Additional building costs

maurice28

More of a rant than anything else this, but just wanted to put this down and see if anyone has experienced similar.

We are having a single storey extension built on our house. All has gone well so far, the walls are up and retaining walls and steps have been built around where the garden has been dug out and it's looking good, we've been pretty happy so far.

The other day, when the project managing builder came round he informed me that he'd realised that on the original quote that we agreed to, he'd missed out the work for the retaining walls, steps up to the lawn (it's raised above the patio level) and some of the additional patio area we've ended up with. OK, I said, let us know what that does to the cost.

He's sent over a revised quote and it's £6.5k extra. He's said he'll do some moving around with materials and things and can take £1k off that, but it still leaves an extra £5.5k.

This has annoyed me. I can understand if work begins and something unexpected comes up (they mentioned piling might be necessary before the job started, but fortunately it wasn't) but this is extra money for work that was known about from the start. The bricklayer came to see the site at the quoting stage, explained they would build the retaining walls, steps etc and passed that on to the project manager, after which a revised quote was sent over which, we assumed, included all this but we now know didn't.

I've looked again at the original quote and acknowledge in the patio/landscaping part it doesn't specifically mention the retaining walls/steps. However, there is a lot of technical detail in there so to some extent was relying on the fact we'd been told it would be factored in.

I've spoken to the builder and explained the above. They are going to go away and see what they could do but didn't seem keen. I'll update when I hear more.

FaceHead

If the additional £5.5k was included in the original quote, would it still have been acceptable to you? Is the wall and steps really worth £6.5k? Dimensions/construction please. They are in a very awkward spot, because they have done the work already done the work, and you can't say 'no thanks, I'll have an independent brickie to do it, which will come in for less'

A lot of things aren't going to be in even a quite detailed quote but will have been agreed verbally, in the plans, or are implied if they are a dependency for something else that is in there. 

I feel that a lot of these things really boil down to what's right and fair. If it's right and fair, everyone should be able to get on board with it, even if it's not what the paperwork says.

So, does the extra £5.5k make the job still a fair price? If it now makes it overpriced, but the error had actually brought it down to fair, which is why you chose it, then I would be pushing back hard. If it makes it fair, then let them know that you're being a decent person by accepting it, and don't expect there to be further 'errors' or other shenanigans with extras which implied by, but aren't explicitly in, the quote. 

aoleks

you could always go midway and ask for those elements to be invoiced at cost price, but ONLY after you've seen (and validated) a full breakdown of materials (to the last brick) and working times. technically it's extra work on top of what's been quoted, which might be a fix sum, so treat it as a separate project.

without knowing exactly what the costs are, what the contract says and what's been agreed, it's difficult to draw conclusions. also, you don't want to upset your builder before your entire project is ready.

maurice28

Thanks both - I don't have the revised quote to hand to fully confirm the dimensions/specs but I am just going to check elsewhere to see if it sounds fair. To be honest, they've been good and fair so far so I don't think they are inflating the costs per se, it's just the fact it's extra on top of what we budgeted.

Anyway, the builder got back to me. They have said they could do the work at cost (hence the original £1k saving). He said he can probably write off most if not all of the cost of materials, which would be another £1,300 off, and he is also is going to speak to the bricklayer as well about any room for bringing down the labour cost. He's also committed to reviewing the project as a whole and passing on any savings they make on materials or anything else as the project goes on.

All seems amicable so far - I made it clear I appreciate the work needs/needed doing and paying for, but that missing it off the original quote has blown the budget a bit so would appreciate anything they can to help, and fortunately they are open to that. I know at a certain point, the work was required, has already been done, and now needs paying for!

FreeBear

maurice28 said: He's also committed to reviewing the project as a whole and passing on any savings they make on materials or anything else as the project goes on.

The way prices are going at the moment, savings on materials is going to be a very tough call.

maurice28

I'm keen to update on a some of the threads I started in the past so thought I would report back on this for anyone interested! We are almost at the end of the extension project now - when the electrics are finished and the patio area paved (hopefully this week) we'll all be done.

In the end, we only came in £170 over the original quote we were given. Fair play to the builder, through making savings and calling in favours etc he managed to absorb most of the extra costs so we really can't complain. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and advice!

diystarter7

maurice28 said:

I'm keen to update on a some of the threads I started in the past so thought I would report back on this for anyone interested! We are almost at the end of the extension project now - when the electrics are finished and the patio area paved (hopefully this week) we'll all be done.

In the end, we only came in £170 over the original quote we were given. Fair play to the builder, through making savings and calling in favours etc he managed to absorb most of the extra costs so we really can't complain. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and advice!

Many thanks and I'm glad it worked out for you.
It's nice to see people/posters take time out to come back and update.
You are a credit to MSE forums.
Your negotiations skills are good and you sound like a very reasonable guy.