SIP panel cost guide

Building with structural insulated panels (SIPs) could save you a great deal of time and money. But what exactly does the average SIP panel cost? And how much should you budget in total? Read on for the full lowdown.

What are SIP panels?

Structural insulated panels (SIPs) are made of two solid boards with foam or polystyrene insulation in between them. You can get them as individual panels or as building kits where they’re already made up into whole walls that can simply be slotted into place.

Often, SIPs are already produced with electrics, doors and windows in them to make the building process even quicker and cheaper.

Structural insulated panels cost

For materials alone, you’re looking at around £154 per m2 of wall to build with structural insulated panels – £82 for the panels and £72 for the timber framing.

This is around 5% more than the cost of materials when building in brick. However, the process is much quicker, which means you’ll save on labour costs overall.

Rough cost of building with SIP panels

The total cost of building with structural insulated panels will depend on how many panels are needed, as well as their size and quality. To work this out, a builder will usually consider:

• The area of load-bearing and external walls.
• How heavy the cladding will be.
• Whether the project is a new build or extension.
• Whether the roof will be constructed using SIPs.
• When the panels will be needed.

SIP house kits prices

The cost to build a home using SIPs will depend on the construction method used and in particular whether or not the construction involves a truss timber frame.

At the lower end, it would cost around £17,000 to build a 900 square foot home without a truss timber frame and using the most simple cladding. This would take around two weeks to build in total. At the other end of the scale, it could cost approximately £35,000 to build a house of the same size using SIPs with a truss timber frame.

Either way, these prices are significantly lower than the cost of building a traditional house with brick and block, which would come in closer to £45,000.

SIP house cost savings

There are a number of factors that make building with SIPs cheaper and easier than other construction methods. These include:

• Using one manufacturer: With SIPs, you can have your whole home constructed by one manufacturer instead of having to work with multiple trades.
• Ready-made: You can pick the look and layout of your home from a brochure rather than paying extra to have a bespoke home designed for you.
• Quick construction: Houses made using SIP construction methods can often be assembled within days, reducing labour costs.
• Insulation: Insulation is built into the product. That means you don’t have to pay any extra to have your home insulated when you build using SIPs.
• Energy savings: SIPs are thought to provide excellent insulation. The Energy Saving Trust states that homes with wall cavity insulation can save £240 per year on energy bills. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t expect similar results from SIPs.

Key takeaways

• SIPs make it fast to construct a home, allowing you to save on labour costs.
• The total cost of building with SIPs will depend on the construction method used.
• SIPs may allow you to reduce your energy costs.
• If you’re looking at building a SIPs extension, take a look at our SIPs extension cost guide.

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