Self build affordability in a higher interest rate world.

[Jenki]

5 hours ago, saveasteading said:

I thought they were much the same cost.  eps is half the price but half the insulation.

Then there is the possible complication of that extra 150mm inside or outside the building.

I would however split the difference and put 150pir on 150 eps as the insulating benefit is not linear.

I managed to get  40 sheets of EPS 150 for £800.  so that set my plan.  I've just had a look at one supplier and PIR would be cheaper at the moment.  Crazy pricing, I think they just make it up.

[gavztheouch]

Some prices are definitely down on the peak. 

 

Rebar, framing wood, and osb are good examples. 

 

Stuff that is still high, concrete, aggregates, labour, windows.

 

I noticed builders are now quoting in the £2000 to £2500 per m2 range last time I checked it was more like £3000 to £3500 per m2. I don't know if this is because prices have fallen for materials or if they have reduced a large buffer they had for jobs because it was impossible to predict material prices and availability. Overall I am happy I have waited the year before starting, but who knows another war or escalation of the current one could cause prices to rise again. I also don't think inflation is completely gone and as soon as interest rates drop I think we might see more inflation.

 

One thing that is definitely better is the availability of product and the willingness of suppliers to compete.

 

 

[saveasteading]

11 minutes ago, gavztheouch said:

it was impossible to predict material prices and availability

Mostly I  would say labour costs and profits.. There is a big downturn in work. some contractors are very quiet and some are tendering at very low margins to keep turning over. That affects the wages of all operatives

[Amateur bob]

interesting feedback thanks, ive been hearing stories of a big slowdown in the building trade id like to think this would filter through and have a bigger effect on material costs by the end of the year, mabye this is just wishful thinking though, being a timber frame house wood price will have the biggest affect on my cost id imagine, alongside labour

[Bramco]

18 minutes ago, Amateur bob said:

interesting feedback thanks, ive been hearing stories of a big slowdown in the building trade id like to think this would filter through and have a bigger effect on material costs by the end of the year, mabye this is just wishful thinking though, being a timber frame house wood price will have the biggest affect on my cost id imagine, alongside labour

Not so sure about that - very roughly speaking our TF was about £100k and the total build about £600k. So a 5% reduction in timber costs doesn't have such a big impact - and don't forget while prices always rise quickly, they're always very slow to come back down again. Things tend to ratchet up. So any reduction in timber prices may not be reflected in  your TF quote.

 

Also even if the building trade is in slowdown, most timber is imported and those prices are not impacted by the slowdown.  The slowdown is more likely to bring the costs other than the TF down.

 

Simon

[Amateur bob]

4 hours ago, Bramco said:

Not so sure about that - very roughly speaking our TF was about £100k and the total build about £600k. So a 5% reduction in timber costs doesn't have such a big impact - and don't forget while prices always rise quickly, they're always very slow to come back down again. Things tend to ratchet up. So any reduction in timber prices may not be reflected in  your TF quote.

 

Also even if the building trade is in slowdown, most timber is imported and those prices are not impacted by the slowdown.  The slowdown is more likely to bring the costs other than the TF down.

 

Simon

interesting that thanks for the feedback, id never afford 600k what sort of design and size was that m2?

 

[Bramco]

We contracted a builder, so costs are higher than true self build. But it's over 250m2, almost passivehaus, triple glazing etc. At the end of the day we ended up about £2.5k/m2.

 

Simon

[Kelvin]

5 hours ago, Amateur bob said:

interesting feedback thanks, ive been hearing stories of a big slowdown in the building trade id like to think this would filter through and have a bigger effect on material costs by the end of the year, mabye this is just wishful thinking though, being a timber frame house wood price will have the biggest affect on my cost id imagine, alongside labour

Won’t affect material costs as much as you’d think unless suppliers have over stocked. A lot of stuff is imported. It will reduce margins however and labour rates. We’ve built in the inflationary year but are still well under £2500/m²