Seems a bit steep ?

[TeachMeObiWan]

Hi Everyone,

I just had a quote from a builder, and it astonished me. I'm not looking for any specifics here, but I'd be interested to hear anyones thoughts.

Im looking to knock down an old carport (3m square) replace it with a small porch extension, same size but with a pitched roof that's vaulted with a couple veluxes, so 9 square metres. At the same time there is a garage attached to the car port (6m x 3m). I'm only going to use it as a store, but its roof needs replacing, and it's low. So I wanted it raised by a foot and a new flat EPDM roof fitted.

The quote has come back at just over £48,500. As far as we know there are no special foundation or drainage issues, its pretty basic and bog standard. Im not looking for any finishes inside beyond plaster. I've not even asked for a new garage floor.

So even allowing for all new timbers and a new decking and finish on the garage roof 18 square metres lets say £18k (seems too much but anyway!) that leaves £30k for the extension some £3,333 a square metre. That seems very expensive to me, even with the cost or materials having gone up so much recently. It's just normal blocks, the outside is being clad and that's not in the quote either.

Anyway, I'd be grateful for your thoughts / comments and please tell me if I'm not living in the real world and that sounds reasonable.

Cheers

 

[BarnabyT]

Seems steep to me..... but then again, you've done well to even get a quote. Most builders have so much on, they can pick and choose

 

[Notch7]

If we said

£2k Demolition and skips
£8k new roof
£15k porch

that’s £25k

I’m struggling to see £40k + vat

 

[Notch7]

Mind you, you’ve not said where - it could be Chelsea for all we know

 

[TeachMeObiWan]

Thanks for your responses. I wish it was Chelsea, but no its in lovely rural Norfolk

I had in my mind it might reach £30K so we're not so far apart with your £25k.

 

[TeachMeObiWan]

Seems steep to me..... but then again, you've done well to even get a quote. Most builders have so much on, they can pick and choose

BTW you are so right, I've contacted seven builders, three have actually come round, all have said they are super busy and I've only had that 1 quote so far. Looks like I'll be putting the Rocky music on, rolling up my selves and getting stuck it. Ready for a montage !

 

[ETAF]

i know of builders , years ago, if they did not want the job, would quote high and if by chance they got accepted would then sub it all out and pocket the difference.
But now, its almost impossible to get builders round to quote - having real issues myself with quotes on some work i need doing , and had 2 people look , as its just a large wall and they drive by, but NO quotes.

and also with work in the past , I had one guy come round, just for a small cloakroom, toilet and basin , i said i would provide all the material, tiles , toilet basin etc and he wanted £2.5K labour, which excluded doing anything to the floor, that would be extra , another quote based on a photo was £1.9K
so i did that myself,

difficult times , i wish you luck

 

[BarnabyT]

Make a start on it. Don't focus on the whole project.... just the step in front of you. Its surprising how much u can do when u just keep focusing on the next step that you've gotta take. For example.... can u do some demo work? Probably. Now that's done, can u contract a ground worker? Probably. Now that's done, can you contact a concrete company? Probably. Now that's done, can you order some blocks n bricks? Probably. Now that's done, can you sub contract a brickie? U get the idea. All of a sudden..... you're almost there and you've spent half what u thought

 

[tell80]

Why not post pics of the structures?

Building work can sooner or later be a body killer for the average worker - the work itself & the conditions that building workers work in can grind down the big money pay days.
My take is that during the good times the small jobbing builders should quote for as much as they think they can possibly get - & a bit more.

Good health & good pay days dont last.

 

[^woody^]

He was quoting in roubles. Sanctions should prevent using such untrustworthy people.

 

[mrrusty]

as @BarnabyT says above, if you are reasonably fit and reasonably handy, this could be a DIY project. It's not critical to the structure of the house. I faced the same dilemma at the start of lockdown, and in the end myself and wife got stuck in and built a brick/block garage with a slate roof all by ourselves - no contractors involved except the concrete base delivery and laying. I'm handy with wood, but had never built a building or a brick wall higher than half a dozen courses. Loads and loads of info out there both on you tube and from manufacturers own installation guides. As said, you take it a step at a time, however before you start, plan it out, draw it up - if only to get measurements and quantities. Work out what you want to do, work as accurately as you can and everything you don't know ask a specific question here. For example, the veluxes - all the info how to install them is supplied by the manufacturer - so you need to have the roof timbers in the right place and then install by the book, and for tiling or slating it's all about method and setting out - the physical task of actually fixing stuff is not difficult. My own build is here https://community.screwfix.com/threads/garage-work-in-progress.222282/ - This cost us almost exactly £10K in materials excluding electrics - prob add 15-20% to that now... A somewhat more adventurous DIY build is here https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/slow-going-my-double-storey-extension-build.545117/