How much does it cost to build a house in Perth? (updated January 2024)
Wondering how much does it cost to build a house in Perth? With the dynamic construction market, understanding the price of building a custom home is crucial. 2023 has seen inflation pressures increasing the costs of labour and building materials yet again. This article will explore how much it costs to build a house in Perth.
We will take a closer look at four different types of home designs: passive solar homes, passive house, sustainable homes, and custom-designed & built energy-efficient homes. We will compare each of these against a standard six-star energy-rated custom home, which is currently the minimum standard.
Price comparison guidance for Perth home builders
To make the comparison fair, we compare the cost to build a 4-bedroom home in Perth that is based on a simple design that is rectangular and 200 square meters in size (internal dimensions). This type and size can accommodate 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms and is sought after for a new home, as it strikes the perfect balance between space and efficiency. With plenty of room for every family member to enjoy, this style offers both functionality and convenience. We're talking about a medium-range finish with no curved or rounded interior or exterior corners, significant overhang, or a non-typical roof structure. We're also not considering additional features like extensive landscaping, a swimming pool, sauna, or spa. A garage is included in the 200 sqm internal dimension.
Of course, each of the custom homes we discuss has unique benefits and drawbacks, so it's essential to understand what each option entails before making a decision. By the end of this article, you'll have a better understanding of which type of custom home is right for you. And the best part? Our prices are based on January 2024 levels, so you can be confident that you're getting up-to-date information.
HIA Award winning house by MK Building Solutions. The costs to build a home in Perth can vary based on quality, energy efficiency and type of home.
Custom Home (6-star rating)
The standard home for home building with builders in Perth is a 6-star energy-rated home (NAThers). This is the minimum requirement in Perth. Compared to older homes designed and built without energy efficiency in mind, this custom home offers a comfortable living environment. With double brick walls and ceiling insulation, it ensures reasonable energy efficiency. The new home builder who wants to build in Perth, can get started with a budget of around $420K, or $2,100 per sqm.
Custom Energy-Efficient Home (7+ star rating)
The custom energy-efficient home, features superior insulation and thermal control. With double brick walls, high-quality glazing, and a heat pump or solar-powered hot water system, it's a good start to a comfortable, energy-efficient home. If you care about building a quality, comfortable home, reducing energy bills and minimising your impact on the environment, it starts around ~ $460K for a 200 sqm home, or $2,300 per sqm.
Passive Solar Homes (8+ star rating)
Enjoy maximum energy savings all year round with a passive solar home in Perth. Boasting an 8+ star rating, potentially up to a 10-star energy-efficiency rating (NAThers), this innovative residence utilises high-quality insulation and to meet a higher energy efficiency rating almost always has uPVC double glazing. With improved insulation values in the walls, roof and ceilings, overall costs are higher yet worth it for maximising energy efficiency, reducing energy bills and enjoying a comfortable indoor climate year-round. An elegant exposed concrete slab provides thermal mass to maximise these benefits further. Shading in the building's home design protects against direct sunlight in the warmer months to avoid solar heat gain in the home. A passive solar home with an 8+ star rating starts at ~ $540K for a 200 sqm house or $2,700 per sqm. This option is perfect for those looking to embrace solar passive home designs.
Passive House
Passive Houses are constructed to stringent standards that limit air changes per hour (ACH) to less than 0.6 (in comparison to NatHERS, which assumes ~ 12 air changes per hour). Despite not being eligible for the highest NatHERS ratings due to different parameters used in the rating of heating & cooling demands, these homes still guarantee outstanding thermal comfort and exceptional performance. So you can have peace of mind while enjoying a wonderful indoor climate and a reduced carbon footprint.
Based explicitly on the Passiv House principles, Passive Houses include superior insulation to external walls, ceilings, and roofs. They are built with timber framed, double batten walls with an airtightness membrane to the inside and a vapour barrier to the outer side. Without ‘natural’ ventilation, Passive Houses have an HRV system for mechanical ventilation throughout the house, providing fresh air everywhere. The double-glazed windows and doors, and doors are all of the superior quality in terms of insulation and air-tightness. Shading devices are required to block the sun in summer.
A Passive House (Passiv House) starts at ~ $3,900 per sqm, totalling ~ $780K for a 200 sqm home.
Sustainable Homes by Builders in Perth
For those looking to build sustainable new homes, the aspiring new home builders in Perth can include energy-efficient home designs, rainwater harvesting, recycled and recyclable materials, adding a conservative $30K to the building cost of a custom energy-efficient home, a passive solar home or a passive house.
One aspect of sustainable homes is that they need to be energy-efficient and reduce energy consumption where possible. A custom, energy-efficient home of at least 8 stars would be the minimum.
Other features to be considered when building an eco home are water-efficient toilets, taps and shower heads and a grey water system, allowing you to recycle water in the garden. A sustainable garden should also be Waterwise, containing plants and trees native to Perth and Western Australia.
Building Variations and Land Considerations
Building a smaller home or a two-story home affects the total cost. Another aspect that will increase cost is building blocks with significant variance in ground levels. While such building blocks can often be utilised to build beautiful homes with massive appeal, it does make building more difficult and impact home designs and construction complexity.
Smaller or two-story homes, luxury finishes, and sloped building blocks can influence the total cost.
Non-rectangular designs and high-end finishings also impact the final price.
Elevated land in Perth may incur additional costs due to earthworks and retaining requirements.
Home Designs and Impact on Costs
What you will likely encounter designing and building your dream home, is that most home designs are not completely rectangular. When creating your home designs, you will often end up adding style elements to both the exterior as well as the interior of your home designs. This helps you optimise the space, features, and flow and use of your new home.
The last aspect that dramatically impacts overall building costs is getting higher-end finishings, high-spec appliances, and bathrooms with a custom home builder. And any addition to the house, like a swimming pool, sauna, or spa, will also lead to higher investment with builders in Perth.
Conclusion
Building a custom home in Perth involves various considerations, from passive solar homes to custom energy-efficient home design, choosing the right home builder is essential. Whether you're looking for a new home builder in Perth to create your dream home or exploring new homes with quality building companies, this guide should help you understand the costs involved.
MK Building Solutions is here to assist you in designing and constructing your energy-efficient home. Feel free to contact us to discuss your ideas and plans.
Disclaimer: These indications are based on January 2024 prices, and while we've done everything to be transparent, increases in the cost of materials or trades cannot be accounted for.