UK average £/sqm by tier (2026)
| Tier | £/sqm range | Typical spec |
|---|---|---|
| Developer-spec | £1,650 to £2,000 | Travis Perkins kitchen, B&Q sanitaryware, vinyl floors |
| Mid-range | £2,000 to £2,500 | Howdens kitchen, Roca/Grohe taps, engineered oak |
| Premium | £2,800 to £3,500 | Bulthaup-equivalent, Vola/Dornbracht, solid oak, MVHR |
| Architect-designed | £3,500 to £5,500 | Bespoke joinery, Passivhaus envelope, named contractor |
Headline rates exclude regional multiplier, foundations, professional fees, planning, BC, contingency. The calculator adds these.
Regional multipliers
| Region | BCIS multiplier | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| London | x1.45 | Highest UK rates; inner London +15-25% on top. |
| South East | x1.20 | Commuter belt premium across Surrey, Sussex, Hants, Berks, Oxon. |
| Surrey | x1.28 | Mole Valley, Waverley, Elmbridge dominate KDR volume. |
| Kent | x1.15 | Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells command Surrey-like rates. |
| Essex | x1.13 | Brentwood and Epping highest; coastal lower. |
| Hertfordshire | x1.22 | St Albans, Three Rivers, Welwyn-Hatfield strongest KDR demand. |
| Buckinghamshire | x1.21 | Beaconsfield, South Bucks at the top of range. |
| Greater Manchester | x0.95 | Trafford, Stockport, South Manchester drive most KDR activity. |
| Birmingham + West Midlands | x0.97 | Solihull and Sutton Coldfield premium versus city core. |
| Edinburgh | x1.08 | Scottish regime: building warrant not Building Control. |
| Cardiff | x0.95 | Welsh regime: Future Wales national plan applies. |
| Yorkshire | x0.92 | Harrogate top; York and Leeds mid; East Riding lowest. |
[BCIS Q2 2026] Regional location factors track the BCIS regional pattern; rounded for legibility.
What is included and excluded
The £/sqm headline is build above slab: superstructure, envelope, services, fit-out to tier spec. Excluded: land, foundations, professional fees, planning fees, CIL, party-wall, BC, temporary accommodation, soft landscaping, pools, basements, detached garages. Always read the small print on a quoted £/sqm rate; the FMB cost guide [FMB 2026] defines the same boundary.