Am I actually dreaming?

Smiley012

So, I bought a house that needs a bit of work doing to it. Before I bought it, I did all the research on costs to do the work. It's a 1972, pre-cast concrete built house.

I'd like an extension (30sq/m - 25 downstairs, 5 up) and rewire and replumb/new heating.

I figured I could do this for around 55k, but I have had quotes for 76-89. I had one come in bang on the money (56k) - but I'm just so shocked at the 89??? That wasn't even including replumb/heating - so the total cost would be just shy of 100k.

I've asked for a builders finish, plastered walls, and no flooring, no kitchen even. Even down to reusing a door so I don't need to buy one.

I was also getting 1 single roof sky-light in the kitchen too, just to make a quote fair.

The 89k comes in at just under 3k per sq/m - how is this right? Or is he quoting because he doesn't want the job?

I've been clear about my budget - 55-60k MAX, am I simply dreaming??

Gumbo

It's a strange one. And it's very common.
Just had 3 quotes back for my mates bathroom extension. 10 Sq. m.
21k-43k was the price range received back from the tenders.

Metric Tensor

There's quite often a wide range in tender amounts and as kceire says the dearest is often almost twice the cheapest - this range happens right up to large projects although on most large projects there's a BOQ or Pricing Document to compare like with like so that you can see where the cost differences arise.

Two points that are worthwhile making:

1. On every job between €1,000 and €10,000,000 you should always be wary if one tender is significantly lower than all the rest.

2. Are you sure everybody is pricing the exact same thing?

kkelliher

Metric Tensor wrote: »

2. Are you sure everybody is pricing the exact same thing?

Hitting the Nail on the head with this point. I regularly have tenders coming back with large swings and because we do a schedule (no matter how big or small the job the process should be the same) we can clearly identify where this difference is. Even with a schedule you will have contractors excluding items, adding items and changing items to suit how they wish to approach a job. You have to be very careful that you are comparing apples with apples and not just looking at the bottom line figure as the highest can often can be the best price if everyone else is playing the tender game.

Smiley012

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I guess, it's really strange. One person is charging 6k (including grants) to insulate my external walls, and another person is charging 13k (including grants) for the same external wall insulation.

Some are so varied, even down to quoting specifically for the foundations.

What are the best things I can do to ensure we're being quoted apples for apples?

Gumbo

Smiley012 wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I guess, it's really strange. One person is charging 6k (including grants) to insulate my external walls, and another person is charging 13k (including grants) for the same external wall insulation.

Some are so varied, even down to quoting specifically for the foundations.

What are the best things I can do to ensure we're being quoted apples for apples?

Have your architect, engineer or surveyor prepare a detailed Bill of Quantities and ever builder tendering quote to this.

Metric Tensor

And tighten up the spec - for example - I'd say it's highly unlikely those two contractors are pricing for the same type of wall insulation applied and finished in the same way.

Handsandtools

We are living in free market economy, but some individuals dream about set prices like in Soviet union

Stealthfins

I think you know the answer there.

I am a horticulturists and was shocked during the Celtic tiger at the money people were dishing out for bad jobs.

Cowboy landscapers....

8 shrubs at 4.99 each ten bags of bark mulch around 5 Euro's each.

3 hours of digging a bed and not even dug properly.

Pay the Brazilian guy 11 Euro's an hour for his hard work.

Price around 3000 Euro's plus VAT

kkelliher

Smiley012 wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I guess, it's really strange. One person is charging 6k (including grants) to insulate my external walls, and another person is charging 13k (including grants) for the same external wall insulation.

Some are so varied, even down to quoting specifically for the foundations.

What are the best things I can do to ensure we're being quoted apples for apples?

there are many varieties of apples, they are not always the same......... insulation is the same with virtually every system having a different installation method and costs.

The only way to make sure you are getting as close to comparison as you can is to schedule and specify each item and have them individually costed. Any large variance is then highlighted for later discussion.

Handsandtools

Stealthfins wrote: »

I think you know the answer there.

I am a horticulturists and was shocked during the Celtic tiger at the money people were dishing out for bad jobs.

Cowboy landscapers....

8 shrubs at 4.99 each ten bags of bark mulch around 5 Euro's each.

3 hours of digging a bed and not even dug properly.

Pay the Brazilian guy 11 Euro's an hour for his hard work.

Price around 3000 Euro's plus VAT

I was getting EWI from UK for 135e/m3, but now I can get same stuff, same manufacturer but from Northern Europe for just 90e/m3, so it all depends on connections and other aspect is quality and detail.