Construction Cost Data (Malaysia)

This CCD accords high priority to essential research and development efforts in a diverse range of topics from construction cost trends, cost studies and market sector analyses to construction legal cases of practical relevance and significance, procurement approaches, contract forms, professional practice and contract administration essentials.

The resultant findings and commentaries are shared with and disseminated to our Clients, fellow professional colleagues, business associates and professional institutions in the industry as well as tertiary institutions through the authorship and publication of Client Practice Notes and Research Digests, and at knowledge-sharing seminars, workshops and training sessions.

The construction costs for a variety of building types are given in unit area (square metre) of the built-up floor area of the building in the national currencies of the country and have been based on an analysis of tender returns under competitive tendering conditions.

The built-up floor area is the total area of covered enclosed floor space fulfilling the functional requirements of the building measured to the outside structural face of the external enclosing walls and excludes carparks (above and below ground). Where this does not apply or is different, it is noted in the preamble preceding each country section.

The construction costs per unit area assume a standard building type built under typical conditions generally expected in the country. Prevailing market conditions, design provisions, quality standards, building legislation and codes do vary between countries and consideration must be made when using the data.

The rate per square metre includes piled foundation works, sub-structure works and M&E services. Unless otherwise noted no allowances have been made for the following:

Professional, supervision and administrative fees and expenses and in the case of Singapore, accredited checker's fees and registered inspector's fees;

Land costs, quit rent, assessment charges, legal fees and stamp duties;

Planning and submission fees, documentation fees, survey fees and miscellaneous charges:

Statutory contributions and authority charges; Development charges;

Property tax;

Furniture, fittings and equipment;

Interior fitting out works, office equipment and partitioning systems;

Infrastructure works;

Works outside site boundary;

Diversion of services and drains;

Services connection fees;

Advertisement and promotion costs;

Financial charges;

Exceptional soil conditions and excavation in rock; Fluctuations in construction costs; and

Value Added Tax, Goods and Services Tax and the like

The construction costs in the previous section are expressed in unit cost per square metre of built-up floor area in order to provide a common basis for comparison between the various countries.

The built-up floor area may not be applicable in all countries as some countries may have their own preferred denominator floor area to suit the local terminology.

A section has been created to set out the construction costs for individual countries based on the local preferred denominator floor area. The construction costs should be read in conjunction with the data on the facing page.

Explanatory notes on the method of measurement of the floor area and unit costs are set out as a preamble preceding each country data.
For countries where the denominator floor area is similar to the built-up floor area, the construction costs remain the same.

Composite Unit Rates

Consist of all-in composite unit rates commonly used for estimating.

Major Unit Rates

The major unit rates for common construction items typically found in a building project are based on lump sum fixed price contracts. They include allowances for contractor's overheads and profit and all necessary labour, goods and materials, plant and equipment but exclude the cost of preliminaries and site on-costs.

Material Prices

The prices of main construction materials are ex factory and exclude trade and cash discounts. They are given in the units in which the material is normally sold or procured.

Labour Prices

The wage rates are based on an 8-hour work day and include (where applicable) allowances, bonus and incentive payments but exclude contractor's overheads and profit.