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Indicative build costs (£/m2)
Out-of-town Urban
Shell construction 320-600 600-800
Fit-out 550-650 550-650
   
Indicative costs are current at the second quarter of 2000, based on an outer London location. Operator’s supplies and equipment are excluded. Demolition, external works and services, professional fees and VAT are also not included.    
Shell construction - multiplex development
  element cost £ Cost/m2 gfa £ % of total cost
Substructure 700 000 88.05 14.17
Ground slab; 200 mm-thick reinforced insitu concrete bed, hardcore; damp-proof membrane; ground beams   4000 m2 @ £90
Extra for piling and pile caps   4000 m2 @ £65
Allowance for below-ground drainage, including connections to existing infrastructure   4000 m2 @ £20
Frame 759 000 95.47 15.36
Structural steel framing; allowance based on 80 kg/m2; (average rate for universal sections)   595 t @ £950
Extra for roof trusses   190 t @ £225
Structural steel frame to cinema mezzanine 40 t @ £950
Fire protection; rigid-board fire protection; one-hour fire resistance to columns and first-floor beams only   4400 m2 @ £20
Additional fire-protection measures Item @ £10 000
Allowance for roof-level plant platform in structural steel; including acoustic isolation   Item @ £15 000
Upper floors 189 000 23.77 3.82
Composite floor slabs; 150 mm insitu concrete on metal decking; kerbs   4200 m2 @ £45
Roof 475 800 59.85 9.63
Composite roof slab; 200 mm-thick insitu concrete on metal decking; upstands and edge beams   1000 m2 @ £75
Roof cladding; profiled metal deck; on purlins at 1.2 m centres 3150 m2 @ £16
Mastic asphalt, insulation, vapour barrier; paving slabs 700 m2 @ £53
PVC single-ply membrane; insulation; vapour barrier; plywood base 3150 m2 @ £75
Extra for additional acoustic treatment to roofing above auditoria   2600 m2 @ £20
Allowance for access platforms and safety barriers Item @ £25 000
Stairs 153 600 19.32 3.11
Main entrance feature stair; steel with glass balustrades and stainless steel handrails; finishes   Item @ £50 000
Escape stairs; precast concrete stairs and half landings; polyester powder-coated steel handrails; finishes   52 m @ £1750
Plant access stairs; precast concrete stairs and half landings; polyester powder-coated steel handrails; finishes   9 m @ £1400
 
 
  element cost £ Cost/m gfa £ % of total cost
External walls 754 100 94.86 15.26
Architectural masonry; cavity-wall construction; windbracing, ties, insulation, movement joints; copings   2900 m2 @ £120
Curtain walling; framed double-glazed units; colour-coated aluminium framing; flashings; accessories   440 m2 @ £330
Extra for glazed entrance screen; two fully glazed double doorsets; ironmongery and accessories   30 m2 @ £300
Metal wall cladding; colour-coated aluminium; flush composite panels; flashings; accessories; blockwork backing wall   800 m2 @ £230
Blockwork; party-wall construction; ties, insulation, movement joints   1140 m2 @ £55
Temporary shopfronts   260 m2 @ £20
Windows and external doors 43 800 5.51 0.89
Windows; steel-framed with sealed double-glazed units; polyester powder coating   60 m2 @ £270
Fire-escape and goods-access doors; colour-coated steel doors and frames; ironmongery; accessories   29 @ £950
Internal walls and partitions 246,800 31.04 4.99
Insitu concrete walls; 150 mm average thickness   1200 m2 @ £75
Blockwork partitions; 140 mm average thickness; head restraint; to stairs and service risers only   3920 m2 @ £40
Internal doors 42 000 5.28 0.85
Acoustic doors; fire-rated; steel-faced doors with insulated cores; steel goalpost frames; ironmongery; complete   17 @ £1050
Flush doors; fire-rated; solid-core ply-faced; hardwood frames; ironmongery; complete   14 @ £600
Flush doors; non-fire-rated; solid-core ply-faced; hardwood frames; ironmongery; complete   12 @ £480
Allowance for services access panels Item @ £10 000
Wall finishes 7 800 0.98 0.16
Two coats emulsion paint; to blockwork/plasterboard   2600 m2 @ £3
Floor finishes 32 500 4.09 0.66
Cement-sand screed; average thickness 60 mm   2,500 m2 @ £11
Mats and matwells Item @ £5 000
Ceiling finishes 7 700 0.97 0.16
Self-finished insulation board; to exposed soffit in goods yard   240 m2 @ £32
Fittings and furnishings 50 000 6.29 1.01
Allowance for external signage Item @ £50 000
 
  element cost £ cost/m2 gfa % of total cost
Disposal installations 31 800 4 0.64
Rainwater disposal; cast-iron downpipes and fittings; connections to below-ground drainage   7950 m2 @ £4
Water installations 10 500 1.32 0.21
Capped-off connections to retail shells and cinema unit; flowmeters 7 @ £1500
Space heating and air treatment 10 000 1.26 0.2
Local electrical heating to lift motor rooms Item @ £5000
Local ventilation to lift motor rooms Item @ £5000
Electrical installations 200 800 25.26 4.06
Mains and sub-mains installation   7950 m2 @ £10
Small power distribution; landlord’s areas only 710 m2 @ £10
Lighting and luminaires; landlord’s areas only   710 m2 @ £15
Emergency lighting installation; landlord’s areas only   710 m2 @ £5
Entrance and external feature lighting Item @ £100 000
Lift installations 286 000 35.97 5.79
Four-person, electro-hydraulic lift serving two floors; 0.6 m/s   Item @ £38 000
Electro-hydraulic goods lifts serving two floors; 1500 kg   2 @ £54 000
Escalators; 800 mm wide; total rise 5 m 2 @ £70 000
Protective installations 30 900 3.89 0.63
Lightning protection 7950 m2 @ £1.50
Earthing and bonding   7950 m2 @ £1.50
Dry-riser installation Item @ £7000
Communications installations 169 000 21.26 3.42
Fully addressable fire, smoke-detection and alarm system   7950 m2 @ £7
Public address system 7950 m2 @ £6
Allowance for security, CCTV and access control   7950 m2 @ £7.50
Wireways for telephones and data   Item @ £6 000
Builder’s work in connection 22 000 2.77 0.45
Forming holes, chases etc; allow 3% Item @ £22 000
Preliminaries and contingencies 718 000 90.31 14.53
Contractor’s overheads, site establishment and site supervision; allow 12% Item @ £507 000
Contingency sum; allow 5% Item @ £211 000
Total construction cost – shell only 4 941 100 621.52 100
Fit out - cinema only  
  element cost £ cost/m2 gfa % of total cost
Upper floors 405 700 104.03 15.51
Sloping floor construction to cinemas; floating acoustic double-slab construction;insitu concrete, permanent formwork, isolation pads.   1300 m2 @ £35
Extra for ramped slab up to 1 m total rise; fire-rated polystyrene infill, insitu concrete dwarf wall to front edge   580 m2 @ £40
Stadium seat tiers; precast concrete planks; isolation pads; steel trusses; including fire protection   940 m2 @ £300
Allowance for forming ramps and intermediate steps Item @ £10 000
Extra for additional insulation treatment to suspended slabs   2250 m2 @ £20
Internal walls and partitions 297 100 76.18 11.35
Metal stud partition; two layers wallboard both sides; insulation 1020 m2 @ £38
Acoustic partition; 450 mm thick; auditorium to foyer; double-stud construction with two layers plasterboard each side; insulation   800 m2 @ £60
Acoustic partition; 300 mm thick; auditorium to mezzanine/store; double-stud construction with two layers plasterboard each side; insulation   1700 m2 @ £45
Acoustic partition; 500 mm thick; auditorium to auditorium; contractor-designed to meet acoustic performance   950 m2 @ £115
Allowance for shaftwall construction for hoist enclosures Item @ £3000
Allowance for freestanding screens to auditoria and WC entrances Item @ £10 000
Toilet cubicles   9 @ £450
Melamine-faced solid laminate access panelling to WCs etc 23 @ £110
Allowance for additional partitions to administration areas   Item @ £5 000
Internal doors 31 000 7.95 1.18
Acoustic doors; fire-rated; steel-faced with insulated cores; steel goalpost frames; ironmongery; complete   12 @ £1050
Flush doors; fire-rated; solid-core ply-faced; hardwood frames; ironmongery; complete   10 @ £600
Flush doors; non-fire-rated; solid-core ply-faced; hardwood frames; ironmongery; complete   5 @ £480
Security shutters; to concession unit entrances; including allowance for sub-frame   Item @ £10 000
 
 
  element cost £ cost/m2 gfa % of total cost
Wall finishes 192 300 49.31 7.35
13 mm two-coat plaster to blockwork   400 m2 @ £8
Feature plaster finish to entrance lobby 100 m2 @ £100
Acoustic lining; to inner face of external walls; two layers wallboard and insulation on metal studs   1100 m2 @ £20
Acoustic lining to screen and back walls of auditoria   1450 m2 @ £19
Acoustic lining to auditorium side walls; fabric covering   1950 m2 @ £43
Vinyl wall finish to plaster/plasterboard generally; in public areas   3100 m2 @ £9
Two coats emulsion paint; to plaster/plasterboard generally   3600 m2 @ £3
Ceramic tiling   200 m2 @ £35
Floor finishes 123 400 31.64 4.72
Ceramic floor tiling; to screed   715 m2 @ £45
Vinyl sheet flooring; to screed; to part auditoria 715 m2 @ £20
Vinyl sheet flooring; to screed; to back-of-house areas   600 m2 @ £15
Carpet; on underlay; to screed; to circulation, part auditoria and office spaces   1010 m2 @ £27
Allowance for enhanced foyer finishes   Item @ £10 000
Ceiling finishes 188 200 48.26 7.19
Acoustic suspended ceiling on anti-vibration mountings   2250 m2 @ £45
Suspended ceiling to auditoria   2250 m2 @ £25
Suspended ceiling to foyer and circulation areas   1000 m2 @ £20
Extra for moisture-resistant suspended ceiling to WCs   110 m2 @ £5
Suspended ceiling to back-of-house areas   675 m2 @ £15
Fittings and furnishings 31 000 7.95 1.19
Allowance for handrails to auditoria   Item @ £6000
Allowance for additional joinery   Item @ £10 000
Allowance for internal signage   Item @ £5000
Allowance for fixing tenant's supply-only fixtures and fittings   Item @ £10 000
Sanitary fittings 9 100 2.33 0.35
WCs, urinals, wash-hand basins; generally   23 @ £350
Allowance for fittings for disabled WCs   Item @ £1000
Disposal installations 9 200 2.36 0.35
Soil, waste and vent system; above-ground internal pipework, cast iron and uPVC   23 @ £400
 
 
  element cost £ cost/m2 gfa % of total cost
Water installations 28 200 7.23 1.08
Hot and cold water service; direct mains supply; local water heaters; distribution (average rate used)   33 @ £400
Hot and cold water service; allowance for supplies to concession units   Item @ £15 000
Space heating and air treatment 457 000 117.18 17.47
Supply and extract ventilation; direct gas-fired air-handling plant; ductwork; dampers and insulation   3220 m2 @ £75
Chilled water plant; DX system serving air-handling plant; distribution; insulation   3220 m2 @ £25
Localised comfort cooling to back-of-house areas; package split heating/cooling units; distribution; insulation; blower units; local controls   13 @ £5000
Toilet ventilation   Item @ £50 000
Dedicated extract installations; to projectors, concession areas and ancillary spaces   Item @ £20 000
Electrical installations 234 400 60.1 8.96
Lighting and luminaires to general office and ancillary areas 680 m2 @ £15
Lighting and luminaires to auditoria; including separate circuits for house lights and cleaner’s lights   2250 m2 @ £30
Lighting and luminaires to lobby and public spaces   970 m2 @ £20
Emergency lighting   3900 m2 @ £5
General power   3900 m2 @ £10
Extra for clean power supply to back-of-house areas   680 m2 @ £10
Power supply to HVAC plant and lifts   Item @ £20 000
Standby generator; supply to life-safety installations only Item @ £50 000
Earthing and bonding 3900 m2 @ £0.50
Gas installation 10 000 2.56 0.38
Gas installation Item @ £10 000
Communications installations 110 500 28.33 4.22
Fully addressable fire, smoke-detection and alarm system; secondary distribution and detectors; integration with PA system for phased evacuation using voice alarm   3900 m2 @ £10
Public address system; distribution and sounders 3900 m2 @ £5
Security, CCTV and access control Item @ £50 000
Disabled alarm installation   Item @ £2 000
 
 
  element cost £ cost/m2 gfa % of total cost
Special installations 81 000 20.77 3.1
Building management system   3900 m2 @ £15
Allowance for sound and control system wiring to auditoria   2250 m2 @ £10
Builder’s work in connection 28 000 7.18 1.07
Forming holes, chases etc; allow 3% Item @ £28 000
Preliminaries and contingencies 380 000 97.44 14.53
Contractor’s overheads, site establishment and site supervision; allow 12%   Item @ £268 000
Contingency sum; allow 5%   Item @ £112 000
Total construction cost – fit-out 2 616 100 670.8 100
 
Regional variations
All costs in this article are based on schemes located in outer London and should be adjusted by the following location factors for projects in other areas.
Inner London 1.06
South-east 0.95
South-west 0.89
East Midlands 0.87
West Midlands 0.87
East Anglia 0.89
Yorkshire and Humberside 0.86
North-west 0.89
North 0.87
Scotland 0.90
Wales 0.86