How Turnkey Construction Costs Are Calculated

Everyone planning a house, villa or apartment block starts with the same question: “What will this cost?” A single price per square metre cannot answer it. The cost of a turnkey project is set by the ground, the structural system, the material class, labour and what current regulations require.

Why we don’t quote a single per-m² price. Steel, cement, glass, copper and labour move independently during the year, so a figure given today misleads a budget a few months later. If you want an official starting point, Turkey’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change publishes approximate unit construction costs every year; our construction cost guide lists them. Those values are used to calculate design and building inspection fees, not as a quotation. For a real figure we survey the site, take off quantities and price every item separately.

The Six Cost Drivers

1. Ground and foundations

Everything starts with the soil investigation. Firm ground may need only pad or raft foundations; soft, filled or high-water-table ground calls for bored piles, jet grouting or ground improvement. This is the most volatile item in the shell budget — don’t rely on any figure given before the survey.

2. Structural system

Reinforced concrete, steel or a hybrid changes both cost and programme. Steel suits long spans and fast erection; multi-storey housing is usually cheaper in reinforced concrete. The reinforcement and detailing required by the seismic code also land here — how they are checked on site is covered in earthquake-safe housing construction.

3. Material class

After the shell, the finishes drive the budget: façade system, joinery, thermal and waterproofing, tiling, kitchens, sanitaryware and fittings. Standard domestic products and high-end imports produce two different budgets for the same project, and cheap materials give their savings back in maintenance, energy and replacement. Where it is worth spending in a villa is covered in choosing materials for a luxury villa.

4. Size and number of floors

Scale brings bulk-purchase advantages and lowers the share per square metre. Height adds lifts, fire stairs, pressurisation, generators and common areas. That is why a two-storey villa and a ten-storey block have different requirement lists; the items specific to villas — pool, landscaping, retaining walls — are covered in villa construction cost.

5. Labour and location

Labour is a decisive part of the budget and varies by region: in big cities it is the trades’ rates, in rural areas the logistics of materials. Site set-up, crane and plant hire and temporary power and water connections are real costs that belong in the calculation.

6. Regulations and permits

The seismic code, the energy performance certificate, fire regulations and zoning rules directly define reinforcement, insulation and building services. Cutting them means cutting the building’s life and safety. The building inspection fee is part of the budget too and is calculated from the official unit cost; permit fees vary by district.

How the Cost Is Calculated

A realistic budget is built in three groups:

• Structural shell: foundations, columns and beams, slabs and roof. Steel and concrete volumes come from the structural design through the quantity take-off.
• Finishes: façade, joinery, insulation, mechanical and electrical services, tiling, painting, kitchens and bathrooms.
• Additional works: landscaping, parking, lifts, amenity areas and utility connections.

Which group dominates depends on the building. In a factory the steel frame and industrial floor weigh most; in luxury housing it is the finishes. Once every item is taken off and priced at current rates, the result is far closer to reality than any advertised per-m² figure.

Keeping the Budget Under Control

• Commission the soil investigation first; a foundation surprise is the most expensive one.
• Fix material choices during the permit stage — a change after work starts costs both time and money.
• Have the contract spell out the programme, the payment schedule and how change orders are priced.
• Weigh the extra cost of an energy-efficient façade and insulation against the operating savings.
• Ask for separate prices for shell, finishes and additional works; single-line quotations cannot be compared.