Building quotes.... Advice please

[Gareth Kent]

Hello Ladies and Gentleman, I note from some of the posts a number of you are in the building and development trade. I would greatly appreciate your input into sense checking the following. I am in the process of extending and refurbing my house, relatively big job and am using a well regarded local architect. In summary the work is a two story extension, garage downstairs with small utility at back, two bedrooms upstairs, plus add a bathroom via a dorma and refurb two others and the kitchen. In all its 95sq meters of build/refurb of which 55sq meters is new build, the 40sq meters of refurb is the aforementioned kitchen and bathrooms. Not looking at a super high end spec, mid range is fine. Using the architect we will be doing a detailed building quote to three recommended local builders but in order to make sure plans made are not too costly to implement we have paid a few builders to come and provide estimates. So far we have had two estimates coming in at £1500psm +vat. I am in a north Kent in a town which is typically "taxed" so wanted to see if that sounds high. From checking which?, RICs, Travis Perkins and various other sources, a mid range spec should be coming in at approximately £1200psm / £1300psm in the south east. I am prepared to pay for reputable firms who will act as main contractor but ............ Is that worth an almost 20% premium ? So after all that my question is.... Does £1500psm sound about right ? Long post so thanks for reading.

 

[Gareth Kent]

Excuse format. I edited it on iPhone and all the paragraphs merged.

 

[DSB SL AMG]

Worth checking if the building firms you have for quotes are registered....you can perform a postcode search.

FMB - Federation of Master Builders - Home

Hello Ladies and Gentleman, I note from some of the posts a number of you are in the building and development trade. I would greatly appreciate your input into sense checking the following. I am in the process of extending and refurbing my house, relatively big job and am using a well regarded local architect. In summary the work is a two story extension, garage downstairs with small utility at back, two bedrooms upstairs, plus add a bathroom via a dorma and refurb two others and the kitchen. In all its 95sq meters of build/refurb of which 55sq meters is new build, the 40sq meters of refurb is the aforementioned kitchen and bathrooms. Not looking at a super high end spec, mid range is fine. Using the architect we will be doing a detailed building quote to three recommended local builders but in order to make sure plans made are not too costly to implement we have paid a few builders to come and provide estimates. So far we have had two estimates coming in at £1500psm +vat. I am in a north Kent in a town which is typically "taxed" so wanted to see if that sounds high. From checking which?, RICs, Travis Perkins and various other sources, a mid range spec should be coming in at approximately £1200psm / £1300psm in the south east. I am prepared to pay for reputable firms who will act as main contractor but ............ Is that worth an almost 20% premium ? So after all that my question is.... Does £1500psm sound about right ? Long post so thanks for reading.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

£1500m2 sounds ok'ish for the new build but excessive for the refurb works. I'm guessing I've understood your OP correctly and £1500m2 for new build & refurb combined?

Also sometimes the m2 price for 1st floor is reduced E.G. £1000m2 (certainly on the extensions we build)

Ant.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Nearly £150k for an extension and refurb?

I thought that you could build a new house for around that figure.

 

[NOMONEYBUTAMERC]

Nearly £150k for an extension and refurb?

I thought that you could build a new house for around that figure.

Or a street in Doncaster.

 

[Yugguy]

Not sure it is directly comparable but our loft extension into basically a self-contained flat for my mum with bedroom, seperate bathroom and large kitchen/living room came in under 60k.

 

[Red C220]

Is this figure for construction only or are we including all new fixtures and fittings in the £1500/sq/m?

A utility room and three bathrooms and a kitchen can suck up a lot of cash if you like nice radiators and pottery etc.

i.e there could be as much as £25K in fixtures and fittings there.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

To be perfectly frank there's that many permutations to the cost of building that it's hard to give an answer; you're going off rough SQM prices but then, I'm assuming, you're being very specific with your specification to the builders you're paying to quote you so you may think you're mid-range in cost expectations but (and it's usually when the Mrs gets involved) it is very easy for the budget to balloon; on a sizeable build there you can spend £500 just on light bulbs...

 

[Gareth Kent]

Is this figure for construction only or are we including all new fixtures and fittings in the £1500/sq/m? A utility room and three bathrooms and a kitchen can suck up a lot of cash if you like nice radiators and pottery etc. i.e there could be as much as £25K in fixtures and fittings there.

Yes Red, would include construction and fixtures but Howdens Kitchen and joinery to keep costs down, decent quality but not super high spec. Kitchen should be 10k to 15k for units. Bathrooms circa 4K each for two small ensuite and perhaps 6k for the large bathroom.

 

[Gareth Kent]

To be perfectly frank there's that many permutations to the cost of building that it's hard to give an answer; you're going off rough SQM prices but then, I'm assuming, you're being very specific with your specification to the builders you're paying to quote you so you may think you're mid-range in cost expectations but (and it's usually when the Mrs gets involved) it is very easy for the budget to balloon; on a sizeable build there you can spend £500 just on light bulbs...

Fully agree with that. Costs can spiral but this is one to flip rather then stay long term so it's not the forever home. We have explained that to the builders. No aluminium architect grey Windows and solid oak internal doors. Just decent quality (not wickes basics if you know what I mean). At this stage we are just sounding out the plans.

I am hoping that when fully specced out through the formal building quote packs that the numbers will come into the levels I had been expecting.

I understand that some of the builders would lean towards an overestimate so as not so come back at a later stage having to advise increased costs.

 

[Deleted member 113659]

Kitchen should be 10k to 15k for units.

I wish I lived closer to you.

 

[Gareth Kent]

£1500m2 sounds ok'ish for the new build but excessive for the refurb works. I'm guessing I've understood your OP correctly and £1500m2 for new build & refurb combined? Also sometimes the m2 price for 1st floor is reduced E.G. £1000m2 (certainly on the extensions we build) Ant.

Thanks Ant. If you were south east I would PM you for a quote !

 

[Red C220]

Take the internal fixtures and fitting from the quote and then figure out your sq/m/£ cost.

That's the number you use to calculate if the build cost is half sensible.

All the other refurb costs are not part of the extension so should be budgeted individually.

 

[developer]

I am prepared to pay for reputable firms who will act as main contractor but .............

This ^^^.

If you end up with a recommended builder (preferably by someone you know/trust and who's work you've seen), but who's quote is at a (reasonable) premium, I'd go with it.

Having seen builds go wrong, I'd put reputation and quality above price every time.

It's a bit of a minefield out there unfortunately.

 

[bob6600]

Howdens Kitchen and joinery to keep costs down, decent quality but not super high spec. Kitchen should be 10k to 15k for units.

We had a Howdens' kitchen years ago. Quality was fine and our builder took us to their trade counter so we could choose what we wanted. The discount was huge (although maybe inflated rrp) and the carcuses were cheap as chips. Even with a decent door it was very reasonablem and we had a lot of units. Your £10-£15k could buy one at full price from Magnet!

I wish I lived closer to you.

Maybe you would be able to afford a Merc a lot sooner lol

 

[Deleted member 113659]

We had a Howdens' kitchen years ago. Quality was fine and our builder took us to their trade counter so we could choose what we wanted. The discount was huge (although maybe inflated rrp) and the carcuses were cheap as chips. Even with a decent door it was very reasonablem and we had a lot of units. Your £10-£15k could buy one at full price from Magnet

Massive pet hate is when kitchen unit carcasses are not colour matched with the door & drawer fronts.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Kitchen should be 10k to 15k for units.

My new kitchen will be having twenty four painted in-frame shaker cabinets and excluding appliances and granite worktops will be well under £10k, circa £8k so your budget should get you a really good kitchen.

 

[Gareth Kent]

My new kitchen will be having twenty four painted in-frame shaker cabinets and excluding appliances and granite worktops will be well under £10k, circa £8k so your budget should get you a really good kitchen.

Thanks SPX. I think we have over budgeted kitchen. The architect has a trade account at Howdens so I will be visiting one of their showrooms at the weekend to get a better idea.

 

[Piff]

Are the prices you are talking about including or excluding VAT?