Extension - where to start please?

DairyQueen

Rosa_Damascena said:

Hefty!! 9% on mine (budgeted £200k through held breath) would have been a killer.

My architect did a lot less, plans and submissions IIRC, and it cost me about £500. The builder is the PM and I am lucky he is very trustworthy.

Reading some of your other posts you seem like a pretty clued-up non-expert. We are prepared to pay for the comfort of having our hands-held as left to our own devices we could be sitting ducks. We would no doubt miss all kinds of costs and design/quality issues. 

What is your project scope (other than the kitchen) ? Very interested in your experience as £150k represents a big investment for us and we don't know anyone else who has spent that kind of sum in a single building project.

Rosa_Damascena

DairyQueen said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

Hefty!! 9% on mine (budgeted £200k through held breath) would have been a killer.

My architect did a lot less, plans and submissions IIRC, and it cost me about £500. The builder is the PM and I am lucky he is very trustworthy.

Reading some of your other posts you seem like a pretty clued-up non-expert. We are prepared to pay for the comfort of having our hands-held as left to our own devices we could be sitting ducks. We would no doubt miss all kinds of costs and design/quality issues. 

What is your project scope (other than the kitchen) ? Very interested in your experience as £150k represents a big investment for us and we don't know anyone else who has spent that kind of sum in a single building project.

I make no claim of being clued up but I've learnt along the way and much credit goes to Doozer, Jeeps, freebear, grumbler and countless other regulars on this board, plus a couple of decades of watching UKTV Home / HGTV / C4 Homes in the early hours (catching up on Changing Rooms atm). I'm good at soaking up the theoretical but useless on a practical level.

My project involved knocking down a large conservatory and double garage (detached from the property, but attached to a neighbour's), getting double storey foundations in and building a double orangery - kitchen / diner plus utility in one, large living area in the other. Existing sitting room to remain as a winter living room, my dining room will be a proper library. New entrance, hallway, and cloakroom; old kitchen / utility cloakroom area demolished and now a downstairs bedroom with en-suite. Oh yes, and the main roof needed sorting so that's been rebuilt too; external insulation prior to rendering.

I was lucky enough to find a great builder 2 years ago, sounded him out from the start and he helped make my dream for my home come true although he did 2 substantial projects - externals and fascias Yr 1, 2 bathrooms Yr 2 - over the last 2 summers. The big change was he persuaded me to change the 3-year phased plan I had in my head to a 20-week plan this year, but in truth the cost argument alone made sense.

The only think I'm not having done this year is the patio....I would describe my current state as being broke but happy!!

[Deleted User]

DairyQueen said:

darren_5 said:

DairyQueen said:

We were in the same position as you OP. Not a clue where to begin with a major (for us) refurb that included an extension and moving the kitchen.

We initially approached a local builder who advised us to use an architect. This turned-out to be good advice. Our architect has been a mine of information and has guided us when we requested expensive non-essentials. Our plans are now complete and next step is tendering to three local builders. It's daunting but we feel much more comfortable with the architect's hand-holding.

thanks for this, can I ask how the architect has helped you?  Did you have to pay them upfront or do they just take a % of the final cost?

How did you go about finding out a rough estimate of how much it would cost?  Do you not know what until after the architect has done plans and you have approached builders etc?
Many thanks.

He has helped (for example):
- make design suggestions that wouldn't have occurred to us
- diplomatically mentions ballpark cost of achieving our more ambitious non-essentials
- explains pros/cons/relative costs of different types of solutions (e.g. heating in kitchen extension, decking versus terracing, driveway materials)
- explains technical issues/constraints in language that I understand
- produced detailed plans and specs for Council and builders
- advise how to approach issues like kitchen/bathroom design
- advise on pros of appointing a single contractor and what should be included in the contract (payment terms, guarantees, schedules of work, contractor insurance, blah de blah).

He will also coordinate tendering process, monitor costs against budget, act as our agent with the builder, instruct other professionals (we need a structural engineer for a specific aspect), produce lists of materials, coordinate quotes and supply of 'special' items (e.g. lantern roof), check quality of work and that contractor is building to plans, and many other tasks.

We haven't paid him upfront. We are contracted to pay him a percentage of his fee at specific stages of the project. 

He requested a project ballpark  budget at our first meeting and he has used that to guide us throughout the design process to keep us roughly on track cost-wise. We have a contingency plus will pay him 9% of the project cost. 

If the builders' quotes come in over budget we will seek to reduce the scope but I am hoping that the architect has curbed our worst excesses throughout the design phase.

Our schedule is out-to-tender in September with a view to appointing main contractor by Christmas latest. We anticipate having builders begin work spring-summer next year.

Scope of our project:
-  small, rear orangery extension (permitted development no neighbour consultation) to current dining area of kitchen to create new, main kitchen area. Requires installation of water and drainage. Site slopes at rear and soil is heavy clay so foundations will be non-standard. Lantern roof, maximum glazing (notwithstanding insulation requirements), French doors.
- New kitchen plus utility re-fit. Old kitchen area becomes pantry and boot area.
- Refit/part-refit 3 x bath/shower rooms and downstairs cloakroom. 
- Replace all windows and exterior doors inc garage doors and windows
- Replace guttering, fascias and soffits on house and garage
- Replace internal, panelled door with sliding door
- Remove wall and door separating hall from internal entrance porch
- Replace a few radiators
- Repair fitted cupboards in study
- Rehang three internal doors to open out
- Part-block one window
- Build steps and path and extend terrace at rear
- Resurface driveway
- Replace internal door furniture
- Repair render and and total decoration external/internal
- New flooring throughout ground floor.

Including VAT, contingency and professional fees our budget is £150k. If the quotes are higher then we will need to cut our cloth on the quality of specific fixtures/appliances.

Fingers crossed.

Great informative post  👍

FreeBear

Rosa_Damascena said: The only think I'm not having done this year is the patio....

Hopefully, you have access so that heavy equipment such as mini-diggers & dump trucks can be brought in. Having to do all the heavy groundworks by hand takes a long time and racks up the cost. With a micro-digger and tracked 1/2 tonne barrow, you can get away with a 1m gap.

DairyQueen

Rosa_Damascena said:

DairyQueen said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

Hefty!! 9% on mine (budgeted £200k through held breath) would have been a killer.

My architect did a lot less, plans and submissions IIRC, and it cost me about £500. The builder is the PM and I am lucky he is very trustworthy.

Reading some of your other posts you seem like a pretty clued-up non-expert. We are prepared to pay for the comfort of having our hands-held as left to our own devices we could be sitting ducks. We would no doubt miss all kinds of costs and design/quality issues. 

What is your project scope (other than the kitchen) ? Very interested in your experience as £150k represents a big investment for us and we don't know anyone else who has spent that kind of sum in a single building project.

I make no claim of being clued up but I've learnt along the way and much credit goes to Doozer, Jeeps, freebear, grumbler and countless other regulars on this board, plus a couple of decades of watching UKTV Home / HGTV / C4 Homes in the early hours (catching up on Changing Rooms atm). I'm good at soaking up the theoretical but useless on a practical level.

My project involved knocking down a large conservatory and double garage (detached from the property, but attached to a neighbour's), getting double storey foundations in and building a double orangery - kitchen / diner plus utility in one, large living area in the other. Existing sitting room to remain as a winter living room, my dining room will be a proper library. New entrance, hallway, and cloakroom; old kitchen / utility cloakroom area demolished and now a downstairs bedroom with en-suite. Oh yes, and the main roof needed sorting so that's been rebuilt too; external insulation prior to rendering.

I was lucky enough to find a great builder 2 years ago, sounded him out from the start and he helped make my dream for my home come true although he did 2 substantial projects - externals and fascias Yr 1, 2 bathrooms Yr 2 - over the last 2 summers. The big change was he persuaded me to change the 3-year phased plan I had in my head to a 20-week plan this year, but in truth the cost argument alone made sense.

The only think I'm not having done this year is the patio....I would describe my current state as being broke but happy!!

Good grief! That's one heck of a project. Sounds like you picked the long straw with your builder. Did you manage to stay within your initial budget? 'Scope creep' is a major concern for me.

We are new to our area so have no knowledge of local tradespeople. We have a few recommendations and so will go with the builder with whom we feel most comfy rather than the cheapest.

My biggest challenge at the moment is to make so many decisions on fixtures and materials within the next two weeks.