Turnkey construction

Turnkey construction in Malaysia: what a house costs per square foot

Updated 4 November 2026

Approximately, according to cost guides for Malaysia, November 2026, a new house built turnkey costs RM 380 to RM 700 or more per square foot of built-up area, with the top end for higher finish grades. Renovation permits add RM 200 to RM 5,000 or more. Describe your project in a request on BlaBlaPrice to get current prices for your site.

What the price depends on:

• Building type and floor area, in square feet or square metres (one square metre is about 10.76 square feet)
• Wall material and finish grade
• Condo or landed property, which changes the permit and the scope
• Utilities such as plumbing, electrical and drainage connections
• Stage of work: design only, structure only, or ready to move in

Prices are quoted per job or per square foot, so ask which unit a quote uses before you compare offers.

Licences and permits to check

Contractors working on Malaysian projects need a CIDB contractor licence from the Construction Industry Development Board, and the grade you need depends on the value of the project. Ask to see the registration before you sign. Renovation permit costs vary by property type, and the local council is involved, so ask who applies for the permit and who pays for it.

Contract types you will see

Malaysian builders commonly offer lump sum, measurement, cost-plus, design and build, and turnkey contracts. A turnkey contract means the contractor delivers a finished, ready-to-use building for an agreed price, so ask what that price includes: design, permits, utilities and finishing.

Season and site work

Malaysia is hot all year, with a wet season and a dry season instead of winter, so the weather does not stop building the way frost does elsewhere. Heavy rain in the wet season can slow earthworks and concrete pours, so agree on a schedule that allows for rain days and ask how the contractor plans around it.

What to put in your request

Give the building type, the floor area in square feet or square metres, the wall material you prefer, which utilities you need, the stage of work you start from, your deadline and your budget in RM. Say whether the plot is a condo unit or landed property, because that changes the permit.

On BlaBlaPrice you describe the project once in a free chat and the AI asks for the missing details, then looks through sellers' websites and price lists in Malaysia and shows the prices and businesses it finds. Sellers registered on BlaBlaPrice reply in the chat with their own offer and terms, and your contacts stay hidden until you decide. Start from the home page, read how it works, or compare with turnkey renovation.