UK Regional Construction Cost Benchmarks 2026 — QS Support Reference Guide
Regional construction cost benchmarks for quantity surveyors pricing projects across the UK. Updated Q1 2026. All figures are elemental costs per m² gross internal floor area (GIFA) unless stated.
These benchmarks are intended as a starting point for cost planning and should be adjusted for project-specific variables including specification, procurement route, programme, site conditions and location factor. All figures are at Q1 2026 price levels, excluding VAT and professional fees.
How to Use This Guide
These figures represent median costs — 50th percentile out-turn costs from recent completed projects. Expect a range of ±15–25% depending on specification and market conditions.
Location factors adjust costs from a London base. Apply the relevant location factor to London benchmark costs to arrive at regional costs, or use the regional figures directly where provided.
Specification levels are defined as:
- Standard — functional, value-engineered specification
- Good — above average specification, typical of commercial and professional buildings
- High — premium specification, city centre commercial or luxury residential
Location Factors
Apply these factors to adjust costs between regions. London = 1.00 base.
| Region | Location Factor |
|---|---|
| Central London | 1.00 |
| Outer London | 0.93 |
| South East | 0.90 |
| East of England | 0.87 |
| South West | 0.86 |
| West Midlands | 0.85 |
| East Midlands | 0.84 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | 0.83 |
| North West | 0.83 |
| North East | 0.81 |
| Wales | 0.80 |
| Scotland | 0.83 |
| Northern Ireland | 0.78 |
Residential — New Build
Private Residential
| Type | Standard £/m² | Good £/m² | High £/m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houses — 2 storey | £1,650 | £1,950 | £2,450 |
| Houses — 3 storey | £1,750 | £2,050 | £2,600 |
| Flats — low rise (1–4 storey) | £1,800 | £2,150 | £2,750 |
| Flats — medium rise (5–10 storey) | £2,100 | £2,500 | £3,200 |
| Flats — high rise (11+ storey) | £2,650 | £3,100 | £4,000 |
| Mixed use — residential above commercial | £2,200 | £2,600 | £3,400 |
Affordable / Social Housing
| Type | £/m² |
|---|---|
| Houses — 2 storey | £1,450 – £1,650 |
| Houses — 3 storey | £1,550 – £1,750 |
| Flats — low rise | £1,600 – £1,900 |
| Flats — medium rise | £1,900 – £2,250 |
Note: Affordable housing costs reflect grant-funded specifications. Costs exclude land acquisition, abnormals and Section 106 obligations.
Residential Conversion and Refurbishment
| Type | £/m² |
|---|---|
| Light refurbishment — cosmetic works only | £200 – £400 |
| Medium refurbishment — new M&E, kitchens, bathrooms | £600 – £900 |
| Full refurbishment — strip out and rebuild internally | £900 – £1,400 |
| Change of use — office to residential | £700 – £1,100 |
| Listed building refurbishment — premium | £1,200 – £2,000 |
Commercial — Offices
New Build Offices
| Type | Standard £/m² | Good £/m² | High £/m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out of town — single storey | £1,400 | £1,750 | £2,200 |
| Out of town — multi storey | £1,600 | £1,950 | £2,400 |
| City centre — multi storey | £2,200 | £2,700 | £3,500 |
| City centre — prestige tower | £3,200 | £3,800 | £5,000+ |
Office Fit Out — Cat A Base build services, raised floors, suspended ceilings, basic finishes
| Type | £/m² |
|---|---|
| Standard Cat A | £350 – £500 |
| Good Cat A | £500 – £700 |
Office Fit Out — Cat B Full fit out including partitions, furniture, AV, branding
| Type | £/m² |
|---|---|
| Standard Cat B | £600 – £900 |
| Good Cat B | £900 – £1,300 |
| High specification Cat B | £1,300 – £2,000 |
| Premium — financial services, legal | £2,000 – £3,500 |
Commercial — Retail
| Type | Standard £/m² | Good £/m² |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarket — new build shell | £800 | £1,050 |
| Retail unit — shell and core | £600 | £800 |
| Retail fit out — fashion | £700 | £1,200 |
| Retail fit out — food and beverage | £1,100 | £1,800 |
| Shopping centre — new build | £1,800 | £2,400 |
| Drive-through restaurant | £2,200 | £2,800 |
Industrial and Logistics
| Type | Standard £/m² | Good £/m² |
|---|---|---|
| Distribution warehouse — single storey | £550 | £750 |
| Industrial unit — light industrial | £600 | £800 |
| Industrial unit — heavy industrial | £750 | £1,050 |
| Cold store — temperature controlled | £1,100 | £1,500 |
| Data centre — shell | £2,500 | £3,500 |
| Data centre — fully fitted | £8,000 | £15,000+ |
Note: Industrial costs assume steel portal frame construction on flat, uncontaminated sites. Abnormal ground conditions, service infrastructure and fit out are excluded.
Education
| Type | £/m² |
|---|---|
| Primary school — new build | £2,800 – £3,400 |
| Secondary school — new build | £3,000 – £3,600 |
| Sixth form college | £3,200 – £3,800 |
| Further education college | £3,400 – £4,200 |
| University teaching building | £3,800 – £5,000 |
| University laboratory | £5,500 – £8,000 |
| University student accommodation | £1,900 – £2,600 |
Note: Education costs are based on Department for Education output specifications and include all mechanical and electrical services. Furniture, fittings and equipment (FF&E) are excluded.
Healthcare
| Type | £/m² |
|---|---|
| GP surgery — new build | £3,200 – £4,000 |
| Primary care centre | £3,500 – £4,500 |
| Community hospital | £4,500 – £5,500 |
| District general hospital | £5,500 – £7,000 |
| Specialist hospital | £7,000 – £10,000 |
| Care home — residential | £2,200 – £2,800 |
| Care home — nursing | £2,600 – £3,200 |
Note: Healthcare costs comply with NHS Scotland and NHS England Health Building Notes (HBN) and Health Technical Memoranda (HTM). Specialist equipment, decant and phasing costs are excluded.
Hotels and Leisure
| Type | £/m² |
|---|---|
| Budget hotel — new build | £1,600 – £2,000 |
| Three star hotel — new build | £2,200 – £2,800 |
| Four star hotel — new build | £2,800 – £3,800 |
| Five star hotel — new build | £3,800 – £6,000 |
| Hotel refurbishment — light | £400 – £700 per room |
| Hotel refurbishment — full | £25,000 – £60,000 per room |
| Gym — fit out | £500 – £900 |
| Restaurant — fit out | £1,000 – £2,500 |
| Cinema — new build | £2,200 – £3,000 |
Infrastructure
Roads and Highways
| Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| New single carriageway road | £3m – £6m per km |
| New dual carriageway | £8m – £15m per km |
| Urban road — new build | £5m – £12m per km |
| Road resurfacing — minor works | £80 – £120 per m² |
| Road resurfacing — full reconstruction | £180 – £280 per m² |
| Car park — surface level | £3,000 – £5,000 per space |
| Car park — multi storey | £8,000 – £15,000 per space |
| Car park — basement | £20,000 – £40,000 per space |
Drainage and Utilities
| Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Foul sewer — 150mm diameter | £180 – £280 per m |
| Foul sewer — 300mm diameter | £350 – £550 per m |
| Surface water drain — 150mm | £160 – £250 per m |
| Water main — 100mm diameter | £200 – £350 per m |
| Gas main — medium pressure | £250 – £400 per m |
| HV electricity cable — buried | £400 – £700 per m |
Key Cost Drivers in 2026
Labour — Skilled trades remain in short supply across all regions. Bricklayers, groundworkers and M&E engineers command significant premiums in London and the South East. Allow for labour shortages in programme and cost planning.
Materials — Structural steel prices have stabilised following post-pandemic volatility but remain elevated against pre-2020 benchmarks. Copper and aluminium — key components in M&E packages — remain subject to global commodity price fluctuations.
M&E — Mechanical and electrical costs continue to represent an increasing proportion of total project costs, particularly in healthcare, education and commercial projects. Typical M&E allowances:
- Residential: 15–20% of construction cost
- Commercial offices: 25–35% of construction cost
- Healthcare: 40–50% of construction cost
- Laboratories: 50–65% of construction cost
Preliminaries — Typical prelims as a percentage of measured works:
- Small projects under £500k: 12–18%
- Medium projects £500k–£5m: 10–15%
- Large projects £5m–£50m: 8–12%
- Major projects over £50m: 6–10%
Contractor's overhead and profit — Current market rates:
- Competitive tender — traditional procurement: 3–6%
- Negotiated contract: 5–8%
- Framework — established relationship: 4–7%
Professional Fees
| Discipline | Fee Range |
|---|---|
| Architect | 4–8% of construction cost |
| Quantity surveyor | 1.5–3% of construction cost |
| Structural engineer | 1–2.5% of construction cost |
| M&E engineer | 1–2.5% of construction cost |
| Project manager | 1.5–3% of construction cost |
| Planning consultant | £5,000 – £25,000 fixed |
| CDM principal designer | 0.25–0.75% of construction cost |
Note: Fee ranges reflect market rates for competitive appointments. Negotiated or framework appointments may vary significantly.
Inflation Allowances
For projects with construction periods extending beyond Q1 2026, apply the following tender price inflation allowances:
| Period | Allowance |
|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | 0.5% |
| Q3 2026 | 1.0% |
| Q4 2026 | 1.5% |
| 2027 | 3.0 – 4.5% |
| 2028 | 3.5 – 5.0% |
These allowances are indicative based on current forecasts. Actual inflation will vary. For fixed price contracts extending beyond 18 months, consider recommending Option X1 price adjustment for inflation.
Important Notes and Limitations
These benchmarks are provided as a professional reference guide for quantity surveyors. They are based on analysis of recent UK construction projects and published industry data.
These figures should not be used as a substitute for detailed cost planning or elemental cost analysis on individual projects. Every project has unique characteristics that affect cost — ground conditions, access, programme, procurement route, specification and market conditions at the time of tender.
QS Support updates these benchmarks quarterly. Members are notified when new benchmarks are published via the monthly newsletter.
For project-specific cost advice, post in the QS Support community forum or contact us directly.
