Ballpark cost to finish off a house?

mel o

We're looking at putting in an offer on an unfinished house. The house was built about 7 years ago but left unfinished. It's mostly finished outside - I can see places where time has caused problems - a couple of slates fallen, downpipes come away from gutters etc. Inside, it has been plastered and painted white, floors tiled, there are electric sockets, radiators, pipes for plumbing. No fireplace. No woodwork done so no stairs, doors, skirting, architraves. The ceilings look a little mouldy and one ceiling has significant water damage. The ceiling of the sun room needs to be plastered. don't know if there's a septic tank there yet. The site is about 2 1/2 acres and needs to be cleared, it's overgrown with furze bushes. No road in to the house, no connection to water scheme.

I realise this is a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string question but could anyone give me the roughest of guesses as to what it would take to finish it? It's a four bed dormer bungalow, maybe about 1800sq feet. It's in Kerry, in case that's significant.
Are we talking 30k or 100k? The guy selling (a building contractor) would finish it for 100k which makes it completely unaffordable for us.

kilclon

Impossible to answer but almost certainly closer to 100k. Like if your builder is quoting you 100k how much profit do you think he is making. Over 200%? Not likely. Most likely he is making between 10 and 20%.

mel o

Thanks for the reply, although you're not telling her me what I want to hear!

Hale

You wont get away with 100k 150k would be more realistic,every job you described is big money never mind the fact you have to install bathrooms kitchens etc.

hexosan

mel o wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, although you're not telling her me what I want to hear!

It's early days yet, stay on here long enough and you'll get the answer you want.
That's how the internet works.

mel o

Thanks for the replies. I suppose the best thing to do would be to employ a QS? to give me an idea of what's needed and what it would cost.

bduffy

You'd have to ask why the contractor wouldn't finish it himself?
It sounds like the 100k is a bit high, but rates differ across the country.
You need to list out everything in a spreadsheet I suppose?
My guesses based on recent work: Groundwork sounds like a problem to start if you don't know about a tank (about 3k alone) but there must be a hardcore bed into the property (804 at 220 a load to make sure)
Stairs - 2,000 (but you said bungalow also?)
Kitchen 6-10,000
Doors - 200 each
Plastering -160 per day
It all adds up so 1 person to take it all on makes sense, but few would finish someonene else's half done job.

kippy

7 years.........
We've had two "big freezes" in that time and a number of "weather" events.

The freezes would be an issue if the pipes were filled with water - are there burst pipes in the (unused) heating system, are other parts of the house effected by the weather?

While there can be value in these types of houses, I'm wary about things like that when it comes to a house that has lain partly finished for a number of years.

mel o

bduffy wrote: »

You'd have to ask why the contractor wouldn't finish it himself?.

I'd love to know the answer to this question because the house has been going downhill over the years from neglect. I know he had problems with his neighbour, he was planning to divide up the site and look for permission for another house. I know there was bad feeling but would that be enough to bring the thing to a halt? Or did he just run out of money?

There's a kitchen on site but it's in boxes so would need a carpenter to put it together. So at least that would be a few grand saved.

893bet

hexosan wrote: »

It's early days yet, stay on here long enough and you'll get the answer you want.
That's how the internet works.

Double post

893bet

hexosan wrote: »

It's early days yet, stay on here long enough and you'll get the answer you want.
That's how the internet works.

Are you 4sticks in disguise?

Edit. Also sounds like the 100k is much more likely than the 30 k you mention.

Also the 2.5 k site is huge and if it is a rough as you say could cost a lot to put right if it needs top soil.

roisincorran

30000 sjould be enough if you go direct labour and get good quotes of a few different pwople. It also depends on what your definition of finished is but a stairs can be done for a grand for eg. ...

mel o wrote: »

We're looking at putting in an offer on an unfinished house. The house was built about 7 years ago but left unfinished. It's mostly finished outside - I can see places where time has caused problems - a couple of slates fallen, downpipes come away from gutters etc. Inside, it has been plastered and painted white, floors tiled, there are electric sockets, radiators, pipes for plumbing. No fireplace. No woodwork done so no stairs, doors, skirting, architraves. The ceilings look a little mouldy and one ceiling has significant water damage. The ceiling of the sun room needs to be plastered. don't know if there's a septic tank there yet. The site is about 2 1/2 acres and needs to be cleared, it's overgrown with furze bushes. No road in to the house, no connection to water scheme.

I realise this is a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string question but could anyone give me the roughest of guesses as to what it would take to finish it? It's a four bed dormer bungalow, maybe about 1800sq feet. It's in Kerry, in case that's significant.
Are we talking 30k or 100k? The guy selling (a building contractor) would finish it for 100k which makes it completely unaffordable for us.

kilclon

hexosan wrote: »

It's early days yet, stay on here long enough and you'll get the answer you want.
That's how the internet works.

Didn't take long.

roisincorran wrote: »

30000 sjould be enough if you go direct labour and get good quotes of a few different pwople. It also depends on what your definition of finished is but a stairs can be done for a grand for eg. ...