Extension Potential: Who First?

System

PasturesNew wrote: »

I know how much I've got. I don't know if it'd cost £10k or £100k though. And before I get 'excited' or plan I'd like to know the choices/options/price ideas so I can choose what to build. If it costs £10k I can do it, if it costs £100k I can't start...

It's important to know roughly what sort of figure you're starting with, and what you'd get for that. Then you can decide if you can afford to keep talking.

If you know how much you are willing to spend you have a budget and a designer can work with that - if you don't tell them what the budget is it will be impossible to define what 'it" is and therefore impossible to design or cost!

You have to start somewhere and knowing the budget is the best place, then you can (or a designer can) prioiritse what goes in the scheme to give you the best comprimise between your aspirations and your budget - however this won't happen if you don't tell anyone what either of those things are!

I have never once had a client who wouldn't discuss what they wanted to achieve and what their maximum budget was - 8/10 times they have to compromise one or the other, its a normal part of the design process, an initial meeting always discusses these two crucial things, you will just keep going around in circles until you tell someone your max budget and what the priorities are for you

PasturesNew

the_r_sole wrote: »

If you know how much you are willing to spend you have a budget and a designer can work with that - if you don't tell them what the budget is it will be impossible to define what 'it" is and therefore impossible to design or cost!

You have to start somewhere and knowing the budget is the best place, then you can (or a designer can) prioiritse what goes in the scheme to give you the best comprimise between your aspirations and your budget - however this won't happen if you don't tell anyone what either of those things are!

I have never once had a client who wouldn't discuss what they wanted to achieve and what their maximum budget was - 8/10 times they have to compromise one or the other, its a normal part of the design process, an initial meeting always discusses these two crucial things, you will just keep going around in circles until you tell someone your max budget and what the priorities are for you

My budget will depend on what I pick/choose to have done, based on what each option would roughly cost me. Also what's available, what people do, what can be done, etc.

If I don't know what things would cost, how will I be able to pick/choose how far I want to go with it, if the prices turn out to be less than I expected?

I'd have a budget once I commissioned the drawings, but up to that point I'd not know how much a build would cost, or how much further I was prepared to go/spend.

Without ever having any exposure to these types of people, or the process, or building, or anything, I need to get their input first, some clues, so I can decide what I want and what the budget is.

It'd start with: These are my problems ..... and this is the space..... what do you see? I need to start with the lowest price something's possible at.... then expand on that (if I'm still in the game) until I get something where I've chosen bits.

System

PasturesNew wrote: »

My budget will depend on what I pick/choose to have done, based on what each option would roughly cost me. Also what's available, what people do, what can be done, etc.

If I don't know what things would cost, how will I be able to pick/choose how far I want to go with it, if the prices turn out to be less than I expected?

I'd have a budget once I commissioned the drawings, but up to that point I'd not know how much a build would cost, or how much further I was prepared to go/spend.

Without ever having any exposure to these types of people, or the process, or building, or anything, I need to get their input first, some clues, so I can decide what I want and what the budget is.

It'd start with: These are my problems ..... and this is the space..... what do you see? I need to start with the lowest price something's possible at.... then expand on that (if I'm still in the game) until I get something where I've chosen bits.

No one will have the time to go through every possible option, and cost it with you before you tell then your budget - I deal with clients in your situation every day - you need to say how much you are willing to spend and what you hope to achieve to progress. I can't say it any clearer, first two questions anyone will ask is what do you want to do and what is your budget - if you refuse to answer you'll never get anywhere

PasturesNew

the_r_sole wrote: »

No one will have the time to go through every possible option, and cost it with you before you tell then your budget - I deal with clients in your situation every day - you need to say how much you are willing to spend and what you hope to achieve to progress. I can't say it any clearer, first two questions anyone will ask is what do you want to do and what is your budget - if you refuse to answer you'll never get anywhere

It's not refusing, it's just impossible (especially on the Internet, in a forum), to explain what I'm trying to achieve.

The bottom line is: I am scared of my washing machine and I want it out of the house .... and so then the whole thing seems to grow with solving other problems and niggles about the house

I also want to move the disabled loo that cuts the house in half. So that can go out there too .... so, if you're putting those out there, might as well chuck in a utility space.... and as you're doing that, why not lob on an entrance porch/sunroom bit of space .... how much are we up to already? Then, as the loo's gone, let's open up that wall and solve the kitchen problems....

And with all of that: and don't lose any sunlight .... and how much is this going to cost? Blimey ..... alternatives?

OK ....

The front look/roofline eludes me most of the time....

michaels

What about starting at the other end, what would you like in the way of rooms in your ground floor first of assuming money/space are no object?