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Real Estate News How much does it cost to build a 70 square meter house and how to optimize the budget - Infobae

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How much does it cost to build a 70 square meter house and how to optimize the budget - Infobae
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August 22, 2024

Although costs are on an upward trend, the decline in inflation is beginning to have an impact on increases that are lower than those recorded in the first four months of the year.



By Jose Luis Cieri


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The average for a standard house is around USD 500 per m2. This value does not include the cost of the land.

Building a 70-square-meter house represents a considerable challenge in terms of costs and optimization of the available budget. According to Real Estate Report, the minimum investment required for an affordable home is hardly less than USD 500 ($677,500 at the blue dollar exchange rate of around $1,355) per square meter.



This means that the total budget would be around USD 35,000, a cost that is at an all-time high in both pesos and dollars, due to the stable exchange rate of the American currency over the last year. These values do not include the acquisition of the land.

Germán Gómez Picasso , from Reporte Inmobiliario, explained to Infobae that one of the main factors that increases the total cost of construction is labor. “This increases the final value, since the materials can be collected at the beginning, but the contractors must update the budgets based on inflation.”



As for labor, in August, a specialized bricklayer earns $35,730 for each 9-hour workday, according to the agreement of the Construction Workers Union of the Argentine Republic (UOCRA). If $29,061 for a half-time official and $26,028 for an assistant are added, the labor will range between $60,000 and $90,000 per day, according to reports from the real estate sector.

In the monthly comparison, the values did not show major changes. In fact, the CAC Index of the Argentine Chamber of Construction recorded that the value rose 2.10% last July, the smallest increase in 15 months.



According to various analyses of the sector, the price per square meter to build a standard house increased year-on-year by between 214% and 221% according to the Provincial Institute of Statistics and Census (IPEC) of Santa Fe or the Center of Engineers of Mendoza, respectively. In the province of Buenos Aires, the Association of SMEs in Construction of the Province of Buenos Aires indicated that the value for building registered an accumulated increase of 240.29% in the last twelve months .

Although these figures show significant increases, a slowdown in the increases is beginning to be seen, as inflationary inertia has stopped.



Some materials such as taps and paints have lowered their prices due to the reduction in sales in the face of the economic crisis, and because they had been overvalued when measured in dollars at the beginning of the year.


For example, in yards that supply materials, they reported that round iron, paints, cement and faucets have dropped by up to 15% since the beginning of the year. To cite one example, a 20-liter bucket of latex paint that cost $41,000 now costs $35,000, and complete sets of faucets for kitchens and bathrooms that averaged $200,000 can now be purchased for 180,000 pesos.





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As the prices of inputs rise during the work, it is advisable to first evaluate different alternatives that may offer a good cost-benefit ratio (Illustrative Image Infobae)

Pablo Gaytan , from Corralón Ciudadela, explained that the price reduction is largely due to a 40% drop in demand, accompanied by a significant reduction in margins in both industry and trade. “We are operating with minimal margins and looking to exhaust stock.”

Products

As for the materials to be used to achieve a balance between quality and cost, Gómez Picasso recommends the use of load-bearing hollow bricks and slabs with joists and polystyrene toad bricks for thermal reasons. “For a home that seeks the lowest possible cost, it is advisable to use load-bearing hollow bricks and slabs with joists and polystyrene toad bricks,” he stressed.

These choices not only allow for savings, but also efficiency in terms of thermal insulation.


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Building a 70 m2 house involves a significant initial investment in materials and labor. However, with proper planning, the choice of suitable materials and the hiring of specialized professionals to develop a well-defined project, it is possible to optimize the budget (Illustrative Image Infobae)

To keep costs under control and avoid unnecessary expenses, Gómez Picasso suggests having a well-defined project from the beginning, with very detailed plans and technical documentation, which avoids confusion during the construction process.”

It is essential to respect all plans and think about the best product for the future owner, with the preliminary project stage being crucial.

Gómez Picasso emphasized that the most critical stages in construction, where significant savings can be generated if managed properly, include everything from initial planning to finishing. He reaffirmed that adequate documentation and a prior action plan are essential for an efficient process, allowing the work to begin and end on time, thus avoiding delays and additional costs.

The cost of the professional will be the most economical when making a balance, since it will allow saving on materials and, most importantly, ensuring that the workers do things as they should be done.

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Mariana Lucángeli , architect and real estate expert, explained that it is essential to understand that the different areas involved in the execution of a project do not follow the same patterns of price increases.

The first item to consider is the preliminary work, which includes site clearing, demolition and temporary installations such as workshops, material storage and portable toilets. This item represents around 2% of the total cost.



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Bricks have not increased that much in the last month, different analyses confirmed that their value increased by 4%

Without a doubt, the most significant item in the cost analysis is the one related to the structure of the house. “If the work is carried out with bricks, a slab of prestressed concrete joists to build the second floor and another for the roof and the final cover, they will add up to 26% of the total costs,” Lucángeli added.

Facilities also have a major impact, such as sewage and storm drains, water supply (6.4%), electrical installation and security to prevent electrical risks (2.6%), and gas works (2%).

“Although some tasks are carried out when the work has advanced, they must be planned from the beginning in order not to cause delays or suspensions. In addition to non-structural masonry (4%), bathroom and kitchen cladding (4%), and insulation (4%), there is a remaining 22% in minor items such as painting, plastering, flooring, cleaning, special constructions, glass, subfloors, ceilings, carpets, stairs and marble work,” concluded Lucángeli.

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