Estimates are indicative only
- These are rough estimates, not a quote. No builder or professional is bound by them.
- This is not professional advice to rely on. It is general information, not advice about your project.
- You use the figures at your own risk. We are not responsible for losses caused by decisions you make based on them, including where our figures are wrong because we were careless (negligent). We remain responsible where the law does not allow us to exclude that, for example for gross negligence or deliberate wrongdoing.
- Before you spend money, get proper quotes or a bill of quantities based on your own drawings.
What this means in practice
- Indicative only. The rates and totals are averages from published sources, dated as shown. Your site, design, specification, builder and timing will change the real cost, sometimes a lot. The ±15% range the calculator shows is a guide, not a promise.
- Not a quote. Nothing here is a quotation, tender, valuation, cost plan or offer to do work.
- Not professional advice to rely on. Using this site does not appoint the reviewing architect or anyone else, and creates no professional relationship. If you want advice on your own project, you need to appoint a professional.
- Get a proper quote or bill of quantities. Before you buy land, sign a building contract, apply for finance or spend money on your project, get written quotes from registered builders, or a cost estimate or bill of quantities (BOQ) from a quantity surveyor or architect, based on your own drawings.
- What's left out. Unless stated, figures exclude land, transfer and bond costs, finance costs, furniture and loose equipment, landscaping beyond the allowance you enter, and price changes after the date shown.
- Your inputs. The calculator uses the assumptions shown on the page. You can change them, and the result is only as good as what you enter. Published sources disagree; see How we calculate.
Our liability
The site is free and gives general information only. Because of that, to the extent the law allows, ArkhiTekton Studio (Pty) Ltd, BuildCost and the reviewing architect are not liable for any loss, damage or cost (including extra building costs, lost money or missed opportunities) that results from you or anyone else relying on the figures, the calculator or anything else on this site. This applies even if the loss was caused by our negligence, by mistakes in our figures or sources, or by the site being unavailable.
This does not exclude our liability for gross negligence or for intentional or fraudulent conduct, or any other liability that the law does not allow us to exclude. Nothing on this page takes away any rights you have under the Consumer Protection Act, 2008, where that Act applies.
Who we are
- Operator: ArkhiTekton Studio (Pty) Ltd, a private company registered in South Africa with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), registration number 2019/602925/07.
- Director: Meyer De Beer.
- Place of business: Pretoria, Gauteng.
- Email: meyer@arkhitekton.co.za · Website: buildcost.co.za
- Professional registration: the reviewing architect is registered with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP); see About.
- Privacy: see our privacy notice.
BuildCost doesn't sell anything online yet. If paid services are added, the full supplier details, prices and terms that the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act requires will be published here first.
How this site makes money
For now, the site may lead to paid professional work for the reviewing architect when visitors choose to get in touch. A paid “Budget Check” service is planned (coming soon). There are no sponsors, advertisers or affiliate links. If that changes, sponsored content will be clearly labelled, sponsors will have no influence on the published rates, and any commission will be disclosed to clients in writing, as the SACAP Code of Conduct (Rule 1.8) requires. SACAP Code of Conduct, BN 7 of 2021