fixed before work starts. Changes on paper cost a drawing fee; changes on site cost demolition, materials and programme delay. And get itemised quotes rather than a single lump sum, so you can see where the money sits and make informed decisions if you need to trim. A good builder will talk you through where a design is spending money inefficiently before you commit.
No. Quoted build rates almost never include land, professional fees, planning costs, service connections or landscaping. As a rough rule, allow an extra 15 to 25 percent on top of the build cost for fees and connections, plus whatever the plot itself costs.
Yes, in most cases. New self builds qualify for the DIY Housebuilders VAT refund scheme, so you can reclaim VAT on eligible materials, and labour on new builds is zero rated. Keep every invoice from day one, as claims must be properly documented.
Usually, yes. Fixed costs such as site setup, foundations design, and kitchen and bathroom fit outs are spread across more floor area, so a larger simple house often has a lower rate per square metre than a small complex one. That does not make it cheaper overall, so build the size you need.
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