Cost per Square Metre Estimator
Cost per m² and in total by structure, region and finish.
Inputs
Result
Formula
| Cost per m² | base rate × region × finish |
| Total | rate × gross floor area |
| Structure | about 55% |
| Services | about 25% |
| Finishes | about 15% |
| Other and tax | about 5% |
1000 m² of frame structure in a tier 2 city, shell finish: 2000 × 1.10 × 1.00 = 2200 per m², 2.20 million in total, of which roughly 1.21 million is structure and 0.55 million services.
Indicative cost per m² by building type, excluding land and utilities
| Building type | Cost per m² CNY | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Low-rise masonry housing | 1400-1800 | Up to six storeys |
| High-rise frame housing | 2000-2600 | Including foundations |
| High-rise shear wall housing | 2200-2800 | Including piles |
| Basement car park | 3500-5000 | With shoring and anti-flotation |
| Office, mid-range | 2500-3500 | Excluding furniture |
| Steel industrial shed | 1200-2000 | Excluding process plant |
| School building | 2000-2800 | |
| Hospital | 3500-5000 | Excluding medical equipment |
FAQ
Why can the same area cost twice as much?
Because cost per square metre is highly sensitive to structure and height. Six-storey masonry runs about 1600 per m² while thirty storeys of shear wall on piles exceeds 3000; a basement with shoring and anti-flotation reaches 4000-5000. Ground conditions, seismic category and prefabrication targets all push it up further, so adjust any estimate for the actual project.
What is and is not included?
Structural, plumbing, electrical, HVAC and finishes are in. Out are land, survey and design, supervision, permit fees, utility connections, external roads and landscaping, and furniture or equipment. Cheap-looking rates often omit exactly these, and the total investment usually needs another 30-60% on top.
How much does the finish standard matter?
Enormously, and not linearly. Shell to simple adds 400-600 per m², to mid-range 1000-1500, and to high-end over 3000 with stone, joinery and bespoke furniture. In commercial work finishes reach 40-50% of total cost, more than the structure itself. Fix the standard before estimating, or the range doubles.
Related calculators
Results are estimating aids only and are not a design basis. Construction and final accounts must follow the drawings, the applicable standards and an approved method statement. Anything affecting structural safety, shoring or falsework must be checked by a suitably qualified engineer.