Is it me, or are loft conversion prices somewhat extortionate these days?!

Alex.T

We have a 1930's semi, in Hertfordshire. Plans are ready, PD granted, and we are ready to hand over our money, but we can't find any sensibly priced companies to provide a quote!

We are after a hip to gable conversion, containing one main bedroom, a shower room and a walk in wardrobe room. We also need all soffits, fascists and guttering replaced at the same time. Nothing major or drastic really!

So far our quotes range from £50-70k!! We have a budget in mind, but not that much!

Can anyone recommend any companies in the South East to try?

Thanks.

steeeb

If you have plans are you able to project manage and get in the different trades? Or perhaps get a quote just for structual work. You can put in the insulation yourself as well as plasterboard it. Gwt electritian amd plumber to do their bits. Get plasterer in to skim it. Slap watered down emulsion on the plaster then either decorate or get decorator to do last coats.

Will save you a bunch. Especially at those prices.

Alex.T

steeeb wrote: »

If you have plans are you able to project manage and get in the different trades? Or perhaps get a quote just for structual work. You can put in the insulation yourself as well as plasterboard it. Gwt electritian amd plumber to do their bits. Get plasterer in to skim it. Slap watered down emulsion on the plaster then either decorate or get decorator to do last coats.

Will save you a bunch. Especially at those prices.

I can easily project manage it, and would probably love it too - perfectionist me!

Myself and the wife did think going that route may actually be the best bet as well!

steeeb

So you either need a loft specialist to do the dormer/structual bit but a roofer can likely do it or even a general builder/joiner - likewise the stairs. Youre then half the way there.

Id probably ask a roofer bout the structual work tbh especially if doing sofits and guttering etc they may not do the joists and stairs but a joiner will.

You could get the materials yourself too i assume it tells you the spec of everything in your plans but youd perhaps want to find the trades first.

Im doing a loft conversion myself starting hopefully next week. My dads a joiner and we,ll be doing a lot of work ourselves - I estimate about 6k minus plumbing and electrics (as im getting rewire etc myself i have a thread on it on page 2 explaining the costs) its only for velux conversion. Add about 7-9k for hip to dormer conversion.

Hoploz

I'm doing a large dormer extension, have got PP, just getting structural drawings done before submitting to builders for quotes. I've had an estimate from one already and it's come in at over 50k! And my loft is already converted with small cottage dormers and this would just extend a bit further out, so it's just mainly structural work, not much internally to change apart from a bit of plasterboard! So I feel better having read your post I'm afraid.

Alex.T

Hoploz wrote: »

I'm doing a large dormer extension, have got PP, just getting structural drawings done before submitting to builders for quotes. I've had an estimate from one already and it's come in at over 50k! And my loft is already converted with small cottage dormers and this would just extend a bit further out, so it's just mainly structural work, not much internally to change apart from a bit of plasterboard! So I feel better having read your post I'm afraid.

That is crazy. I'm honestly not sure it's not just certain contractors being a bit greedy TBH. As I said above, our quotes have differed by £20k so far. I feel I'm in the wrong business!

Alex.T

steeeb wrote: »

So you either need a loft specialist to do the dormer/structual bit but a roofer can likely do it or even a general builder/joiner - likewise the stairs. Youre then half the way there.

Id probably ask a roofer bout the structual work tbh especially if doing sofits and guttering etc they may not do the joists and stairs but a joiner will.

You could get the materials yourself too i assume it tells you the spec of everything in your plans but youd perhaps want to find the trades first.

Im doing a loft conversion myself starting hopefully next week. My dads a joiner and we,ll be doing a lot of work ourselves - I estimate about 6k minus plumbing and electrics (as im getting rewire etc myself i have a thread on it on page 2 explaining the costs) its only for velux conversion. Add about 7-9k for hip to dormer conversion.

That's really interesting, thanks! My wife is onboard with me project managing too, as she knows how much of a perfectionist I am.
I know a fair few trades too, so that should help!

steeeb

Alex.T wrote: »

That's really interesting, thanks! My wife is onboard with me project managing too, as she knows how much of a perfectionist I am.
I know a fair few trades too, so that should help!

Great good luck with it. Im sure itll save you massively.

Hoploz

I've been trying to look for a roofer to do the structure (can do lots ourselves) but they sem to mainly do repairs or flat roofs - finding it hard to find one that actually builds them? I am hoping to find one to get a comparison, once I have the finished drawings.

Alex.T

Hoploz wrote: »

I've been trying to look for a roofer to do the structure (can do lots ourselves) but they sem to mainly do repairs or flat roofs - finding it hard to find one that actually builds them? I am hoping to find one to get a comparison, once I have the finished drawings.

Think I'll start making a few calls tomorrow.

steeeb

Hoploz wrote: »

I've been trying to look for a roofer to do the structure (can do lots ourselves) but they sem to mainly do repairs or flat roofs - finding it hard to find one that actually builds them? I am hoping to find one to get a comparison, once I have the finished drawings.

Search "roofing dormer location" you might find one with a website mentioning it or a dormer as part of example work theve done or something.