Blog>Cost Guides>How much does it cost to build a school?
Last updated: 31 March 2022
How much does it cost to build a school?
Building a school is a big project. Whether you need to provide extra space for a university or want to build a brand new primary school or nursery, constructing a new building involves time, money, and meticulous planning – from calculating budgets and timelines to working out the site for construction work and securing planning permission.
Building a school is a big project. Whether you need to provide extra space for a university or want to build a brand new primary school or nursery, constructing a new building involves time, money, and meticulous planning – from calculating budgets and timelines to working out the site for construction work and securing planning permission.
| Cost provided item | Unit | Range - Low | Range - High | Average cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of building a Nursery school | Per m2 | £1,575 | £1,975 | £1,775 |
| Cost of building a primary school | Per m2 | £1,625 | £2,075 | £1,850 |
| Cost of building a Secondary school | Per m2 | £1,950 | £2,475 | £2,212.50 |
| Cost of building a University (arts building) | Per m2 | £1,425 | £1,825 | £1,625 |
| Cost of building a University (science building) | Per m2 | £1,750 | £2,250 | £2,000 |
| Cost of building a Nursery school (3 to 5m2/pupil) | Pupil | £8,200 | £11,500 | £9,850 |
| Cost of building a Secondary school (6 to 10m2/pupil | Pupil | £20,500 | £28,500 | £24,500 |
| Cost of building a special school (18 to 20m2/pupil) | Pupil | £27,000 | £38,000 | £32,500 |
| Cost of building a University (arts building) | Student | £16,500 | £23,000 | £19,750 |
| Cost of building a University (science building) | Student | £22,000 | £31,000 | £26,500 |
| Last updated: May 2024 Our costs are ballpark averages - get a local tradesperson to quote now | ||||
Moreover, the expense of a new building differs enormously.
Read on to find out the costs to consider when building a school in the UK.
How much does it cost to build a school in the UK?
The cost of building a school in the UK ranges from £1,425 per metre square for a university building all the way through to £2,475 per metre square for a secondary school. The cost will depend on which type of school you’re considering building. For example, an arts university building will cost less per square metre than a secondary school.
A couple of good rule-of-thumb ways to estimate schools (and similar buildings types) include calculating:
The cost per metre square
The cost per functional unit
Our cost table highlights how different user groups with differing space requirements will impact the overall cost of the building. It's also worth noting that the intended end use of the building will have cost implications due to higher or lower building specifications.
Please note that all costs shown in the table exclude associated prices for external works, furniture, and equipment.
How much does it cost to build a primary school?
A primary school typically costs between £1,625 - £2,075 per metre square. But as a ballpark figure, expect to pay roughly £1,850 per metre square.
If you’re planning on building a school, it’s crucial to speak to numerous tradespeople about your plans to get a variety of quotes and advice. You can do this easily by filling in our request a quote tool. Simply enter your project’s information and location, and we’ll send it to construction specialists near you.
How much does it cost to build a secondary school?
To build a secondary school, you’re looking at between £1,950 - £2,475 per metre square. On average, you can expect to pay £2,212.50 per metre square.
To build a secondary school with 6 -10 square metres per pupil, you’ll pay between £20,500 - £28,500.
How much does it cost to build a nursery school?
Nursery schools don’t cost quite as much as primary and secondary schools. You'd be looking at around £1,575 - £1,975 per metre square.
So, to build a nursery school that measures between three to five metres square per pupil, it’ll set you back between £8,200 - £11,500.
How much does it cost to build a university arts building?
University arts buildings cost about £1,425 per metre square on the lower end of the scale through to £1,825 per metre square on the higher end. Science buildings are slightly more expensive at roughly £1,750 - £2,250 per metre square.
To get quotes for your project, simply enter the details of the job in our handy request a quote tool.
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How much money do you need to build a school?
This depends on which type of school you’re looking to build. For a nursery school, you’ll need at least £9,850 for three to five metres square for every pupil while a science university building will set you back about £26,500. And these costs are for the building alone, not electricity, flooring, plumbing, equipment, and so on.
How much does it cost to build a school in the UK?
The cost to build a school depends on whether it's a nursery, primary, secondary school, or university.
A nursery school costs an average of £9,850 for 3 - 5 metres square (for each pupil), while the cost of building a secondary school that is six to 10 metres square (for each pupil) is likely to be £24,500.
On the higher end of the pay scale, you could shell out as much as £38,000 for the construction of a special school that’s 18 - 20 metres square for each pupil.
Why are schools so expensive to build?
Schools are expensive to build because of the layout and requirements needed. Added to this, there is the cost of labour and cost of materials.
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