A per-square-metre figure is the first thing most business owners want, and the least reliable. A plain warehouse shell on a flat, prepared site and a warehouse with offices, a heavy-duty slab and fire-rated boundary walls can be the same size and very different prices. Here’s what separates them, and how we get you from a ballpark to a firm number.
Shell vs finished building #
The shell is the frame, roof, walls and doors. A finished building adds the floor slab, site works, services, offices, amenities and fit-out. Always check which one a quoted rate covers. The shell is often the smaller part of the total.
What moves the price per m² #
Site works. Earthworks, retaining, stormwater, hardfill, carparks and service connections. A sloping or soft site can add more than the building itself.
The floor slab. Forklifts, racking and heavy machinery need a thicker, more heavily reinforced slab than a storage shed.
Span and height. Wider clear spans and taller walls need heavier frames. Overhead cranes or gantries add load and cost.
Fire design. Buildings close to a boundary may need fire-rated walls with limited openings, under the Building Code’s fire clauses. Getting the layout right early can save a lot here.
Energy efficiency (H1). Heated or cooled areas, such as offices and showrooms, have insulation and glazing requirements. Larger buildings follow H1/AS2, which applies to non-housing buildings with more than 300 m² of occupied space.
Offices, amenities and fit-out. Toilets, kitchens, offices and mezzanines cost far more per m² than open warehouse floor.
Professional fees, consents and contributions. Engineering, design, fire reports, geotechnical work, surveying, council fees and development contributions.
Ballpark figures #
Take these as a rough starting point only:
- Constructed warehouse shell: typically from about $750 per m² and up. That’s a very basic shell: the building itself and a concrete floor. It doesn’t include site works, stormwater, drainage, electrical, security, fencing, offices or fit-out.
- Finished warehouse: with services, offices and everything else in place, the total can often exceed $1,500 per m², and can reach $2,000 per m² or more.
That’s why it pays to look at the whole cost of the project, not just the building.
From ballpark to firm price #
We use a three-step approach so you aren’t committing to a number built on guesses:
- Budget estimate after a site visit, with the assumptions spelled out.
- Detailed design under a pre-construction services agreement, which removes the variables: earthworks, drainage, foundations, frame, linings and services.
- Firm quote under a written construction contract, checked against the original estimate before it reaches you.
Don’t forget tax #
New commercial and industrial buildings can qualify for Investment Boost, an immediate 20% tax deduction. See our Investment Boost post and talk to your accountant.
Talk to Steelspan #
Send us your site address, rough floor area and how you’ll use the building, and we’ll come back with a realistic budget. Use our Easy Shed Quote or call 0800 787 726.
