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Very Small House Extension Cost

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  • 04-07-2013 1:19pm
    #1
    chops018
    Registered Users Posts: 2,458 ✭✭✭


    Hi guys,

    Mods please move if not in the appropriate forum.

    I am just wondering if anyone could give me a ball-park figure or a guesstimate of what the cost would be in building a small house extension - about 8x6 feet in size. I don't have much details to be honest, plumbing would have to be done so whatever extra that would be.

    Please guys, just a guestimate or a ball-park figure would be great!


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    #2
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,437 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Moved from Accommodation & Property.

    Moderator

    What is the room to be used for? A kitchen or bathroom would be much more expensive than a porch, bedroom (likely to be too small), living room or store.

    How many walls will be attached to the existing building?

    How many doors / windows?

    Does a doorway need to be formed in the existing wall?

    Realise that building such a small room will be disproportionately expensive.

    Is there side access to the property or does every thing have to be brought through the house?


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    #3
    DOCARCH
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 17,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭DOCARCH


    Victor wrote: »

    Realise that building such a small room will be disproportionately expensive.

    +1 on that. You'd have to guesstimate a starting cost of maybe E 225/ft.sq.

    Bear in mind an extension, even of this size, will have to comply with current Building Regulations (i.e. in terms of Part L/insulation).


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    #4
    chops018
    Registered Users Posts: 2,458 ✭✭✭chops018


    Victor wrote: »
    Moved from Accommodation & Property.

    Moderator

    What is the room to be used for? A kitchen or bathroom would be much more expensive than a porch, bedroom (likely to be too small), living room or store.

    How many walls will be attached to the existing building?

    How many doors / windows?

    Does a doorway need to be formed in the existing wall?

    Realise that building such a small room will be disproportionately expensive.

    Is there side access to the property or does every thing have to be brought through the house?

    Not 100% yet, just sort of looking into it as we don't have much living room for ourselves, but we also don't have too much money either so it might not be feasible.

    You see, we already have an extension for our grandmother who lives with us, and we want to put an extension to the side of that and add it to our kitchen. So yes, maybe the kitchen area would have to be moved to the new extension so obviously that would cost more straight away.

    No side access either. No doorway has to be formed in an existing wall.
    DOCARCH wrote: »
    +1 on that. You'd have to guesstimate a starting cost of maybe E 225/ft.sq.

    Bear in mind an extension, even of this size, will have to comply with current Building Regulations (i.e. in terms of Part L/insulation).

    Hmm, maybe it would be too expensive. We wouldn't be able to do it ourselves, but I'm sure we could get a plumber, electrician we know in to do those things. Also the cousin would fit in the new kitchen for relatively cheap.

    It would just be the builder we would be looking for. Definitively wouldn't be able to go over 9 or 10k.. it would be pushing it trying to even get 10k together.

    Is it just a fantasy so yeah?


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    #5
    MMC 23
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭MMC 23


    DOCARCH wrote: »
    +1 on that. You'd have to guesstimate a starting cost of maybe E 225/ft.sq.

    Bear in mind an extension, even of this size, will have to comply with current Building Regulations (i.e. in terms of Part L/insulation).

    It's really dangerous to be firing off cost per ft2. It's like trying to hit a target blindfolded.
    Every project is different. Each will have it's design and location nuances that will affect the final price.
    The smallest extension I did recently was in West Cork and was €150/ft incl VAT for 16m2, 172 ft2. Any extension smaller than this is not worth doing.


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    #6
    chops018
    Registered Users Posts: 2,458 ✭✭✭chops018


    MMC 23 wrote: »
    It's really dangerous to be firing off cost per ft2. It's like trying to hit a target blindfolded.
    Every project is different. Each will have it's design and location nuances that will affect the final price.
    The smallest extension I did recently was in West Cork and was €150/ft incl VAT for 16m2, 172 ft2. Any extension smaller than this is not worth doing.

    Our grandmother lives with us, and she has (which is needed, for reasons I won't get into) her own part of the house downstairs. Leaving us with very little room. She has an extension on the back (it's there years) for her kitchen and bathroom, we were thinking of building onto the side of that for ourselves.


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    #7
    MMC 23
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭MMC 23


    chops018 wrote: »
    Our grandmother lives with us, and she has (which is needed, for reasons I won't get into) her own part of the house downstairs. Leaving us with very little room. She has an extension on the back (it's there years) for her kitchen and bathroom, we were thinking of building onto the side of that for ourselves.

    Well the best thing I can advise is to get a qualified person to draw up what you want (engineer, architect, architectural technician) and send it out to no more than 4 or 5 builders for pricing with a 1 or 2 page specification detailing the structure and finishes required.
    Ask the builder to provide a breakdown as follows;

    Demolitions
    Substructure
    Masonry
    1st Fix carpentry (roof structure)
    Roof Coverings & rainwater goods
    Plastering (internal & external)
    2nd fix carpentry
    Painting & decorating
    Hard finishes
    Plumbing & electrics
    External works

    That is how a builder would apportion costs and would provide a template for comparing costs.

    choose a small builder that has been recommended who gives a personal service. Your choice of builder is crucial.

    Get him to sign a form of contract, the SF 88 is fine, with the drawings and specification.
    Most importantly, don't pay for anything that is not done and hold some retention for 6 months for snagging.

    Best of luck with it.


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    #8
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,437 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    chops018 wrote: »
    It would just be the builder we would be looking for. Definitively wouldn't be able to go over 9 or 10k.. it would be pushing it trying to even get 10k together.
    If you need downstairs bedroom / bathroom space for your grandmother, you might be able to get a grant from the council, up to about €20,000, but that would be dependent on such facilities not existing at the moment.


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    #9
    1chippy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,716 ✭✭✭1chippy


    Victor wrote: »
    If you need downstairs bedroom / bathroom space for your grandmother, you might be able to get a grant from the council, up to about €20,000, but that would be dependent on such facilities not existing at the moment.
    You can get up to 30k the last time i had to lodge one. there are a couple of grants out there that available to most elderly people or people with a disability. get on to your local citizens advice and they will help you out.


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    #10
    chops018
    Registered Users Posts: 2,458 ✭✭✭chops018


    Victor wrote: »
    If you need downstairs bedroom / bathroom space for your grandmother, you might be able to get a grant from the council, up to about €20,000, but that would be dependent on such facilities not existing at the moment.
    1chippy wrote: »
    You can get up to 30k the last time i had to lodge one. there are a couple of grants out there that available to most elderly people or people with a disability. get on to your local citizens advice and they will help you out.

    Thanks guys,

    She got her kitchen floor raised and re-done recently (so as it's level with her sitting room/bedroom entrance - can't get up the two steps).

    It's more for us, we have limited room for ourselves. We get by, but with the 4 of us living in a separate part of the house it is difficult at times, so seeing how and what it would cost for the above.


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