Extension cost

clutterbug_2

A builder has quoted for our extension which is roughly 3x5m but with the outside wall extending a meter past the extension. !Just to note that we are buying our own bricks and roofing timber as we are having a vaulted ceiling with exposed trusses and rafters.

So, this is what he's quoted for;
Dig footings/foundations for side wall (6m), gable end wall (3m) and corner pillar for utility room.
Put up side wall using reclaimed bricks, all supplies sourced by ourselves. Wall ties to be used.
Damp proofing required.
Put up gable end wall using brick sourced by ourselves. Wall ties to be used.
Reinforce current drainage and add in two new points (roughly 6m)
Put in concrete floor as per building regulations (insulation 75mm, concrete 75mm, hardcore 150mm, sand blinding, DPM, NO screed)!
Brick up current entrance to kitchen (approx 2x2.4m)
Knock through new door to kitchen.
Knock through current kitchen door and window.
Install RSJ above where current kitchen door and window are (supplied by ourselves)
Prepare roof (apart from timbers) and slate roof. Slate to be provided by builder.
Install roof windows
Install two small slit windows in side wall
Install exterior door with side panels.

For all this, the builder reckons its about 8 weeks work with 4 men on site.

Total cost £26,000.

Procrastinator333

Bearing in mind a lot of the materials are supplied by you, that looks high compared to what we just had done, though I may be wrong.

3mX5.5m Extension. Picture frame steeel. Vaulted ceiling. Velux windows. Remove internal wall. Construct downstairs wc under stairs. Install soakaway. Plaster finish throughout. All materials, windows etc supplied by builder. Builder responsible for all removal of waste. Cost £22k. We got 4 quotes One quote was for £38k! 2 were for £22-£23k and 1 was at £18k. Didn't trust the £18k builder. We are in Surrey.

I would say get more quotes. Do you have plans for them to quote off? Make sure you nail down all details and that all quotes are for the same thing.

Also, be sure to check if that is incl or excl VAT.

clutterbug_2

We think it's ridiculously expensive, with the average £1000psm cost, even at 25% over that would be £18,750 and that would include the bricks and timber or any wall finishing (as we have a good plasterer locally).

We are waiting for quite a few other quotes to come in, one from a local bricky who we trust, we really hopes he comes in with a good quote. He reckons itll be 2 men on site for 4 weeks, half of what this other guy has said. Another builder has said 5 weeks but not how many laborors.

Thanks for raising the vat question, didn't think of that.

jkpd

Ignore the avg £1000 psm it is complete rubbish a small extension will cost a lot more psm than a large one,their are to many varibles to start using £s psm, ie a large new build im now completing to a above avg finish is coming in at £790 psm approx 220 m2 a small 2 bed bungalow approx 89 m2 average finish last year came in at £900 psm! your ext sounds more like £18k ish + vat. Remember if you use a builder who is not vat reg you are only saving vat on the labour and not materials and they are paying more for their materials because they have not got the buying power. Go on FMB website and find some builders local to you.FMB are their to help the builder and to help you in the event of problems

clutterbug_2

jkpd wrote: »

your ext sounds more like £18k ish + vat.

Is that including or excluding materials?

My nickname is the Bargain Ninja as I'm big into researching the best and most value for money options on EVERYTHING, and I haggle well (must be the Spanish in me!) so I'm hoping to get the best for the materials, but other builders we have spoken to have said that if they can get it cheaper we can buy it on their accounts.

So far I've managed to get the bricks from the reclamation yard down from 55p to 35p each and that was with a little haggling, so I reckon I could get it down further when we start talking to them about the slate and roofing timbers. £480 saved so far, I am determined to get the whole build and kitchen for less than £25K!

jkpd

My 18k was a ball park figure,are all elevations brickwork and are you getting all the timber for the roof?if so knock the cost of those materials from the 18k,60 bricks to sqm,without seeing your plans it is hard to be accurate,but 18k is a good guide,you are best to get a estimate including all materials and knock of what you supply,merchants are finding it very hard so would welcome your trade,what we call heavy materials bricks,blocks,insulation,plasterboard etc should be the same price from keyline/jewsons give or take,when buying smaller screws,builders metal work etc go elsewhere their are a lot suppliers for fixings,drainage etc.If you are prepared to put the time in you will save money and 25k sounds possible as long as you can find a builder who is happy with you supplying some materials,I have done this before and it's worked ok,also avoid any builder who wants 4 men on site just daft and not cost effective for you 1 bricklayer and labourer, 2 carpenters for roof etc if you find a good builder should work well,good luck

clutterbug_2

Thanks. Had another builder round today that has also said 4-5 weeks for 2 people on site, and certainly couldn't see why it would take 4 guys 8 weeks! Can't wait to get the quote from the guy who's done work for us before!

jkpd

If you have a builder you are happy with then he is probaly your man, keep us informed,

clutterbug_2

Well, we had two polish guys come to quote who showed us photos of what they had done before and we felt they were quite professional. They have quoted £7000 for just labour (which was what we thought really, it less than half what the other builder quoted for just labour), so we're just waiting for a few people to come back to us. Then if they work out the cheapest we'll check up on references as there were quite a few local ones.

Fingers crossed though that our family friend comes in at a good price!

jkpd

Their are some very good polish tradesmen out their, ask them how long they have been working in the UK, do they know all are building regs, check their refs go and see their work if possible,are they asking to be paid in cash? 7k sounds good.

Brenster

jkpd gives some good advise, I am a chartered qs who regularly prices work for builders, and privately for clients such as yourself for budgettary reasons.

The £1000 / m2 is a number I get asked about all the time and is quickly becoming the vain of my life !, just last night I finished a simple 14m2 extension estimate which totalled £20,500 exc vat, which is massively over the the £1000 / m2. However their were very good reasons for this, their was much more glazing proportionally than usual, the roof contained 3 roof lights, the external areas required a large quantity of earth removed and part of the next doors drive required retaining. All these items cost money, and the smaller the extension the less area their is to carry the cost when expressed as a m2.

With what I know £18k sounds like a realistic budget for labour and materials, however this would exclude VAT.

If you are so keen to reduce the cost, why not get involved digging the footings or assist with the manual labour (mixing mortar etc).

Good Luck.