[Misc] Building extension

Brighthelmstone · Feb 23, 2021

Evening all,

Looking for some advice and broad prices from our skilled tradesmen on here (and failing that, anyone else that can do a job in 5 mins

)

Looking to have an enclosed front porch with downstairs toilet added to our house as well as a conservatory/orangery on the back. Looking for some guidance on prices as I have no clue. Also, if anyone's had similar work done, anything i should be aware of ? i think the porch would be about 2m x 2.5m with a tiled roof, and conservatory would be 2.5m x 3.5m approx, and would be used all year as office/dining room so would need to have the heating/lighting extended etc.

Cheers!

razer · Feb 23, 2021

I have just been quoted £85k minimum (ex VAT) for similar for an extension from a kitchen (knock through, steel etc) into an existing conservatory to be replaced by a roofed extension. That was just for the construction. It did not include the buying and fitting of a new kitchen, appliances etc nor does it take account of any unforeseen problems which may occur during the construction and which according to the builder, are almost inevitable on a house the age of mine (built in around 1870). Mine is roughly 8m x 8m.

It ain't cheap and comes with sharp intakes of breath.

Brighthelmstone · Feb 23, 2021

razer said:
I have just been quoted £85k minimum (ex VAT) for similar for an extension from a kitchen (knock through, steel etc) into an existing conservatory to be replaced by a roofed extension. That was just for the construction. It did not include the buying and fitting of a new kitchen, appliances etc nor does it take account of any unforeseen problems which may occur during the construction and which according to the builder, are almost inevitable on a house the age of mine (built in around 1870). Mine is roughly 8m x 8m.

It ain't cheap and comes with sharp intakes of breath.

cheers for that, i think (hope!) you're doing something on a much grander scale than what i was looking for

Brighthelmstone · Mar 8, 2021

Any builders about that would be interested in providing a quote for the above?

Bakero · Mar 8, 2021

Give these guys a call https://www.kindconstruction.co.uk/

You can see more photos of their work here https://m.facebook.com/KindConstruction.uk/

https://instagram.com/kind_construction?igshid=nun2brols9yk

Live by the sea · Mar 9, 2021

A friend of mine is looking to do a kitchen extension and go further out by about 15 ft by 12 ft to effectively double the size of his kitchen and he has been complaining the quotes he has had have all been around £125k . What is very expensive is the quality of glass , he wants ultra thin byfolds that are like pocket doors that slide into the wall , effectively totally framing the garden . That’s about a quarter of the overall price if you need a 15ft expanse .

Weststander · Mar 9, 2021

razer said:
I have just been quoted £85k minimum (ex VAT) for similar for an extension from a kitchen (knock through, steel etc) into an existing conservatory to be replaced by a roofed extension. That was just for the construction. It did not include the buying and fitting of a new kitchen, appliances etc nor does it take account of any unforeseen problems which may occur during the construction and which according to the builder, are almost inevitable on a house the age of mine (built in around 1870). Mine is roughly 8m x 8m.

It ain't cheap and comes with sharp intakes of breath.

8m x 8m is a huge extension, many just extend out by 3m to 5m.

That price doesn’t surprise me at all. We’ve had works where the various quotes were not dissimilar.

Steels, windows, insulation, modern spec blocks, timber, skips, excavating all are expensive. Tradesmen in the SE have high daily rates.

The “unforeseen problems” bit could just be the contractor mentioning something that in their experience does crop up. Or it could be a signal to you of a later battle over the cost of variations later on.

Have you prepared a detailed spec list to cover all bases?

Using this type of contract was a saver for us:
https://www.ribabooks.com/homeowner-contracts

blue-shifted · Mar 9, 2021

I'm looking for something similar.

One storey kitchen extension, 8m x 3m, steels but probably not bi folds. A couple of velux windows. Hoping to get away with £100k. Realistic do you think?

Monkey Man · Mar 9, 2021

blue-shifted said:
I'm looking for something similar.

One storey kitchen extension, 8m x 3m, steels but probably not bi folds. A couple of velux windows. Hoping to get away with £100k. Realistic do you think?

Can't see why not. We're midway through a similar kind of project that's about twice that size, with some complications both internally and externally, and I think the quote was just shy of £120k including VAT. We need to sort out the new kitchen from a separate budget as well as flooring and decoration but the fee covers all plumbing and electrics. This is probably the last and biggest project we'll do so we haven't skimped on anything.

mikeyjh · Mar 9, 2021

blue-shifted said:
I'm looking for something similar.

One storey kitchen extension, 8m x 3m, steels but probably not bi folds. A couple of velux windows. Hoping to get away with £100k. Realistic do you think?

You really should be fine for that - Avoiding bi-folds is a good idea if you want to keep costs down, we had them at our old house in SBS, they looked the part and were lovely for the times you actually use them! For 6 months of the year they're going to be permanently shut and for the other 6 months, opening them is a bit of an event!

North East Seagull · Mar 9, 2021

I have just had my extension completed (waiting for sign off from Building Control). Approx. 2.5m x 5.5m single story, knock through from exiting kitchen/diner, tiled pitched roof, two Velux skylights (manual opening - pah), just short of 4m of bi-fold doors, loads of new lights and sockets, new rad fitted (we bought it, they fitted it) and soil stack and drains diverted. Easy access for the builders (detached house) and room for skips on private drive. They used our cloakroom and utility room for welfare facilities so no need for hem to hire in portaloos or cabins. Total cost of build inc. VAT was circa £29k. But we are up north....

CAPTAIN GREALISH · Mar 9, 2021

Brighthelmstone said:
Evening all,

Looking for some advice and broad prices from our skilled tradesmen on here (and failing that, anyone else that can do a job in 5 mins )

Looking to have an enclosed front porch with downstairs toilet added to our house as well as a conservatory/orangery on the back. Looking for some guidance on prices as I have no clue. Also, if anyone's had similar work done, anything i should be aware of ? i think the porch would be about 2m x 2.5m with a tiled roof, and conservatory would be 2.5m x 3.5m approx, and would be used all year as office/dining room so would need to have the heating/lighting extended etc.

Cheers!

Pm you
Cheers steve

Brighthelmstone · Mar 9, 2021

Thanks for the responses everyone, given us some food for thought!

razer · Mar 9, 2021

Weststander said:
8m x 8m is a huge extension, many just extend out by 3m to 5m.

That price doesn’t surprise me at all. We’ve had works where the various quotes were not dissimilar.

Steels, windows, insulation, modern spec blocks, timber, skips, excavating all are expensive. Tradesmen in the SE have high daily rates.

The “unforeseen problems” bit could just be the contractor mentioning something that in their experience does crop up. Or it could be a signal to you of a later battle over the cost of variations later on.

Have you prepared a detailed spec list to cover all bases?

Using this type of contract was a saver for us:
https://www.ribabooks.com/homeowner-contracts

That's because it isn't 8 x 8, it's a 4 x 4 extension (ie doubling the size of the existing kitchen) and being an accountant, I don't understand basic arithmetic and doubled both dimensions when I should have only doubled one. The actual floor space including the extension will end up 8 x4.

To be fair on the builder, he did say his price was for a specific detailed schedule of works and that anything that he thought needed doing while the job was in progress would be priced and agreed with me before he did any additional work.

The Grockle · Mar 9, 2021

My friend had a kitchen extention built which included bi fold doors to the garden. He got a quote which I think was in excess of 75k, In the end he got a quote to do the major building work and a separate quote for the finishing touches and got the kitchen on an interest free long term finance deal. He saved well over 20k
but had workman on site longer and had to act as contractor of sorts. I'm sure he arranged the bi fold doors as a separate quote/job too

Weststander · Mar 9, 2021

razer said:
That's because it isn't 8 x 8, it's a 4 x 4 extension (ie doubling the size of the existing kitchen) and being an accountant, I don't understand basic arithmetic and doubled both dimensions when I should have only doubled one. The actual floor space including the extension will end up 8 x4.

To be fair on the builder, he did say his price was for a specific detailed schedule of works and that anything that he thought needed doing while the job was in progress would be priced and agreed with me before he did any additional work.

I’m an accountant too!

Just spotted your Lancs address. Construction labour costs must shirley be far cheaper in your neck of the woods, than the resulting SE England prices you see mentioned in these threads?

My instinct is that £85k + VAT, without the kitchen fit, is on the steep side for 4m x 4m. Although not a builder, I have the experience of our works, plus my family are three gen’s in the construction/building sector.

Including very expensive windows and skylights, the need for many skips, for example, can increase the cost considerably.

Harry Wilson's tackle · Mar 9, 2021

Weststander said:
8m x 8m is a huge extension, many just extend out by 3m to 5m.

That price doesn’t surprise me at all. We’ve had works where the various quotes were not dissimilar.

Steels, windows, insulation, modern spec blocks, timber, skips, excavating all are expensive. Tradesmen in the SE have high daily rates.

The “unforeseen problems” bit could just be the contractor mentioning something that in their experience does crop up. Or it could be a signal to you of a later battle over the cost of variations later on.

Have you prepared a detailed spec list to cover all bases?

Using this type of contract was a saver for us:
https://www.ribabooks.com/homeowner-contracts

Ours is 5 by 4.5 (with an exquisite patio of similar dimensions part of the build). Everything (architect, planning, skips, portaloo (ffs), kitchen (top schmutter), bathroom (top schmutter), fittings, fixtures, three separate circuits of underfloor heating, 7 triple glazed roof lights (3 of them electric), triple glazed trifold sliding exterior doors, plumbing and electrics, a couple of ceiling speakers for the hi fi, rebuild of main sewage pipes (ours were victorian), emergency underpinning (of a partition wall built on a foundation of Thames clay, a wish, and the tears of ruddy-cheeked country folk) and rental of temporary residence) cost about £130K. It took 3.5 months and we had to move out for 2 months.

I was quoted far less by one of the several builders we interviewed, but I didn't like the look in his eyes

.

I kept tally of everything and made sure we kept to budget. Trust no-one.

Weststander · Mar 9, 2021

razer said:
That's because it isn't 8 x 8, it's a 4 x 4 extension (ie doubling the size of the existing kitchen) and being an accountant, I don't understand basic arithmetic and doubled both dimensions when I should have only doubled one. The actual floor space including the extension will end up 8 x4.

To be fair on the builder, he did say his price was for a specific detailed schedule of works and that anything that he thought needed doing while the job was in progress would be priced and agreed with me before he did any additional work.

You might be interested to know, I just got the ballpark figure for your extension, Eastbourne prices.

£36,000 + VAT.

But that depends on the site, accessibility, etc.

Obviously not privy to your drawings, topography and spec.

Weststander · Mar 9, 2021

Harry Wilson's tackle said:
Ours is 5 by 4.5 (with an exquisite patio of similar dimensions part of the build). Everything (architect, planning, skips, portaloo (ffs), kitchen (top schmutter), bathroom (top schmutter), fittings, fixtures, three separate circuits of underfloor heating, triple glazed roof lights and sliding doors, plumbing and electrics, a couple of ceiling speakers for the hi fi, rebuild of main sewage pipes (ours were victorian), emergency underpinning (of a partition wall built on a foundation of Thames clay, a wish, and the tears of ruddy-cheeked country folk) and rental of temporary residence) cost about £130K. It took 3.5 months and we had to move out for 2 months.

I was quoted far less by one of the several builders we interviewed, but I didn't like the look in his eyes .

I kept tally of everything and made sure we kept to budget. Trust no-one.

We had triple glazing too, entirely my idea, as they’re big north facing windows. Ahead of my time .... 2011. They’re amazing, no matter how cold outside, never cold to touch. Lovely modern skylights.

We stated in situ. In the end a funny looking 1960’s kitchen units, oven and sink, were in the midst of huge new space. Then a week of takeaways in the kitchen transition.

We’re on solid chalk, so no underpinning required. We were able to use the existing drains and no hidden nightmares arose.

Lots of excavating on an upslope to create a large patio and retaining walls, it took 17 x 6 yard skips and a mini digger, which was also needed for a new soak-away.

Solid oak flooring.

The whole new envelope is 2.6m x 7.4m.

At the same time, a downstairs aubergine bathroom with hideous ceramic tiles, was completely transformed into a nice utility room and loo.

Total cost £76,000. No concerns about trust, all done by family and their trusty other tradesmen.

Harry Wilson's tackle · Mar 9, 2021

Weststander said:
We had triple glazing too, entirely my idea, as they’re big north facing windows. Ahead of my time .... 2011. They’re amazing, no matter how cold outside, never cold to touch. Lovely modern skylights.

We stated in situ. In the end a funny looking 1960’s kitchen units, oven and sink, were in the midst of huge new space. Then a week of takeaways in the kitchen transition.

We’re on solid chalk, so no underpinning required. We were able to use the existing drains and no hidden nightmares arose.

Lots of excavating on an upslope to create a large patio and retaining walls, it took 17 x 6 yard skips and a mini digger, which was also needed for a new soak-away.

Solid oak flooring.

The whole new envelope is 2.6m x 7.4m.

At the same time, a downstairs aubergine bathroom with hideous ceramic tiles, was completely transformed into a nice utility room and loo.

Total cost £76,000. No concerns about trust, all done by family and their trusty other tradesmen.

Top work!

A neighbour spent months buttering up the local planning committe using genuine graft, then built a 2 storey extension, using his extended family to do the build. I suspect it cost no more that 25% of what I paid. It took him 9 months to complete, though, and is a bit chavtastic.

With my 'mental makeup' that strategy would have killed me, and I am more than happy with our outcome.

Our bathroom and loo are tiled floor to ceiling in small white tiles. The workmanship is sensational. It took days to complete and cost a fortune. The floors are large grey tiles, same pattern inside and outside the house. Oh, and we got one of those filtered water boiling water on tap things so we don't own a kettle anymore. Small detail, but....

And people wonder why I like working from home

I'm not smug, just very fortunate, albeit I worked for it. My old kitchen and bathroom (circa 2002 before the first upgrade) were modest by Bulgarian standards.

Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

[Misc] Building extension

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Languidly clinical

Well-known member

Well-known member

Banned

Your support is not that great

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Formally Croydon Seagull

Well-known member

Harry Wilson's Tackle

Well-known member

Well-known member

Harry Wilson's Tackle

Share this page