Please help - 2-storey Extension

[ziggy1979]

Hi Everyone

I was hoping for some advice. We are thinking of extending a garage forwards by about 3-4 metres ( approx 3 metres wide) and adding a second floor above this new extension.

We would also alter the roof structure to have one large roof space which we would then convert into habitable space (loft conversion woulod probably be done later). The attached pictures (the house on the right hand side) should explain this.

We would like advice on:

1. How long this job could take; and

2. How much it could cost - £/sq m would be really helpful;

3. Apart from the different tradesmen, what professionals would we need for this sort of project?

Thanks a lot for your help!


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[ziggy1979]

Anyone?

 

[^woody^]

Piece of string for 1 and 2

Someone to draw the plans for 3

 

[ziggy1979]

I understand it is impossible to comment without seeing the property ... however, there must be a method that contractors use to price this sort of thing ... e.g. £/sq m?

 

[kingandy2nd]

Unless someone can look at the technical drawings and the existing site/building then any estimates aren’t going to be worth the beer mat they’re written on.

You must understand that there are so many variables that can’t be seen by looking at a picture and a sketch that no builder worth their salt will even give you a rough idea of what it could cost.

My first suggestion would be for you to knock at your neighbour’s house and ask them how much it cost them to get their place done. If that doesn’t work then I would suggest the following:

1. Pick up your yellow pages
2. Turn to the section marked “B”
3. Look up “Builders”
4. Look for builders who state they can do extensions and offer free quotes.
5. Take a telephone and ring a number of one of these builders
6. Speak to builder, give them your name and address and them to come round to your house to give you what is called an ‘estimate’
7. When builder arrives, discuss your ideas and ask about costings.
8. Repeat steps 1-7 until you have a number of quotes to give you an idea of what your project may cost.

However, even following the above you’re not going to get an accurate estimate until you have some proper plans draw up.

 

[Shytalkz]

Method 1: wets finger and sticks it up above head, thinks "what can I get away with on this one?", sucks on teeth, looks at how many jobs are on the books, notes ease of getting tea, coffee, biscuits and the desirability of punter's missus, together with the potential for further jobs in the vicinity leading on from this one, with continued high refreshment and female desirability quotients.

Method 2: invests in scale rule, quickly measures outside dimensions of proposed building, applies unit rate/m2, of anywhere between £900 and £1500. Note that most factors under method 1 come into play here in determining the unit rate.

Method 3: uses QS to do "proper" measurement of quants for him, never gets job as most QSs live in La-La land and work on basis that there is a certain degree of snob value in clients' boasting to friends and relatives about how expensive their project was. Unless he has tapped a rich seam of minted clients in Kensington, he eventually gives up on this and reverts to either 1 or 2.

Method 4: doesn't do fixed prices, but works on dayworks rates, the cost will be what it will be.

 

[diyisfree]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but hasn't next door done what you are proposing ?

Why dont you give em a knock and ask who did theirs and if they would reccomend them.

 

[ziggy1979]

Next doors was done in 1995 by the previous owners so the new guys dont know ... we tried

 

[Deluks]

Nice one Shyz.... It would be funny if only it wasn't erm...

nope, still funny

 

[chessspy]

£25K
Ok it's a guess, but that's all an estimate is anyway.
Oh, and as I put the toys away 10 years ago to rip off antique dealers instead, I may be a little behind the times on prices.