Convertion Costs...

[eddieed]

Hi All,

Not sure if this is in the right forum however...

We are about to embark on a building project. Basically we bought a bungalow and we want to turn it into a house. Currently the designs are coming up short (to what we want and size) and the concerns we have is we have one chance to get this right! Part of the reason they seem to be coming up short is budget. Our architect quite rightly ensuring he sticks to what we have given him. Feasability study and given we have a difficult plot says makes more financial sense to keep existing and extend and add another storey.

Looking at the calculations he is suggesting £1500 per square metre for new parts and £1200 for refubishing existing. We are in the South East does this sound right the former does but the later sounds like quite a bit - our budget isnt stingy but we are struggling to get a decent 4 bed house!

I was watching a Building the Dream and they built a 5 bed property for £330k I am getting knowwhere near this for not much less money...who is in cloud cookoo land - them or me!

I know he is pricing for main contractor and we probably wont go this way however we need to start this project knowing we can finish it.

Thanks in advance

*Spelling Error in title and cannot correct it...

 

[Nakajo]

I think that the figures you've been quoted are about right (maybe I'm your architect!). The figures on TV tend to be a bit dubious - I suspect because they know the VAT man is watching.

 

[wessex101]

When you say "turn it into a house" do you mean build a whole new first floor type house or turn it into a dormer/chalet bungalow type thing with the first floor rooms in a new bigger roof?

 

[eddieed]

Think I have probably been sprung by my architect... but yes whole new floor and extensions to make existing bigger not conversion of a loft.

I would just add that there is nothing wrong with the designs in fact we are very happy - more likely the budget and I am wondering if we need to look at if we need to increase that to get what we want and if so I need to work out how!

 

[Nakajo]

I'm not your architect btw

 

[eddieed]

I'm not your architect btw

That's one thing I was a bit worried

These things seem way off though, they built a 400 square metre house plus an anex for £330k that's madness. He did a lot himself but still! He thinks he saved £100k with that but that's still less the £1000 a square metre...

 

[^woody^]

I'm not your architect

No, I am not your Architect and neither is my wife.

 

[wessex101]

In that case £1500/sqm seems about right for an approximate budget estimate. Cost for refurbishment is not usually expressed as a square metre rate as the work is so variable, £1200/sqm would buy a lot of refurbishment.

Depending on the condition of the original bungalow you might be better off demolishing it and starting from scratch. The build cost rate would be lower and you'd save on the VAT.

 

[eddieed]

In that case £1500/sqm seems about right for an approximate budget estimate. Cost for refurbishment is not usually expressed as a square metre rate as the work is so variable, £1200/sqm would buy a lot of refurbishment.

Depending on the condition of the original bungalow you might be better off demolishing it and starting from scratch. The build cost rate would be lower and you'd save on the VAT.

Thanks Wessex - feasibility study showed it cheaper to build with what we have - Given the age it isn't in that bad a condition (we currently live in it). I realise there is a VAT Saving of knocking it flat but there are offsetting costs - one such example of these would be the need for us to rent somewhere to live for longer and other things as well. We also have some retaining walls that we are nervous of disturbing as it could very quickly get very expensive.