Fair price for extension

Darkstar

I now have had three more builders round to estimate for a two story 9.5 sq meter extension. The two small local companies quoted £40K and £25K. This was just for the build, I would be responsible for architect, planning, building regs, decorating and moving the meters at £1500 which was all included in the first quote of £22.5K. Forget about the £40K quote but still the £25K seems high as that is £2,600 per sq meter. Since everyone is telling me a single story should be around £1000 and an extra story should add £800, therefore I should be quoted in the region of £17K. So where am I going wrong.

One more quote expected from a medium sized local company.

shirlgirl2004

This is just a guess but as you don't have firm plans maybe they are working on worst case scenario. The first firm for example must have added in a contingency so if the real cost would have been 17k then they quote 25k to cover hidden costs.

Darkstar

I had an architect round to discuss the extension and he is going to quote me for drawings etc. He thought the £22.5K quote was ridicules and quoted economy of scale. He said for a large and simple single story extension of 40 meter square then you can maybe look at £1K per square meter but for a smaller 10 meter square then it is more like £1.5K plus. He thinks £25K for my 11 meter square two story build alone is a better estimate, then I have £1600 for him, planning and regs and a further £1.5K to move the meters gives me £28.1K, a big jump from £22.5K.

So how do I find the extra £5K I will need.

latecomer

This is something you need to discuss with the builder. If you are concerned about them trying to change things on you half way through then make sure you agree a stage payment schedule which you are happy with.

Darkstar

latecomer wrote: »

This is something you need to discuss with the builder. If you are concerned about them trying to change things on you half way through then make sure you agree a stage payment schedule which you are happy with.

There in lies the problem as the cheap builder want's a large deposit up front before he sends his surveyor round to produce the drawings. This is the point I expect them to increase their quote.

latecomer

Dont do it. If they want a large deposit up front I'd get someone else. Everything else is pointing to the quote being unreasonably cheap so do not under any circumstances give the guy a despoit until you have a firm and final quote in writing. Even then I personally wouldn't pay in advance.