# query on quote for renovation/extension



## phlux (25 May 2010)

Hi
I'm hoping someone in the know could advise if the quotes below are realistic for renovation/extending a 3 bed terraced cottage:

Demolish existing extension, strip ceiling, walls & floors - 10,000
Remove roof, new timber roof structure & slating & lead work to roof & insulation - 16,000 (re-using existing slates)
30m2 extension (flat roof & windows) - 38,000
Electrics - 8500
Plumbing -3200
Heating system (rads & gas boiler) - 8,500
New timber floors & insulation - 8,500
Dry line all external walls/plasterboard ceilings - 8,500
Plastering - 8,000
Kitchen - 6,500
Bathroom - 3,200
Tiling - 3,500

We were pretty shocked with the prices and are hoping to get another quote. 
The house is approx 85sqm. 

Thanks in advance


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## Maggs065 (25 May 2010)

I'm no expert, but that sounds nuts. Have you got other quotes? We are just completing a garage conversion (ok a small job) - and our quote was €4500. We had estimated €5000.

Get at least 2 more quotes!


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## dubgem (25 May 2010)

Even if you are happy with the quote you should always get three.  I got three and was shocked at how expensive one of them was compared to the other two (needless to say I was able to eliminate that one right away).

Just one thing, your figure for the kitchen - you should look into getting the kitchen units yourself and only paying your contractor for installation.  I always seem to be recommending Ikea on here, but I got my kitchen from them, it was excellent quality and excellent value and my contractor installed it.  If you download the Ikea kitchen planner (here) it will even tell you how much what you want will cost.  (And if it works out too expensive then you can change layout / fronts / hardware etc until it comes in on budget).


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## phlux (25 May 2010)

Thanks a mill. We will definitely another couple of quotes. There was also 10,000 in there for insurance and management. I reckon we could try to manage ourselves and subcontract - not sure on the insurance though. We would have though that any contracters would have their own insurance?!?!

Regarding the Ikea kitchen - that sounds brilliant. I had a quick look there and they look lovely. 

Thanks for your help.


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## hoppy (25 May 2010)

sounds very high. we are building a 83 sqm onto a small cottage and the price for every thing including re-roofing the cottage ,waste treatment and triple glazed windows was 97k , where are you based


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## car (26 May 2010)

my mate fits kitchens,  he only charges for his time if you buy the units yourself, obviously, or 10% on cost (covers design and delivery) if you want him to get it from wholesalers  of which he shows prices and receipts to customer.   Ikea are never cheaper on this price. This should be the same for all fitters.   

If you can do your measurements and design (be aware of all latest wire work) then great, but if your measurements are out then youre in trouble.

Multiple quotes all the way.


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## onq (26 May 2010)

This is refurbishmen work in a terrace - a tight environment that can incur delays.

What is the area of the existing dwelling that will be left after demolition - does the 85 sqm include the 30 sqm extension or not?

When you suggest flat roof and windows for the new extension, are you forgetting foundations, slab, insulation, underfloor heating or are these included somewhere else?

ONQ.


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## phlux (26 May 2010)

Thanks all
We are based in Dublin. 
We would be knocking about 20sq m and rebuilding approx 30sqm. 
On the quote the 38,000 is for the 30sqm extension structure, flat roof & windows so i'm assuming that includes foundations and slab. There is an extra 8,500 for timber floors & insulation but no mention of underfloor heating. 

Another thing we were baffled by, it states 9,500 for insurance and management. This is extra to 15,000 for fees (architect, engineer, planning etc) and 15,000 for contingency also. This 9,500 seems alot - we would prefer to project manage ourselves if possible but are confused about the insurance. Would the contracters not have their own insurance?

Thanks again in advance


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## RKQ (26 May 2010)

If you Project Manage yourself then you with require Public Liability Insurane and Employers Liability Insurance to cover you from claims of injury to sub-contractors, labourers, site visitors or members of the public (including trespassers & thieves!)

Prices listed above seem a little high. Always get *3* detailed written quotes.

Retain proper profession advice - it could save you alot of cash. This 15,000 for fees (architect, engineer, planning etc) is certainly something you could & should take charge of.


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## jmsm (26 May 2010)

hi 
we are renovating a 4 be semi d in Cork and those prices do seem high alright. 
Funny enough the quote for the roof is almost the same €16,000 
We are getting new heating and boiler etc but that cost was all included in the plumbing part of the quote -coming in at about 9000
our demolitions are about 3500 so your quote seems very high, we have to demolish an existing extension and some outdoor sheds (including a toilet!)
and strip out the inside of the house.

If its any good to you we got three written quotes and found it very difficult to compare them, we sat down with 2 of the people and worked through some of the issues and then picked our company based on cost but also a bit of gut feeling. We didn't go with the cheapest person. We then had to sit down again with them and go through everything again. 
It has taken about 10 weeks to get to today when the actually started work


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## txirimiri (26 May 2010)

I would be very wary of a builder quoting you for insurance and management. That is their responsibility and should be a built in cost of their pricing structure. We are getting a job to our house in Dublin at the minute and there is no cost in the quote for insurance (and the builders immediately sent ua a copy of their insurance when asked so we could see what the maximum they were insured for was) and there was no question of charging a fee for managing the sub-contractors (electrician, plumber, painter and decorator, sash window renovator). In fact, we got 6 written quotes in total and none of them had fees for management or insurance! And a 15 grand contingency seems a lot - did they explain why it was so high. I'd run a mile if I were you ...

If it helps, this is roughly how our builder's costs breakdown (smaller job than yours)

Drylining all external walls (140 sqm house) - 6015
Strip existing bathroom and install new bathroom - 3000
Build new loo under stairs - 4866 (this entails quite complicated pipe woek to get sewage pipe out and flexiducting for extractor fan plus moving and boxing in existing heating pipes)
Painting and decorating (incl some replastering) - 5600
Electrics - 900
Plumbing (incl supply and fit new A rated boiler) - 4000
Contingency, skips - 1200

As I said we got 6 quotes, this was the second cheapest.


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## txirimiri (26 May 2010)

Forgot to add that the bathroom costs don't include fixtures and fittings


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## phlux (27 May 2010)

Thanks very much for your responses.

JMSM, some of your figures are similar to ours alright. Your demolition figure seems much more reasonable. I think your right, we need to get a couple of extra quotes and then work our way through them like you did. 

Txirimiri - we thought that alright about the ins & management. I got a rough quote for taking out ins ourselves and it looks like it would be around 1,000 but it's great to know that the builders should cover that themselves. So between that and the management fee it's a saving of 9,500 already!!! 

The 15,000 contingency is in case they run into unexpected problems along the way, especially as it's an old house.  I think we are defintely going to walk away from this guy. 

It's a great help to get some other figures as we thought the quotes we had were crazy but don't have the experience to judge. 

I'm off to sort out another few quotes now. 

Your help was greatly appreciated, Phlux


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