The three scopes and their 2026 ranges
| Scope | Content | Indicative range 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic envelope | Foundations, standard slab, structure, roof and cladding | €250 – 450/m² |
| Complete building | Adds installations (electrical, fire protection, ventilation), basic offices | €350 – 650/m² |
| Turnkey with plot | Adds external works, utility connections, permits and fees | €500 – 900/m² |
The first scope explains the low figures in the market: a simple large envelope can indeed be executed at around €150-250/m² in its most economical version, but that number is not the budget of an operational building. Comparing offers starts by identifying which of the three scopes each figure describes.
Chapter breakdown of a standard unit
For a 1,000 m² unit, clear height under 8 m, mid-range finishes, the orders of magnitude of the basic envelope scope:
| Chapter | Order of magnitude |
|---|---|
| Earthworks, foundations and drainage | €20 – 35/m² |
| Standard concrete slab | €20 – 30/m² |
| Structure | €40 – 70/m² |
| Roof (sandwich panel) | €30 – 70/m² |
| Cladding | €35 – 60/m² |
On this base, installations and integrated offices build the jump to the second scope, and the plot's external works (€60 to €150 per m² of developed plot) plus development costs build the third. All three scopes should always be stated, because the ratio is meaningless without them.
The variables that move the ratio
Size. The scale effect is strong in this typology: a 500 m² unit can cost 20 or 30 % more per m² than an equivalent 5,000 m² one, because perimeter foundations, cladding and fixed costs are spread less favourably.
Clear height. Moving from 8 to 12 m increases structure, cladding and fire protection more than proportionally. Height is decided by the planned internal logistics, not by generic caution.
The structural family. Steel (fast, economical at the lower ranges, sensitive to steel prices) or precast concrete (better fire performance, dominant at large scale). The trade-off is detailed on the industrial branch page.
The floor slab. As soon as the activity involves high racking or intense forklift traffic, the slab shifts from ordinary item to critical item, with premiums that can double it. That is the territory of the logistics platform.
Fire protection. Compartmentation, smoke vents and, depending on fire load and floor area, sprinklers: the chapter grows in regulatory steps, and a change of activity can reopen it entirely.
The essentials
A complete standard unit sits in 2026 between €350 and €650/m² PEM, with the basic envelope between €250 and €450/m² and the turnkey project with plot between €500 and €900/m². No industrial figure can be interpreted without its scope, and no budget is complete without external works, fire protection and a slab sized for the real activity.
Note: indicative ranges for Spain in 2026, variable by region, project and market.