I've just been using the on-line rebuilding cost calculator at
Now, I've used the calculator to generate rebuild costs for each house, and then for the hell of it, added them together to get the costs for the whole original property. Slightly surprised to find that this was precisely equal to the sum of the two smaller properties; ie, rebuild cost is proportional to the floor area and nothing else.
I realise that's the principle of insurance rebuild costs as opposed to market valuations, nevertheless, can this be right? Surely, now there are two bathrooms and two kitchens for example; there are two sets of 'professional fees' to be included etc.?
Another oddity (to me) is that rebuild costs seem to be a lot higher for older houses than for modern ones. Why is that? If you're having to rebuild from scratch in the event of total loss, what difference does it make how old the original burnt out shell was?
David