House Building Cost Calculator Australia
Estimate the cost of building a house in Australia: enter the floor area in square metres, choose a basic, standard or premium finish, and get the build cost in Australian dollars with a material and labour split. The standard rate is the ABS national average for new houses; compare it with your state below and your builder's quote.
By Aaghaz360 teamReviewed Rates and sources
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Cost per m² to build a house in Australia, by state
A new house cost an average of about $1,967 per m² to build in Australia in 2024–25, including GST and excluding land: $474,939 for an average of 241.5 m². By state it ranged from about $1,585 per m² in Western Australia to $2,538 in Tasmania.
| State or territory | Average cost | Average floor area | Cost per m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tasmania | $420,756 | 165.8 m² | $2,538 |
| New South Wales | $565,749 | 236.1 m² | $2,396 |
| Northern Territory | $475,310 | 206.5 m² | $2,302 |
| Australian Capital Territory | $645,052 | 298.2 m² | $2,163 |
| Queensland | $458,868 | 230.9 m² | $1,987 |
| Victoria | $485,292 | 253.5 m² | $1,914 |
| South Australia | $389,949 | 218.1 m² | $1,788 |
| Western Australia | $407,114 | 256.8 m² | $1,585 |
| Australia | $474,939 | 241.5 m² | $1,967 |
Source: ABS, Building Activity, Australia, December 2025 release; cost per m² is our division of the average cost by the average floor area. ABS values include GST and site preparation and exclude land and landscaping. The national figure rose from $1,661 per m² in 2022–23 and $1,843 in 2023–24.
Custom home cost per m² by capital city
Custom-built houses cost much more than the average project home: Rider Levett Bucknall puts them at $2,150–$7,600 per m² excluding GST, depending on the city and specification.
| City | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | $2,500 | $7,600 |
| Melbourne | $2,700 | $6,900 |
| Brisbane | $3,150 | $5,800 |
| Perth | $3,100 | $5,100 |
| Darwin | $2,450 | $4,500 |
| Canberra | $2,150 | $4,200 |
| Adelaide | $2,200 | $4,000 |
Source: Rider Levett Bucknall, Riders Digest 2026, Q4 2025 rates. Excludes GST, land, fees, site works and drainage; add 10% GST to compare with a builder's quote.
GST, site costs and what the price includes
Builders' quotes to home owners must include the 10% GST, and site costs (soil tests, cut and fill, retaining, piers, rock removal and service connections) are usually priced separately from the base house.
Add site costs and allowances under Other costs in the Detailed Estimate so the total matches the contract you'll sign.
- GST: a consumer price must be one total including GST (ACCC). Industry cost guides such as RLB often exclude it.
- Site costs depend on your block and can add a lot on sloping or reactive sites; get them itemised.
- Turnkey means complete and ready to move in, including items base-price homes often leave out such as flooring, window coverings, driveway, landscaping and fencing. Check the inclusions list.
- Prime cost (PC) items are supply-only allowances for fixtures you'll choose later; provisional sums (PS) are allowances for work that can't be priced yet. Both can change the final price (HIA).
Progress payment stages
Building contracts are paid in stages: a deposit, then base, frame, lock-up, fixing and practical completion. Victoria sets the maximum for each stage; other states cap the deposit.
| Stage | Maximum share of the contract price |
|---|---|
| Deposit (contracts of $20,000 or more) | 5% |
| Base (slab or footings complete) | 10% |
| Frame (approved by the building surveyor) | 15% |
| Lock-up (roof, cladding, external doors and windows) | 35% |
| Fixing (internal linings, doors, cabinets) | 25% |
| Completion | Balance (10%) |
Source: Consumer Affairs Victoria, July 2026. New Victorian rules are due by 1 December 2026 and may change these limits; check before you sign. Deposit caps elsewhere: NSW 10%, Queensland 5% for contracts over $20,000, Western Australia 6.5%.
Default rates for Australia
The calculator starts from these AUD rates per m², data as of 2026-04. Change any of them in the tool to match a local quote.
| Scope and finish | AUD per m² |
|---|---|
| Grey structure | — |
| Complete, basic finish | $1,850 |
| Complete, standard finish | $1,967 |
| Complete, premium finish | $3,300 |
| Labour share of cost | 45% |
| Basement, × above-ground rate | Not priced |
- Standard is derived from ABS FY24–25 data and includes GST; basic and premium tiers exclude GST.
- No Australian source for the labour share: 45% is a general figure (low confidence).
Sources: Landmark Valuations, Construction costs per square metre, Australia 2026 (ABS data) (2026-04); ABS, Building Activity, Australia (average cost and floor area of new houses, 2024-25) (2026-04); Duo Tax, How much does it cost to build a house in Australia in 2025? (2025-09). A dash means no reliable source: enter your own rate. See the methodology for how defaults are chosen.
More construction cost tools
- Worldwide construction cost estimator with rates for every supported country.
- Free bill of quantities template (Excel) with formulas, to price a BOQ offline.
- How to estimate construction costs, step by step.
- Other countries: Pakistan, United Kingdom, Canada, India, UAE, Saudi Arabia.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build a house in Australia per square metre?
About $1,967 per m² on average for a new house in 2024–25, including GST and excluding land ($474,939 for 241.5 m², ABS). Custom homes cost more: $2,150–$7,600 per m² excluding GST, depending on the city (RLB 2026).
Which state is the most expensive to build in?
On ABS 2024–25 averages, Tasmania ($2,538 per m²) and New South Wales ($2,396) were the most expensive and Western Australia ($1,585) the cheapest, with Victoria at $1,914 and Queensland at $1,987.
What is the average size of a new house in Australia?
241.5 m² in 2024–25 according to the ABS, largest in the ACT at 298.2 m² and smallest in Tasmania at 165.8 m².
Does the build price include GST?
A builder's quote to a home owner must show one total that includes the 10% GST. ABS averages include GST, but many quantity surveyor guides such as RLB exclude it, so add 10% when comparing.
What are site costs?
The work to prepare your particular block: soil tests, cut and fill, retaining walls, piers or deeper footings, rock removal and service connections. Builders usually itemise them separately from the base house price.
What is the difference between PC items and provisional sums?
A prime cost (PC) item is a supply-only allowance for a fixture you'll choose later, such as tapware or an oven. A provisional sum is an allowance for work that can't be priced yet, covering labour and materials. Both can change your final price.
What are the progress payment stages for building a house?
Deposit, base, frame, lock-up, fixing and practical completion. In Victoria the current maximums are a 5% deposit, then 10%, 15%, 35% and 25%, with the balance at completion. Deposits are capped at 10% in NSW, 5% in Queensland for contracts over $20,000 and 6.5% in Western Australia.
What does turnkey mean when building a house?
A turnkey home is finished and ready to move into, including items that base-price homes often exclude, such as flooring, window coverings, the driveway, landscaping and fencing. What's included still varies, so check the contract's inclusions list.
Track every cost against your estimate
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