Cost - have we gone over before we start?!

selfbuildache

Hi,
I haven't posted much but am a daily 'lurker' at this stage.
We're looking at starting a build on a house of 2,200 sq ft.
We're looking at spending between €45-€60k (big differences in insulation+airtightness) on the timber frame with insulation.
Digging up the site+doing foundation is going to cost around €17k
Windows+Veluxs around €18k (Not sure on prices for these as haven't priced enough but seems expensive - this is for another thread I guess!)

We're really keen on a low energy / no central heating house so are hoping to put most of our money into the timberframe+insulation.

If, going on the €100 per sq ft 'rule' and with a mortgage of €160k, have we overstepped it completely with the timber frame, leaving not enough to finish? We can do a whole lot of the other work ourselves.
Due to other stuff going on I'm just not getting the time to research this completely as I'd like so I thought I'd throw it out there and see what people think??? Probably not enough info here but opinions would be great??? Cheers

sinnerboy

a qs will cost about 2% of the build cost - and potentially save you multiples of his/her fee

kkelliher

selfbuildache wrote: »

If, going on the €100 per sq ft 'rule'

what Rule. This is simply a guide and a very very loose one at that. No two properties are the same and no two properties cost the same amount. The cost of your build will depend on your finishes and standard of general specification. It also depends on your location and availability of work in the general area.

Every single item will require a choice to be made on quality and cost. Every single item will require research into the best place to purchase and the differences in cost. These all impact on your bottom line.

Your Timber Frame price seems on the higher side in my opinion. I would send it out to two or three more manufacturers as the market should be keen.

I echo the QS statement made by Sinner but then I am biased.

Best of luck with your build.

selfbuildache

Thanks for replies. Despite looking like we're doing nothing we've actually priced at least 10 timber frame companies and €45k (incl VAT) is the best quote we're getting for the highest U values w/airtightness. The €60k (incl VAT) is for insulation + airtightness high enough that we should not need a heating system. Does that still seem high?
While we're unable to research everything from start to finish before we start we ARE trying to get as good a price as we can for the timber frame.

kkelliher - Not a great word using 'rule', I know, maybe more like theory, but while I understand how loose the €100 pr.sqr.ft 'theory' is, us innocents need something to go on!

I'll certainly look into a QS. Now, where to start on that...?

sky6

17K seems very expensive for a foundation dig and Concrete. I assume there Is power floated Floor slabs included for that for the price.

kkelliher

In relation to finding a QS there are a number of ways but it depends on your location and the manner of service you need.

www.scs.ie is the website for the society of chartered surveyors and there is a listing on their website. The only problem here is that most of these will be well established and might be a little expensive.

Golden pages also has a quantity surveyor section.

Search online, there are a number of small quantity surveying practices which should be more cost efficient.

ThePiedPiper

No central heating? that's a bold move... Are you going to have a stove or anything to heat the house? I'd try to find out if you'd get away with it if I was you, you might end up with a very well insulated cold house that could end us costing a bomb to retrofit central heating...

Jollyman

Hi selfbuildache,

The €100/Per Sqft is a general rule of thumb, you can make your own cost as much, or get as much value for money/cut costs... as you like; our house 4,100 sqft fully furnished for €65p/sqft. From reading your initial post, what scope of works is included in the timber frame package?
Roof slates, internal doors timber architrave?? You will have plumbing costs in the region of €10k, wiring €6k, plastering €7k fees planning contribution, boring your own well?? second fix carpentry.. ESB connection €1,600 all these things add up in no time a all. On our build i had budgeted €22k to bing us to floor level, due to the fact of meeting rock and digging into the slope of the site cost us nearly €60k!
Have a look at the blog on the google pages link i have budgets and cost plans there, may be worth a look. Just for clarity i am a chartered quantity surveyor.

www.selfbuildardmore.blogspot.com
http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/79105

Duffer2

Jollyman makes some valid points about the hidden-in-plain view costs some self-builders forget to add at the outset.

Remember there are probably certain things you can do without in the short term and add later - hig quality finishes etc. - if your budget is getting stretched. Savings (permanent and temporary) can be made.

Also, remember that building low energy houses is expensive - I typically see additional costs of between 8-24% of a typical building of the same size (24% additional and you'd be looking at a full passive house type building). In theory, they will eventually pay for themselves but the problem is normally finding the money in the first place to pay for them

Cost carefully, estimate sensibly and remember contingencies - oh, and appoint a surveyor, he or she will probably save you a fortune plus help you make sure that you are starting from a sensible point budget speaking. (I'm not a surveyor incidentally)

selfbuildache

17K seems very expensive for a foundation dig and Concrete.

I need to check that one out and get back as to what's involved.

kkelliher - Thanks for QS info. I'll start there. Seems I need to be using one!

No central heating? that's a bold move... Are you going to have a stove or anything to heat the house?

We would have a stove alright but with just a boiler for water. We WOULD be plumbing for heating for the 'just in case' factor. We have spoken to an energy assessor but to be honest, he couldn't tell us whether we'd 'get away' with it or not. He's more or less telling us to go back to the company for assurances. Reading back on this, it doesn't seem to say much about the assessor, does it? I had thought that he'd be the answer to all my questions but it wasn't...

what scope of works is included in the timber frame package?
Roof slates, internal doors timber architrave??

Basically, the envelope of the house is what we're being quoted for - no 2nd fixes, just insulation, felt+battens. i.e. the house sealed. (bar windows/doors) Jayzus, are we being robbed or what?! I'm starting to doubt myself here!
Jollyman, I think we've budgeted similarily alright to you, for 'the rest'(!), roughly at least although I'm sure not for the

hidden-in-plain view

Duffer2 - we're prepared to move in with just the basics! but I hear you (and others) on the QS!

Jollyman - thanks for blog. I'd had a quick look before. Will look later in more detail. Great idea!

Many thanks for advice!

selfbuildache

17K seems very expensive for a foundation dig and Concrete.

There's a 6ft height difference between the road and the site so a lot of stone going in to bring the house up to road level which is why I think the price is up there. Does that now seem a fairer price?

kkelliher

what part of the counry are you in

selfbuildache

Galway

sky6

I'm in the Midlands and I have seen foundations dug, Concrete powered with Stone and 6 inch slab less than 10 k