Garage Conversion- 2 quotes, which would you choose?

charliee_3

Hi all, we bought our house in july (FTB) and this is our first experience of hiring people in so need a bit of advice please!
we want to have our integral garage converted into playroom and a computer room. It requires 2 doors through, one from the hall and one from the lounge, we already had the window for the front and back and a french door for the back.

it is going to have a studwork front and back to save digging for footings (building regs guy said this was ok) there is a lintel front and back so will only be the weight of itself.

1x radiator in the playroom (coming down from upstairs)

2 double sockets in each room

all finished to ready to decorate stage

have had 3 quotes...

1 was with local one-man builder- unknown quantity £3500
2nd is with a builder friend. know lots of people who have had work done by him and no problems, so should be a good job- £4800
local builder firm (a guy with 12 men doing the work- lots of certificates, etc) £8500

i have crossed out the last one as its way more than we can afford, but there is a big difference between the other 2..

would you choose the unknown cheap quote or the trusted friend?.. do you think i could ask him to knock the price down a bit and if so how do i approach it.. eeek.. :eek:

Alan_M_2

Ask for references and physically go and inspect his work and talk to previous customers.

If this isn't forthcoming, then that answers your question.

Number 3 is an established building firm with people on the books, paying tax, all adequately insured and above board (most likely). For them to operate in this manner they need to charge appropriately, hence the quote.

Number 1 Is likely to be a sold trader non vat registered who could be great, could be rubbish, could be somewhere in between. Until you have references is an unknown quantity.

Number 2 - you have recommendations, and the price is reasonably appropriate to your budget. I'd hazard a guess He's vat registered and insured but doesn't have a large workforce.

Do research...even on the recommended guy.

andy69_2

I would just go for the cheapest one, Just dont pay him until he is finished, if he hasn't done things properly tell him to do it again or he won't get paid, thats jut me though...

dander

I would start by checking that they are all quoting for exactly the same thing. No point going with the cheapest quote if you realise he hasn't factored in something the others have and the total thing ends up costing more.

For instance, if one of them says the electrics will need a whole new circuit coming off the consumer unit, they will quote higher than someone who says they can do it with a spur coming off an existing circuit. But it might be that you do actually need a new circuit and the cheap quote will start to grow...
Smaller companies are more likely to make quoting errors like this, simply because the guy coming round won't be an electrician and he'll be taking guesses on what will be needed and it will be only when his subcontracted electrician comes in to do the job that he'll find out exactly what current regulations specify are needed.

That kind of difference in price could very easily be down to variations in details.

Alan_M_2

andy69 wrote: »

I would just go for the cheapest one, Just dont pay him until he is finished, if he hasn't done things properly tell him to do it again or he won't get paid, thats jut me though...

This is how most problems start, just say yes because it's cheap, then find half of what you expected to be done wasn't included in the quote.

Next thing you're on daytime TV with a balding overweight builder complaining about a Builder the "Ripped you off".

Get detailed estimates with a breakdown not just "I'll do it for £3,500".

ormus

go for the number two. but try and get the price down, nearer to the 3500 quote.

andy69_2

Alan_M wrote: »

This is how most problems start, just say yes because it's cheap, then find half of what you expected to be done wasn't included in the quote.

Next thing you're on daytime TV with a balding overweight builder complaining about a Builder the "Ripped you off".

Get detailed estimates with a breakdown not just "I'll do it for £3,500".

Like I said before... Thats what I would do, never had problems before. And if he messed up, he wouldn't get paid!

GSXRCarlos

Ring up number two, let him know that you'd like him to do the work, but tell him you've had a quote for £3500. Tell number two that the prices/quotes are like for like but you'd prefer to work with him. Then ask him to have a look at his price and see what he can do for you price wise.

After a bit of negotiating you may get to 4200, that's when you tell him that the job can be his for £4,000 (that's assuming you're happy to pay 4k???) i'd rather pay £500 more to someone i know i can get hold of if i need to

Good Luck

Good luck

charliee_3

thanks for the input.. i forgot to say we already have a spur in the garage from the last people so should be quite straight forward i would think?

eeek.. it would be good getting a mate to do it as i know where he lives and i know he is legit and so on.. but somehow is is much harder asking for a discount that asking a complete stranger..

the cheap guy seemed ok, he was very VERY chirpy to the point of being a bit odd... but friendly, his quote looks ok, there were a couple of points that were wrong but he seemed ok about it when i pointed it out... i dont mind paying 4200 as we thought 5k altogether and we already spent £700 or more on the windows and door as builder mate said it was best way.. plus we still have to pay £215 on top for the building control and then we'll need flooring..

GSXRCarlos

Charliee,

It's my job to be a cheeky !!!!!! (i'm a Quantity Surveyor for a construction company) so i always ask them for something, then a bit more, then just a little bit more to see if they really want the job.

I've recently sorted out windows for my house, quotes ranged from £1950 - £5000, i ended up going with the second best company for £2000 (their price came down from 2700, to 2400 eventually to 2000 when i asked them to meet my lowest price)

If you know the guy just be honest with him, you've had a quote of 3500, you're not looking to take the mickey, but you do want his best price.

Ask for 3500 first, then move up to 4k and see where he stands

charliee_3

well we asked him and told him we had a quote of 3500 and he said 'great go for it', so i get the feeling he either doesnt really want the job, or has plenty enough work on to lose a job without worrying.. other half called the cheap bloke up to suss him out, he said he sounded ok, he is insured and he has some jobs we can go and see if you like, so we will.. hopefully it will work out ok and we will save ourselves some money.. fingers crossed...