Calculating rebuild cost key takeaways
- Home rebuild cost = the money needed to fully rebuild your home after a fire or flood and is different from its market value.
- You can find your rebuild cost on your insurance policy, mortgage report, home insurance quote, or using our rubuild cost calculator.
- Key factors include property type, size, age, number of rooms, materials, location, and local labour costs.
- Average UK rebuild cost = £305,000 and varies by bedrooms and region, e.g., 1-bed £187,000, 5-bed £471,000, regions £193,000-£402,000.
- Accuracy matters because underestimating = not enough cover and overestimating = paying too much.
What is the rebuild cost of my house?
The rebuild cost of your house is the amount of money it would take to completely rebuild your home after a major disaster, such as a fire or flood.
It covers everything needed to restore your home to its original condition, including materials, labour, and professional surveys. This figure reflects the true cost of rebuilding in major situations, such as if your house were completely burnt down.
How to work out the rebuild cost of my house
One of the easiest ways to get an idea of your home's rebuild cost is to get a home insurance quote.
When you get a home insurance quote with us, we'll ask you, "What's the rebuild cost of the property?"
With the help of the Royal Chartered Institute of Surveyors (RICS), we'll estimate this figure for you.
This estimate is based on:
- Your property type
- Your location
- The year your home was built
- The number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- The materials of your walls and roof
We can also show you the rough rebuild costs of properties like yours in the same area.
You can change this figure if you have a more accurate rebuild cost.
You can also find your home's rebuild value on your:
- Existing home insurance policy document
- Mortgage valuation report
Is the rebuild cost different from the market value?
Yes - your home's rebuild cost and its market value are different. The market value of a home is influenced by more factors than just the cost to build the structure. These include:
- Access to transport links
- Access to amenities and hospitals
- Local crime rate
- School catchment area
- General desirability
Your home's market value is likely to be higher than its rebuild cost.
Why do I need to know the rebuild cost of my house?
If your home was damaged beyond repair in a flood or fire, your home insurance should cover the cost of rebuilding your home.
It’s important this figure is accurate to ensure there's enough cover for your home to be rebuilt.
According to our data, the average building insurance claim for fire damage is £156,000 and £47,000 for flood damage*.
With such high costs, it's important to know how much it would cost to fully repair your home.
What our home & lifestyle insurance expert says
"Your home's rebuild cost is one of the most important factors when insurance companies work out your home insurance costs. This figure becomes your policy's 'sum insured' - the maximum amount your insurer is willing to pay towards a future claim.
"That's why it's so important to be accurate with this - too low an amount means you don't have enough cover to rebuild your home after a disaster. Luckily we can estimate this for you when you get a quote."
Is there a rebuild cost calculator?
Yes - you can use our free rebuild cost tool.
This provides a rough estimate of the rebuild costs based on information you type into the calculator.
The calculator asks you for details about your house, such as:
- Your postcode & address
How to measure your house in square metres
If you use the rebuild cost calculator, you need to know the size of your house.
This is because it needs to calculate the amount of materials it would take to rebuild your home, including:
- Bricks
- Length of drainage
- Pipe runs
If your home has recently been sold, you can look up its property listing on somewhere like Zoopla for the property's size.
To give yourself an idea of the floor area of your home, do the following:
- Go outside and measure the length and width of each of the ground floor walls.
- Multiply each of your measurements together for the required ground floor total.
- If the upstairs is identical to the downstairs, just double the ground-floor area. If it isn’t, look at any plans or deeds for the property. Or measure the external walls from inside the property, adding the thickness of the external wall and any partition walls.
- Add your first-floor measurement to that for the ground floor to get the total.
Can I hire a surveyor to calculate the rebuild cost?
Yes, you can use a chartered surveyor who specialises in rebuild costs. This comes at a price, but the surveyor’s assessment should be as accurate as you can get.
A surveyor is especially important if:
- You live in a non-standard property, such as one with a thatched roof or timber frames
- You live in a listed building
The RICS has a useful tool to find a surveyor near you.
What’s the average rebuild cost of a house?
*According to Confused.com data September - November 2025, based on the highest volume of insurance quotes, the following figures represent typical rebuild cost estimates. These costs are determined by the number of bedrooms, giving an estimated benchmark for rebuild values by property type and size.
| Number of bedrooms | Average rebuild cost* |
|---|---|
|
1
|
£100,000 - £150,000
|
|
2
|
£200,000 - £250,000
|
|
3
|
£250,000 - £300,000
|
|
4
|
£300,000 - £350,000
|
|
5
|
£750,000+
|
What's the average cost of insurance based on rebuild costs?
Based on rebuild costs, our data shows the average price of buildings insurance is £178.01*.
The price you pay can vary depending on factors such as your home’s rebuild cost.
To give you an idea, the table below shows the average buildings insurance cost by rebuild cost.
| Property cost | Average buildings insurance cost (based on rebuild costs)* |
|---|---|
|
£0-£100k
|
£150.98
|
|
£100-£150k
|
£156.63
|
|
£150-£200k
|
£148.60
|
|
£200k-£250k
|
£152.97
|
|
£250k-£300k
|
£170.90
|
|
£300k-£350k
|
£194.45
|
|
£350k-£400k
|
£219.73
|
|
£400k-£450k
|
£248.44
|
|
£450k-£500k
|
£276.28
|
|
£500k-£550k
|
£311.02
|
|
£550k-£600k
|
£340.29
|
|
£600k-£650k
|
£367.49
|
|
£650k-£700k
|
£389.20
|
|
£700k-£750k
|
£426.48
|
|
£750k+
|
£584.70
|
*All data based on buildings-only insurance quotes for Confused.com customers between August and October 2025. Prices shown are the median premiums. Data sourced January 2026.
What happens if I underestimate or overestimate the rebuild value of my home
If you miscalculate and your rebuild value is lower than it should be, you risk not having enough cover.
That means if your house ever does get completely destroyed, your insurer isn't able to cover the full costs of the rebuild. You might have to pay the rest of the bill yourself, which could end up being expensive
Or, if you overestimate the rebuild value, you're paying too much for your cover needlessly.
This is why it's important to get an accurate figure so you can buy a policy that suits your needs and your budget.
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