Ask three builders what a self build costs per square metre and you will get three different answers, because the honest answer depends on your site, your spec and how much of the work you take on yourself. This guide sets out realistic current ranges for the UK, explains what pushes projects to the top or bottom of them, and adds some local context for anyone building in East Devon.
For a fully contracted self build in the UK, most projects currently land somewhere between £1,800 and £3,000 per square metre of finished floor area. That figure covers the build itself, not the plot, professional fees or VAT quirks, which we cover below. A straightforward two storey house on a level plot with a standard specification sits at the lower end, while complex designs, difficult ground or high end finishes push you towards and beyond the top.
As a rough sketch, a 150 square metre house at £2,000 per square metre is a £300,000 build. The same footprint with an architect led design, stone or render detailing and premium glazing could comfortably reach £400,000 or more. Treat any single per metre figure you read online as a starting point for conversation, not a quote.
Shape and complexity matter more than most people expect. A simple rectangle with a straightforward roof is cheap to build per square metre; every dormer, corner, vaulted ceiling and change of material adds labour and detailing time. Groundworks are the other big unknown. Sloping plots, poor bearing soil, high water tables and tree roots can add tens of thousands before you are even out of the ground, which is why a proper soil investigation before purchase is money well spent.
Specification choices compound quickly. Kitchens, bathrooms, glazing, heating systems and external finishes can each swing the budget by five figures on their own. Then there is who does the work: a single main contractor managing everything costs more than self managing individual trades, but it also transfers risk, programme and coordination headaches off your shoulders. Many self builders land in the middle, using a builder for the shell and weathertight stage, then managing the fit out themselves.
Around Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Sidmouth and the surrounding villages, plots are scarce and planning is often the harder battle than the build itself. Much of the coast sits within a National Landscape (the former AONB designation) and several towns have conservation areas, so planners may require specific materials such as render, natural slate or local stone detailing that cost more than standard brick and concrete tile.
Access is a genuinely practical issue here too. Narrow lanes and tight village sites can rule out large deliveries and cranes, meaning more materials moved by hand and slower progress, which shows up in labour costs. Coastal exposure also justifies spending a little more on external joinery, fixings and render systems that will actually last. On the plus side, Devon labour rates are generally below London and the South East, which softens some of these premiums.
The per square metre figure is only part of the total. Professional fees for architects, structural engineers and building control typically add 8 to 15 percent of the build cost. Service connections for water, electricity and drainage can range from a few thousand pounds to much more on a rural plot. You will also need self build insurance, a structural warranty if you ever want to sell or remortgage easily, and a contingency of at least 10 to 15 percent, because almost every self build finds a surprise somewhere.
One genuine piece of good news: new self builds are largely zero rated for VAT. You pay no VAT on most labour, and you can reclaim VAT on eligible materials through the HMRC DIY housebuilders scheme after completion. Keep every invoice from day one, as you only get one claim.
It can be, particularly given local house prices, but only if you buy the plot sensibly and control the specification. Once you add plot cost, fees and contingency, savings are real but rarely as dramatic as television programmes suggest.
They are useful for early feasibility but no better than plus or minus 20 percent until you have drawings, a site investigation and priced quotations from builders. Firm numbers only come from a detailed specification.
Allow 12 to 24 months from buying the plot, covering design, planning permission and a build of roughly 9 to 15 months on site. Planning in conservation areas and protected landscapes can add several months, so start that process early.
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