New house construction price: 2026 ranges
The new house construction price varies widely depending on standing, region, the nature of the plot and the chosen level of finishes. The house price per m² ratio published by builders does not tell the whole story: it often leaves out connections, outdoor works, technical studies and VAT. This guide offers the updated 2026 ranges by project typology, with the variation drivers to know before comparing quotes. It complements the dossier construction cost house and the overview new house price.
2026 ranges by typology
Based on files audited by the firm in 2024-2025, the construction rate ranges for turnkey houses come out as follows in 2026, excluding land and outdoor works, before VAT:
- 2-façade house (terraced, compact): 1 450 to 1 700 €/m². Savings come from compactness and the absence of side façades.
- 3-façade house (semi-detached): 1 600 to 1 900 €/m². Market standard in Walloon residential areas.
- 4-façade house (detached, 4 exposed sides): 1 750 to 2 150 €/m². Larger façade area = insulation + exterior finishes + multiplied connections.
- Single-storey house: 1 850 to 2 250 €/m². For the same living area, foundation and roof represent more m² than a two-storey house.
- Certified passive house: 2 300 to 2 900 €/m². Air-tightness, triple glazing, high-performance balanced ventilation, photovoltaic.
To move from before VAT to including VAT, apply +21 % (except in case of demolition-reconstruction at 6 % until the end of 2026).
The factors that tip the price
Several parameters weigh more heavily than “nice finish choices” on the actual construction cost. Compactness first: for the same area, a simple cubic volume costs 8 to 12 % less than a house with offsets or bespoke architecture. Each corner, each façade recess adds about 1 200 € of shell works.
Then the nature of the soil: a clayey plot, in a wet zone or on a slope requires special foundations (raft, micropiles, retaining works) billed at a 6 000 to 30 000 € premium. A G2 soil study at 1 200-1 800 € before signing prevents nasty surprises.
Regional EPC requirements have a direct impact: in Wallonia as in Brussels, the NZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Building) threshold has become standard. To meet it, you need a heat pump + balanced ventilation + photovoltaic, i.e. a 18 000 to 35 000 € premium depending on technical choices. See EPC new build.
Finally, materials prices: since 2022, Statbel indices show +18 % on materials and +12 % on labour costs in construction. The Statbel data confirm a stabilisation since 2024 but at a structurally high level.
Numerical case study: 4-façade 165 m² house near Liège
File handled by the firm in 2024:
- Turnkey construction 165 m² (EPC A, air-water heat pump, balanced ventilation): 313 500 € before VAT, i.e. 1 900 €/m² before VAT
- VAT 21 %: 65 835 €
- Connections (water, gas, electricity, sewer): 9 200 €
- Soil study and architect (structuring costs): 6 800 €
- Notary fees land (purchased separately 88 000 €): 10 400 €
- Outdoor works (terrace, driveway, fencing): 17 500 €
- EPC, taxes, inspections: 4 200 €
Total cost house + land: 515 435 €, i.e. 3 124 €/m² including VAT compared to the living area. The gap between the builder’s advertised new house price (313 500 € before VAT) and the actual construction cost for the household (515 435 €) illustrates the need to reason in total envelope, not in builder’s ratio.
Common pitfalls in quote comparisons
- Comparing a before-VAT quote from one builder to an including-VAT quote from another: automatic 21 % gap.
- Heterogeneous technical scopes: a “standard EPC A” quote and a “EPC A with geothermal heat pump” quote are not comparable.
- “PM” items (pro memoria, not priced): they will be billed as variations. Have everything priced.
- Missing outdoor works: terrace, driveway, fencing average 6 % of the total and are often omitted.
- Unbounded deadlines: a builder without a delay penalty clause easily slips 3 to 6 months.
- Non-compliant price revision: require a formula that respects article 7 of the Breyne Law.
How to secure your project
Building a new house commits between 350 000 and 700 000 € depending on region and standing. A pre-signature audit by an independent expert (1 200 to 2 500 € depending on complexity) makes it possible to identify contractual risk areas, renegotiate abusive clauses and save 3 to 8 % of the price on average on future variations.
To check your quotes before signing, request a free quote or see our Breyne Law support service. The firm Mon Etat Des Lieux works on the analysis of the contract, the specifications and the plans, and then provides support up to the provisional reception and the lifting of reservations.