Quotes from Builders.

psd99

psd99

psd99

Soldato
Joined
7 Sep 2008
Posts
5,846
Hey All,

I'm looking to get some quotes to renovate my home. It is a very out dated 3 bed semi in the greater London area that needs some TLC :)

Sort of torn between splitting the jobs up to different tradesmen or asking a builder to do everything in one price. The list may grow eventually.
I got a decent plumber I know and a builder that has done a fair bit of work for me recently.

I've done a considerable amount of DIY in the last 10 years with family and friends. We do have some tools but I'm not good with advanced electronics or plumbing. I can break stuff though and paint :)

I want to get the following done:

- Complete removal of the chimneys all up to the loft including installation of appropriate bracket. (I can attempt this with my family but unsure about the bracket installation)

- Complete rewiring including new plugs and switches -

- Installation of new boiler to a new location + new radiators

- Re-plaster whole house

- possible new bathroom which is currently split into two rooms (want to remove the wall between them to make them 1)

What would you all consider is a reasonable cost for the above work? Thoughts, wisdom and opinions are welcome :)

Thanks,
psd99.
 
Bout tree fiddy.

Honestly this is not the kind of question that can be answered like this. There are agazillion factors which could and will influence the price.
 
Tens of thousands, if not into 6 figures. But nobody could give you an accurate estimate, you'd need a proper quote doing.
 
psd99 said:
- Installation of new boiler to a new location + new radiators
Recently had my boiler replaced and moved, all radiators replaced with new convection type. Cost £5,500 via SSE.


- possible new bathroom which is currently split into two rooms (want to remove the wall between them to make them 1)
Recently had our bathroom refitted with minor building work, cost £10,000.
Click to expand...

Depends where you are and exactly what you want doing.

BTW, re-wiring a house can be mega expensive (£10,000+) and wrecks the walls. Getting rooms plastered can cost £100's per room depending on size and number.

EDIT: Just saw you're in London, be prepared to pay £££
 
Last edited:
yes I'd imagine rewring will probably require a full replaster all over.

I might ask ocuk folk about running a wired network all over - could set this up myself when the house is all torn up.
 
I'm in the same position as you, but have now decided to split the quotes between contractors rather than pay a builder to manage everything and bill me at the end. You have much more control over your spend by managing it yourself.
 
panthro said:
I'm in the same position as you, but have now decided to split the quotes between contractors rather than pay a builder to manage everything and bill me at the end. You have much more control over your spend by managing it yourself.
Click to expand...

yer that's what I was thinking.... it is more hassle but probably worth it in the long run.


or i was thinking if I get the same builder I will agree each price before work begins
then only pay him after he has finished each part.
 
the_r_sole said:
But much more potential to make programming mistakes which cost time/money if you don't know exactly what you are doing...
Click to expand...

It's not really difficult if you're doing a straight forward work as per the OP, and the OP seems pretty clued up on what he needs done.

The only issues I foresee in what he's doing is the removals of walls and chimney where brackets are required. I'd ask a structural engineer to draw up plans and check whether or not beams are required for this.
 
Maccy said:
Tens of thousands, if not into 6 figures. But nobody could give you an accurate estimate, you'd need a proper quote doing.
Click to expand...

6 figures? Not a chance in hell unless his 3 bed semi is a mansion.

Supply and install -


Boiler = £1,500
Rads (say 5 @ £200/ each) = £1,000
Pipework and miscellaneous for the above = £2,000

Electrics
DB/ metering etc = £500
Wiring = £1,500
sockets/ switches/ isolators including back boxes etc. £50/ item say 40 items = £2,000

Plastering (assuming ceiling only) = £2,500
Plastering walls = £3,000

Bathroom (completely depends on spec) £5k-£10k

Chimney (Don't really have any experience of this, so guessing) = £10k

So anywhere between £15k and £34k.
 
No idea, but remember to get 3 quotes at least. Best to meet people in person too, you can kinda gauge their personality that way. Sorry, no real help. Just sharing experience.
 
We're just about to complete a large scale renovation and used one builder for the whole lot. On top of the general work carried out by the builders, the quote included:

- plastering (quite a hefty amount of work)
- plumbing (replacing old pipes, installing pipes in new flooring)
- wiring (loads of new spotlights, extractor fans, etc.)
- tiling of new bathrooms, underfloor heating, etc.

It's been a bit hit and miss in certain respects - the job has taken significantly longer than estimated, the tiler was insane and we found out he was living in our flat! - but not having to deal with each party individually has helped quite a bit. When having to deal with so many retailers and suppliers, I figured I couldn't be bothered to coordinate separate tradesmen as well.
 
toshj said:
We're just about to complete a large scale renovation and used one builder for the whole lot. On top of the general work carried out by the builders, the quote included:

- plastering (quite a hefty amount of work)
- plumbing (replacing old pipes, installing pipes in new flooring)
- wiring (loads of new spotlights, extractor fans, etc.)
- tiling of new bathrooms, underfloor heating, etc.

It's been a bit hit and miss in certain respects - the job has taken significantly longer than estimated, the tiler was insane and we found out he was living in our flat! - but not having to deal with each party individually has helped quite a bit. When having to deal with so many retailers and suppliers, I figured I couldn't be bothered to coordinate separate tradesmen as well.
Click to expand...

Whitchapel eh:)
I notice that is cross rail territory! nice one and as we are almost in the same area *south east/London prices should be about the same.

how much did that set you all back then?
 
Lima said:
6 figures? Not a chance in hell unless his 3 bed semi is a mansion.

Supply and install -


Boiler = £1,500
Rads (say 5 @ £200/ each) = £1,000
Pipework and miscellaneous for the above = £2,000

Electrics
DB/ metering etc = £500
Wiring = £1,500
sockets/ switches/ isolators including back boxes etc. £50/ item say 40 items = £2,000

Plastering (assuming ceiling only) = £2,500
Plastering walls = £3,000

Bathroom (completely depends on spec) £5k-£10k

Chimney (Don't really have any experience of this, so guessing) = £10k

So anywhere between £15k and £34k.
Click to expand...

Thanks that is very helpful.

I can't see the chimney removal being that high in price
- just need a skip a few tools and the bracket
I would probably do this myself with family as long as I have a builder that can assist me in the loft and a possible structural engineer before we begin.

very messy job though! those previous owners were using those fireplaces regularly!
 
psd99 said:
Whitchapel eh:)
I notice that is cross rail territory! nice one and as we are almost in the same area *south east/London prices should be about the same.

how much did that set you all back then?
Click to expand...

We had quite a bit of work done, so I don't know whether our price would be relevant or comparable for you. The builder is an old chap and worked with one of my uncles (both builders in London/Surrey) for years a while back. He and his guys also renovated my sister's flat in Stoke Newington recently too. We were a little ambitious with our spec the first time round... and the quote came to £78,000! I almost fell off my train seat when the email came through. We revisited and toned down our renovation, and managed to get him down to £27,500. We have a maisonette property, with the ground floor consisting of a series of living areas (kitchen, living room, dining room/bedroom, hall way, WC, etc.) and three bedrooms and a bathroom on the lower ground floor. The plan was to turn our ground floor into one open plan area, and rejigging the lower ground floor to install an additional shower room.

For this amount he provided:

- Ripping the place apart; took out a staircase, two bathrooms, kitchen, flooring, plumbing, wiring and several stud walls upstairs.

- Extended and installed a new floor with necessary supports/joists, etc.

- Installed an entirely new shower room from scratch - with all plastering, plumbing, tiling, wiring, etc.

- Refitted a bathroom - plumbing, wiring, tiling, underfloor heating, whilst also sorting out existing damp

- Constructing and fitting a new staircase

- Fitting a new kitchen, plus rewiring, etc.

- Re-wired our ground floor (Sat/TV, 20 additional down lights/spot lights, more sockets) as well as removing existing plumbing from an old WC, and installing pipes for new radiators

- Laid the wooden flooring, c 500 sq ft

- Plastering most of the flat - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 hallway and the open plan upstairs.

- General stuff - fixing new blinds, hanging doors, carpentry, etc.

It's taken ages. Bloody ages. The Christmas period slowed down loads of our orders, one of the builders tore his ankle ligaments and put things back by a few weeks, we had to sack the tiler for being a prat, then the final couple of boxes of tiles were a different shade and it took 3 weeks to order in more. That's just the tip of the iceberg... there have been so many screw ups along the way. But all in all, I feel like we got a good deal on it.
 
wow sounds like an adventure! If I didn't do the job I was doing today I'd have been either an electrician or a plumber good money indeed
 
psd99 said:
wow sounds like an adventure! If I didn't do the job I was doing today I'd have been either an electrician or a plumber good money indeed
Click to expand...

Never doing it again. It's shredded my nerves, even the slightest stain or spillage and I seem to lose my ****! We're a few weeks away from finishing now and I'm trying to calm down.

What area is your place in? I really like our builder but there have been a few too many hiccoughs for me to outright recommend him. That said, the electricians and the plasterers we used were both excellent.
 
toshj said:
Never doing it again. It's shredded my nerves, even the slightest stain or spillage and I seem to lose my ****! We're a few weeks away from finishing now and I'm trying to calm down.

What area is your place in? I really like our builder but there have been a few too many hiccoughs for me to outright recommend him. That said, the electricians and the plasterers we used were both excellent.
Click to expand...

Zone 6ish/In the middlesex area,

I might need an electrician but plasterers I got already

PM me in trust if you can give me details of the electrician if they'd be willing to come to my area.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom