How Much It REALLY Costs to Build a House in Zimbabwe 2025. Full Cost Breakdown #buildinginzimbabwe

Summary

In this detailed video, the host breaks down the full cost of building a house on a 449.5m² plot in an urban area in Zimbabwe. The discussion covers various stages of construction, from the substructure to the finishings, including costs for materials, labor, and high-end finishes. Key points emphasize the importance of accurate budgeting, risk mitigation, and understanding construction terms. The video also highlights how choosing quality materials and suppliers can affect the total cost. The final house cost is $104,377, including a 10% contingency fund, offering a transparent and informative guide for future builders.

Takeaways

• 😀 Understanding the importance of professional building practices is crucial. Gone are the days when building projects were chaotic and disorganized.
• 😀 It's essential to have a bill of quantities (BoQ) when starting a building project. This ensures accurate budgeting and helps mitigate potential risks.
• 😀 Cost transparency is a key issue. Without proper planning and estimation, misunderstandings between builders and homeowners can arise.
• 😀 Builders may need to adjust material requirements as the project progresses, so it's important to be flexible and prepared for such changes.
• 😀 A house design is often developed in collaboration with an architect, based on the owner's preferences, and may go through several iterations.
• 😀 Familiarity with building materials and terms helps prevent confusion and potential cost overages during construction.
• 😀 The total cost of the substructure phase includes materials like river sand, pit sand, cement, and common bricks, amounting to 10,649 USD.
• 😀 For the superstructure phase, essential materials such as cement, bricks, and concrete are needed, totaling 16,536.30 USD.
• 😀 The roof trusses and covers will cost 11,621 USD, which includes prefabricated trusses, roofing nails, and chromadeck sheets.
• 😀 Finishings can vary in cost depending on quality. This particular project used high-end finishings, which significantly increased the overall price, with the finishing phase totaling 94,887.98 USD.
• 😀 It's important to account for a contingency fund, which is typically 10% of the total construction cost, in this case adding up to 104,377 USD, to cover any unforeseen changes or costs.

Q & A

What is the importance of having a Bill of Quantities (Bill of Q) in a building project?

A Bill of Quantities (Bill of Q) is crucial because it provides accurate budgeting and cost estimation. It also helps mitigate risks by identifying potential issues in advance, ensuring better cost transparency, and minimizing unexpected costs during construction.

What does the house in the video include in its floor plan?

The house includes a master bedroom with an en-suite and walk-in closet, a veranda, three additional bedrooms (two with en-suites), a guest ablution area, an office, a solar room, a main lounge, a playroom, a kitchen with a pantry and calorie room, a dining area, and a double lock-up garage.

Why is it important to understand the building materials used in the construction?

Understanding the building materials is important because it helps you to familiarize yourself with the necessary components of a project. This reduces confusion and helps in managing the project efficiently, avoiding situations where builders might charge for materials or services that are not required.

What are the materials used in the substructure of the house, and what is their estimated cost?

The materials required for the substructure include river sand, pit sand, stone aggregate, gravel, cement, common bricks, termite poison, and polythene sheeting. The estimated cost for this stage is $10,649.

What costs are associated with the superstructure of the house?

For the superstructure, materials such as pit sand, river sand, cement, stone, common bricks, DPC, brick force, pre-cast concrete, 12mm bars, galvanized wire, timber shuttering, and rendering are required. The total cost for this stage is $16,536.30.

How much does the roof construction cost, and what materials are used?

The roof construction costs $11,621, which includes materials such as prefabricated roof trusses, chromadeck sheets, ridge rolls, and roofing nails.

What type of finishes were chosen for this house, and how do they impact the overall cost?

The house was finished with high-end finishes, which significantly impacted the cost. These include plastering, joinery, and premium materials like doors, ceilings, and other interior details. The total cost for finishes was $10,855.

What is the total cost breakdown for finishing the house?

The total cost for finishing the house is broken down as follows: plastering materials cost $4,130, while the joinery and ironmongery (including doors and ceiling materials) cost $10,855. The final total for the finishes adds up to $14,985.

What is the final total cost of the house, including the contingency fund?

The final total cost of the house, including a 10% contingency fund, is $104,377. This is based on the initial estimated cost of $94,887.98.

How can a person adjust their building budget if they change suppliers for materials?

If a person decides to change suppliers for materials, they can adjust the cost by modifying the figures in the provided Excel sheet. The sheet includes formulas that automatically update the total cost based on the new material prices, allowing for flexibility in budgeting.