How Much Does it Cost to Build a House in Scotland in 2024?

The first expense is finding and buying the right plot of land. You can get an idea of land costs in your area with a bit of research and by speaking to local estate agents.

Concentrate on just a few areas where you would like to put down roots. The wider the radius you draw, the more work you'll have visiting sites, meeting landowners and making decisions. Our blog, 8 Ways to Find Plots for Sale in Scotland will help you focus your efforts. You'll also need to factor in legal fees and taxes.

If you’re building a bespoke home, you’ll also need to set aside part of your budget to cover the costs of hiring professionals such as an architect, site surveyor and structural engineer.

Once you know your professional and plot costs, subtract these from your overall budget and you’re left with your construction budget, which is the amount you can spend to build your bespoke home.

We would also advise leaving some cushion for unexpected costs during the building process. A contingency fund of 15-20% is a good idea.

The quality of materials you finish your home with (the specification) will have the biggest impact on price.

When booking a hotel, we generally understand how the star rating correlates to the cost. It’s the same when you’re building a home. A standard-spec finish (3*) with off-the-shelf laminate flooring, basic MDF skirting boards and window sills, and standard lighting fixtures are budget friendly.

High-spec luxurious finishes (5*), such as solid wooden flooring, natural stone tiles, intricate, architectural features and custom-built cabinetry will add a unique look to your home, but also increase cost.

The construction method of your home will also influence cost. A simple timber frame home will be more economical (and faster to build) than a complex steel frame house.

High-performance triple-glazed windows or bi-fold doors will cost more. Standard UPVC windows are more affordable than aluminium or timber. Roof materials, such as slate, sheet metal or sedum, also differ in price, as do the choices for external cladding and finishes, whether it’s timber, glazing, metal, or stonework.

The location of your build will impact the overall project cost. Building on a remote Scottish island may require additional expenses for contractor accommodation and transporting materials by ferry. Building in a city can also drive up costs due to higher demand for labour.

The biggest cost uncertainties often lie beneath the surface of your plot. An extremely boggy or rocky building site will bump up costs. Boggy land could lead to drainage issues and may require deeper excavation and filling with imported hardcore. Larger rocks will need breaking up and any surplus removed from site.

A sloped site increases costs due to the extra digging, filling and levelling needed to ensure the foundation can be built on stable, even ground.

A site that needs a lengthy access road can significantly increase costs. A level access road over a short distance will be more budget-friendly.

If your chosen site isn’t already hooked up to water, electricity and telecoms/broadband, it will cost extra to extend existing connections or install new ones. In rural areas, you might need to invest in a private septic tank or treatment plant if you can't connect to a mains sewerage system.

External works such as garages, driveways, paths, landscaping or fencing all vary in price and will need to be considered in your budget.

If you’ve bought an existing building, will it need to be demolished before your new home can be built? If so, this will need to be factored into the cost, along with skip hire and removing waste from site. If asbestos is present, a specialist contractor will be required to remove this safely. Similarly, if you're building on land previously used for agriculture or industry, there may be contaminated soil, which needs to be removed and disposed of.

Size is a major factor to consider. Generally, the larger your floor plan, the greater the cost. However, a smaller, high-spec, steel frame house could cost more than a larger economically built home.

The building site was sloped and extremely rocky, requiring this to be excavated and crushed to create a level foundation for the home. A 30 metre retaining wall, made from Gabion baskets was also necessary. These factors increased the overall cost of the project.

Dwelling size: 198m²
Construction cost = £580,000
Cost per m² = £2929

This cost was for a full turnkey package, covering all materials, fittings and finishes. It included a modern kitchen fully equipped with appliances, a wood-burning stove, sanitaryware for two large bathrooms, underfloor heating and an air-source heat pump.

It also included site preparation (excavating and crushing rock), a tarred driveway, a 20m² porcelain-tiled patio, an integral single-car garage, a 30-metre retaining wall, a 40-metre dry stone dyke and landscaping.

Our clients paid additional costs for professional services such as an architect, site surveyor and structural engineer.

As principal contractors, Coldwells Build took full responsibility for managing and coordinating the construction process, including the prefabrication of the timber frame kit. This ensured the project was completed on time and within budget. Our clients benefited from our strong network of trusted suppliers and skilled tradespeople.

The price of construction materials surged rapidly in 2021 and 2022, reaching a 40 year high. Although inflation has slowed, prices are still climbing—just not as quickly.

Ongoing challenges, such as the war in Ukraine, post-Brexit trade changes and the lingering effects of the pandemic have disrupted U.K. supply chains.

In addition to material costs, construction labour rates are also increasing, driven by a severe shortage of skilled workers in the U.K.

According to the Federation of Master Builders 41% of U.K. builders struggled to hire joiners in 2024, while 43% said the shortage of skilled tradespeople had caused job delays. This issue is expected to worsen in the coming years, exacerbated by reduced immigration and an ageing workforce

The Scottish Government has stated its ambition that all new homes in Scotland should be built to a “Scottish equivalent” of the Passivhaus standard in the coming years.

Passivhaus is a science-based, building standard renowned for delivering ultra-low-energy homes across the world. It reduces heating bills by 79%, compared to homes built to current Scottish regulations. It also lowers carbon emissions and improves the comfort and health of its occupants.

Passivhaus homes typically cost about 4-8% more than average homes due to the need for higher quality materials and specialist construction professionals. However, as the standard gains wider acceptance and Scotland’s supply chain for materials and components expands, costs are expected to decrease. Additionally, the upfront investment is offset over time, as Passivhaus homes have lower lifetime expenses.