building costs renovation Dublin

marber1978

Hi there,

My husband and I are currently bidding on a 3 bed semi from the early '60's in Rathfarnham...

It needs a good bit of work and am just wondering if anyone could give a ball park figure for the following things to be done (I know its like asking how long is a piece of string in many ways, but still just looking for some sort of rough idea using average materials - not top of the range but mid range generally)

- converting from oil to gas heating (possibly changing rads as a result)

- new bathroom suite upstairs

- creating a W.C. under the stairs (currently used for storage)

- insulation (main walls are block cavity and side wall joining to other house is hollow block construction)

- knocking kitchen through to back living room and then extending about 2 and half metres out the back the width of the house to make an open kitchen/dining/living room, with windows and french doors out to the back garden, incuding velux windows.

- sealing up the current open plan 2 living rooms with a partition board to keep front living room separate

- new fitted kitchen

- fitting new wardrobes and floors upstairs

Again, Ive probably gone into a lot of detail but we just dont want to get ripped off with unreasonable quotes from builders in this day and age!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance :pac:

muffler

Moved to Prices/costs sub forum.

SBR

marber1978 wrote: »

Hi there,

we just dont want to get ripped off with unreasonable quotes from builders in this day and age!

My best advice to you would be to get a QS in to do an Independant measure and cost on your proposed design. This will give you a true and accurate cost of the works you require to be carried out. Then tender the job out to a select number of Contractors (when I say select this means you are happy with their quality of workmanship and have checked into their completed projects), compare the returned tenders and compare the lowest price with the original budget. By doing this you are becoming price aware and you know whether or not you are getting value for money.

DOCARCH

I would suggest the OP needs to budget in the region of E75K (+/- ; the devil is in the detail!) for the works described.

I would also suggest if electrics have not been re-done, they shoul be done as part of this work.

mrgaa1

Personally somewhere closer to 45k would be more realistic.
The biggest problem is putting in the downstairs WC - i'm assuming it never was a WC before. There are issues with floor area - if the ground floor is over 45 square metres then you will have to ensure that there is proper wheel chair access into the WC - I think its Part L of the regs.

New bathroom suite - budget 4-5k to remove and refit
converting from oil to gas heating - budget 9k for this and then approx 150euro per rad you need to change

- creating a W.C. under the stairs (currently used for storage) - budget max 4k for this

- insulation (main walls are block cavity and side wall joining to other house is hollow block construction) - budget 5k

- knocking kitchen through to back living room and then extending about 2 and half metres out the back the width of the house to make an open kitchen/dining/living room, with windows and french doors out to the back garden, incuding velux windows. budget 12k for this

- sealing up the current open plan 2 living rooms with a partition board to keep front living room separate - budget 1k for timber and plastering

- new fitted kitchen - budget 6k

- fitting new wardrobes and floors upstairs - budget 1500 euro. Check around charity and on-line websites - some great deals about.


Of course you will find yourself doing more work - tiling, painting etc... and of course make sure the electrics are certified.

DOCARCH

Hi mrgaa1

I would suggest that your estimation is 'budget lite'!

You made no reference/budget allowance for electrics, and, as you say, no allowance for painting and decorating, tiling, finishes, etc.

Your budget for kitchen and wardrobes is really rock bottom. I would assume house is 3 or 4 bedrooms - I would not like to see the end result of E1.5k?

Big assumption on insulation of external walls (at 5k)?

bruschi

I think both posts show that it is nigh on impossible to even give budget figures without any detail. drawings, site inspection and a discussion on what is wanted are needed, and I think the OP would be foolish to take any figures without getting someone to take a proper look at it.

To the OP, I know you think you may have gone into a lot of detail in your post, but I wouldnt even dream of giving a budget figure because of the lack of detail. Someone mentioned going to a QS and getting it priced up, which is good advice. either a QS, Architect or building surveyor to inspect and do up a schedule and get prices done properly.

Calvin001

I agree with Bruschi. While the information given by the OP is in some way quiet detailed, it is missing a level of specification which is needed to allow someone to give a proper price. DocArch and MrGaa1 are possible both correct in their assessments, based on both their assumptions, and this shows the problem with looking for a "ball park figure" quote, without having a little homework done. You can build for cheap and it will look and feel cheap (and not have the required lifespan) or vice versa. There is a middle ground but to get there you need to to do a little more work.
Marber1978, you should get a professional to assist with putting more meat on the bones of this project for you, and therefore allow yourself to ge a better idea of where you are going - cost wise. Dont accept any price that is not backed by drawings and specifications - tha tallow you to know what you are recieving for what you are paying (this protects you and them so there should be no problem with this).