House Rebuilding Cost Assessments for Insurance Purposes

Most domestic house insurance policies require that the sum assured is the full rebuilding cost of the property. It is the responsibility of the insured to get this figure right. BCIS is commissioned by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to provide guidance figures for the rebuilding cost of a home. The information in this section gives a general indication of rebuilding costs for many common properties within the UK, but it should be noted that it is not appropriate for all houses.

It is stressed that these tables are no substitute for professional advice and judgement, particularly where a property has any unusual features. Professional advice can be obtained from a Chartered Surveyor: the RICS web site can be used to search for a Chartered Surveyor in your area.

Making your own assessment of rebuilding cost, the guidance figures are based on specific examples of houses of average quality, built using standard construction methods. They are not applicable to:

• flats
• properties built of stone or materials other than brick;
• properties with more than two storeys or with basements and cellars;
• houses with special design features, historic or listed buildings, or houses which are larger than the examples;
• houses other than of average quality.