House building cost calculator
What building a home really costs: the build per square metre by quality, VAT, professional fees, the permit and ICIO tax, ten-year insurance, utility connections and, if you do not have it yet, the land with its taxes.
How much does building your house cost?
Average costs by quality in Spain and the taxes of your region. Change the figures and it recalculates.
- Building work€256,58666%
- Professionals (design and site management)€20,3285%
- Licence and building taxes€15,1864%
- Utility connections (power, water, sewage)€6,0002%
- Plot€80,00021%
- Taxes and costs of the plot€9,6002%
| Construction (150 m² × €1,400) | €210,000 |
| Site works, fencing and outdoor areas | €8,000 |
| Contingency 7% | €15,260 |
| VAT on construction 10% | €23,326 |
| Architect and building surveyor fees 8% | €16,800 |
| VAT on fees 21% | €3,528 |
| Building tax (ICIO) 3.5% | €7,350 |
| Building licence fee | €1,200 |
| 10-year structural insurance + inspection (OCT) 1.2% | €2,520 |
| Stamp duty on the new-build declaration 1.2% | €2,616 |
| Notary and registry for the new build | €1,500 |
| Utility connections (water, power, sewerage) | €6,000 |
| Cost of the house | €298,100 |
| Land | €80,000 |
| Transfer tax (ITP) · Andalucía | €5,600 |
| Notary | €700 |
| Land registry | €500 |
| Conveyancing agent | €300 |
| Survey and geotechnical study | €2,500 |
| Total with the land | €387,700 |
Build at €1,400 per m², plus 7% contingency and €8,000 for site works. ICIO and the permit fee vary with each town hall.
Indicative estimate. Not financial or tax advice.
Next: the full study of your flat
Does building to let pay off?
The land calculator brings together the plot, the build, permits and financing, and compares building with buying ready-made in the same area, with the IRR.
What a full study looks like
The analysis of a flat from start to finish: detailed taxes, a 10-year projection, sale scenarios, sensitivity and the IRR. With these figures:
- IRR over 10 years
- 11.5%
- Monthly cash flow
- €169
- Net yield
- 5.3%
How much building a house costs per m²
The build itself (materials and labour) ranges from about €1,150/m² for basic quality to €2,000/m² for high quality, with about €1,400 for standard quality (indicative costs in Spain in 2026). But that is not all: taxes, professional fees, permits and site works come on top.
What is added to the build
10% VAT on the build if you are building a home (IGIC in the Canary Islands). Architect and technical architect: around 8% of the build, plus 21% VAT. Building permit and ICIO tax: the town hall ICIO is up to 4% of the budget. Ten-year insurance (if you self-build a home for yourself it may not be compulsory), the notary and registry of the new build with its stamp duty, and the utility connections for water, electricity and drains.
The land
If you do not have it yet, add its price and the purchase taxes: the transfer tax of your region if a private person sells it, or 21% VAT and stamp duty if a company sells it. Check first that it is urban land and how much you can build on it.
Timescales
It usually takes more than a year from buying the land to moving in: about six months of design and permits, and 12 to 18 months of building. During that time you pay interest if there is a mortgage.
Building to let?
Building is often cheaper per m² than buying ready-made in the same area, at the cost of time and risk. The land calculator compares both options, with the cash curve of the build, the rent and the IRR.
Reviewed on 10 October 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build a 100 m² house in Spain?
At standard quality (€1,400/m² for the build), with VAT, professional fees, permits, site works and utility connections, it comes to around €2,000/m² all included: about €200,000 without the land. Try it above with your own size.
What taxes do you pay when building a house?
10% VAT on the build (IGIC in the Canary Islands), the ICIO tax and the permit fee of the town hall, stamp duty on the new-build declaration and, if you buy the land, its transfer tax or VAT.
Is it cheaper to build than to buy a house ready-made?
Often yes per m², especially outside the big cities, but it takes more than a year and has risks (cost overruns, permits). Compare with the land calculator.
How much does an architect charge for a house design?
Architect and technical architect usually add up to 6–10% of the cost of the build, plus VAT. The calculator uses 8%.
Indicative estimate. Not financial or tax advice.