What a 400 m² villa really costs to build

Read the budget as three layers, not one number

Owners usually carry a single figure in their head — the contractor's price per square metre. That figure covers structure and basic finishing. It rarely covers the two layers that decide whether the project finishes calmly or painfully.

Treat your budget as shell, finishing, and soft costs. Each behaves differently under pressure: shell costs are fixed early, finishing costs move with taste, and soft costs are non-negotiable regardless of design.

The line items owners forget

• Contingency — a project without 10–15% held back is a project that will pause.
• Boundary walls, gates, driveway and landscaping, often excluded from the main quote.
• Utility connections and meter provisioning, which follow their own timeline.
• MEP upgrades that hot climates demand: cooling capacity, insulation, water storage.
• Furniture, curtains and lighting fixtures — a real cost, usually unbudgeted.

How to pressure-test your own figure

Do not start by asking what the villa costs. Start by asking what portion of your total available funds you are willing to commit before the first month of finishing begins.

If more than roughly two thirds of your budget is consumed before finishing starts, the finish quality will be decided by whatever money is left — not by your intent.