Doing Two Lofts / Single Storey Extensions At Same Time

[DeludedAussie]

I wondered whether there would be a substancial saving to a loft conversion project if both myself and our neighbour carried one out at the same time?

Both properties are detached and they have an identical layout internally

I would think that there would quite a saving because scaffolding could go up in one go, skips could be shared and tradesmen could be used across both properties

I am guessing that doing two lofts at the same time would mean it would take longer which is acceptable

Can anyone give an idea of projected saving if doing this?

 

[^woody^]

There will be no saving. It's not like Asda and a 2 for 1 deal

 

[DeludedAussie]

There will be no saving. It's not like Asda and a 2 for 1 deal

How do you figure that out? There will certainly be a saving

Scaffolding companies will not charge 2 * costs of a single scaffold will they? Structual engineer and architect will not charge two * fee will he

I am not saying that it will be a 2 for 1 but I am saying that there has to, by definiteion be a saving

 

[noseall]

I can't see how this will work.

One will have to be done and then the other unless you can find a company big enough. It sound like a recipe for disaster to me. For instance, who gets priority if both projects run in tandem? Or who will be the guinea pig and go first?

You must go to bed at night dreaming about money or having nightmares about parting with it.

 

[limerockconstruction]

There will be no saving. It's not like Asda and a 2 for 1 deal

How do you figure that out? There will certainly be a saving

Scaffolding companies will not charge 2 * costs of a single scaffold will they? Structual engineer and architect will not charge two * fee will he

I am not saying that it will be a 2 for 1 but I am saying that there has to, by definiteion be a saving

Good News, DeludedAussie is back and true to form!!

So listen, the scaffolding company only comes out once, but does twice the work, there is very little if any saving here (in fact my guys charge per square metre anyway so the cost would be exactly the same) - you also mention sharing skips, but don't you understand that 2 jobs means twice the rubbish, so no Saving here - twice the electrics, twice the works etc.....Even the Engineers will have to provide documentation for both applications so although there may be a small saving in terms of calculations but we are talking minimal.

Maybe you should go back to your basement/extension idea see if your neighbours up for that?!

Definitely having nightmares about parting with money here noseall.....

 

[indus]

Deluded, I think the others are being unfairly critical.

I reckon there would be significant savings, perhaps 40% or so. If you could get a third neighbour to have a loft conversion at the same time the savings might be as much as 80%. If you got the whole street in on the action perhaps you could all end up having it done for free.

Definitely worth a try.

The other way to save money is to get the job done in summer. If it is warm the builders don't have to wear jumpers or gloves and they will pass this saving in clothing's expense on to you. They will also have to drink less hot tea so even more money saved.

If you play it right the builder may even end up paying YOU to do the work. This does happen from time to time.

 

[^woody^]

I liked the bit about a skip being shared ...... as if the waste is also magically halved. And the work force flitting between the two

The work content is exactly the same as two loft conversions. Why would anyone not charge for two?

 

[DeludedAussie]

I liked the bit about a skip being shared ...... as if the waste is also magically halved. And the work force flitting between the two

The work content is exactly the same as two loft conversions. Why would anyone not charge for two?

Surely the skip hire company will give favourable rates if you agree to take 10 skips rather then five

Also you will be able to haggle with building suppliers as you are ordering a substancial amount of more material

As for double the work - My case is it is not

There must be economies of scale here - Just like there is in manufacturing. For a start the architect and SE will have to provide documentation for each but if the house is the same then these can be duplicated.

And the scaffolding - It really costs per sq M?? If I ask for one hundred sq m of scaffold to be put up that is the same price of one sq m * 100? That seems weird indeed.

 

[DeludedAussie]

I can't see how this will work.

One will have to be done and then the other unless you can find a company big enough. It sound like a recipe for disaster to me. For instance, who gets priority if both projects run in tandem? Or who will be the guinea pig and go first?

You must go to bed at night dreaming about money or having nightmares about parting with it.

No one gets priority - Its done at the same time

All the beams are delivered at once - You hire a crane ONCE. Then the carpenter does the dormers for both houses. Then the plumber for both

It seems if I may so quite a sensible idea

 

[DeludedAussie]

I liked the bit about a skip being shared ...... as if the waste is also magically halved. And the work force flitting between the two

The work content is exactly the same as two loft conversions. Why would anyone not charge for two?

Economies of scale - Just like there is a price for one tile and a price if you take a pallet of tiles

 

[limerockconstruction]

I liked the bit about a skip being shared ...... as if the waste is also magically halved. And the work force flitting between the two

The work content is exactly the same as two loft conversions. Why would anyone not charge for two?

Economies of scale - Just like there is a price for one tile and a price if you take a pallet of tiles

You have already got your economies of scale based on the size of the job in its own right.

Again with the scaffold, maybe you're right, there may be an economies of scale thing on the sq/m charge, but not at the levels you are talking about - 2 loft conversions aren't enough for suppliers to get that excited about, its really not a lot of work to be delivering the discount you think the building industry should give you.

 

[^woody^]

It does not work like that. Just accept it. Is not Asda, is not ordering container loads of gear from China, and its not making 50 bazzilion widgets on a production line

There are no economies of scale on two poxy loft conversions

 

[mikeey84]

Laughing at deluded aussie`s posts is the main reason I still come to this forum. Priceless.