Building Calculators South Africa
Free tools for every stage of your build
R9,500–R30,000/m²
typical build rate 2026
52 bricks/m²
single skin, SANS 227
5.5 bags/m³
cement for 1:2:3 mix
Brick Calculator
Most popularWall dimensions → number of bricks, cement bags and sand needed. Deducts doors and windows automatically. Based on SANS 227 standard brick.
Concrete Calculator
Get cement bags, m³ of sand and stone for any concrete pour. Supports 1:2:3 (M20 structural), 1:3:6 (blinding) and 1:1.5:3 (M25) mixes.
Tile Calculator
Room dimensions → tiles needed, adhesive bags and grout. Supports 300×300 to 600×1200 mm tiles, straight and diagonal patterns.
Paint Calculator
How many litres of paint do you need? Enter room size, choose Dulux, Plascon or custom coverage — get a tin breakdown.
House Build Cost Estimator
Rough cost range for building a new home in SA — by bedroom count and spec level. Based on 2025/26 ASAQS guide rates.
How our build calculators work
SA standards
Brick quantities use the SANS 227 standard brick (222 × 106 × 73 mm). Concrete mixes follow PPC and AfriSam published mix guides.
SA brand coverage
Paint coverage is based on Dulux and Plascon product specifications for smooth interior surfaces. Textured or new plaster may need more.
Conservative estimates
All material quantities include a 10% wastage allowance by default. You can adjust this — we recommend never going below 5%.
Common questions
How much does it cost to build a 3-bedroom house in South Africa?
A mid-range 3-bedroom home (~120 m²) typically costs R1.5 million–R2.2 million to build in 2026, based on contractor rates of R13,000–R18,000/m². Budget builds can come in at R1.1–1.6 million; luxury finishes push costs to R2.2–3.6 million and above. These figures exclude land, professional fees, and municipal costs.
How many bricks do I need to build a house?
A typical 120 m² single-storey home with standard wall height (2.4 m) has roughly 240 m² of external and internal wall face area. Using 52 bricks/m² (single skin) that's approximately 12,500 bricks before wastage, or ~14,000 with 10% added. Use the brick calculator above for your specific wall dimensions.
What is the standard concrete mix for a floor slab in South Africa?
A 1:2:3 mix (M20 grade) is the most widely specified for residential floor slabs. SANS 10400 requires a minimum slab thickness of 75 mm; 100 mm is common practice. A 5 × 4 m slab at 100 mm deep requires approximately 2 m³ of concrete — about 11 cement bags, 1.2 m³ sand, and 1.9 m³ stone.
Where can I buy building materials in South Africa?
Major building material retailers include Builders Warehouse (Massmart), Leroy Merlin, Build it, and Cashbuild. For bulk cement, PPC and AfriSam are the two main SA manufacturers. Local brick manufacturers and aggregate suppliers typically offer better prices for large quantities than retail stores.
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