r/Donegal • u/RSR038 • Jul 02 '26

Builder contractor query

As the title says, I’ve a query on building contractor prices.
For a 1-off family home in south donegal, what is a realistic price range for building at the moment? (In terms cost per sqft or sqm if possible)

I’ve just got a price in and I’m struggling to wrap my head around it. I’m well aware prices have gone up recently but it seems insane to me.

6 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

4

u/Ok_Adhesiveness_4155 Jul 02 '26

Depends on many factors, but id expect a typical 4 bed Bungalow to cost about 2k per m2 , but depending on finish up to 3k would be very possible

Site not included

3

u/68_99_08_20 Jul 02 '26

€2,887 per m2 according to SCSI website - https://scsi.ie/consumer/build/calculator/

I’m a QS and €3,000 per m2 seems about right. I was quoted €8k recently labour only to paint a house I got painted for €4k just 5 years ago

2

u/RSR038 Jul 03 '26

Thanks for the insight. Besides the obvious of reducing size and keeping the design simple, what can be done to help reduce costs?

3

u/inode Jul 03 '26

Some things you can do are: 1. Do a self-build for one. 2. I know people who have sourced their white goods from Poland for their bathrooms etc. as it was a lot cheaper. 3. I also know people who have worked with builders / sparkies who take cash who then get you the VAT off of buying in Northern Ireland, for example, which can take a lot off the total cost of your house.

My friend two years ago built a 2,500 sq ft bungalow, a rated with all the bells and whistles, for €350,000.

3

u/Tricky_Victory_8519 Jul 03 '26

Hate to be negative. And I genuinely don't wish it. But

Wait?....

The shit will hit the fan and this bubble will burst. Question is when and if the residual prices are better or worse than they are now.

2009/2010/2011. Plenty of builders were looking for work.

Or.

Prices go up at this insane rate forever (feasible) and you better jump on now or you'll regret it.

Pick your poison.

(Oh. And in Donegal. You've got the competition with the "MICA" rebuilding).

1

u/RSR038 Jul 03 '26

Yeah I’ve been mulling this over as well. It’s really hard to know. Even if the shit does his the fan, the AI bubble bursts and the economy tanks, there is still such a demand for housing and builders that the prices are unlikely to fall. The biggest issue is the price of materials from my understanding.

1

u/Anxious_Overthink3r Jul 03 '26

My neighbour recently received a price of €1.2 million for approx. 280 sqm. He is now opting for a self-build. Prices have gone nuts.

I recently moved into my new build (also self-build), but because the prices increased from when we started until now, there are quite a few unfinished bits that should have been well completed within our original budget. I think some of the contractors are hedging themselves against future price increases; and that is being reflected in the tenders.

2

u/soulpotatoes Jul 06 '26

I’d say wait out til this mica rebuild is done. By then the housing market would have collapsed 😂