Negotiating price with contractor for building work

feckthisgenie

Hi

Wondering what people's options are on negotiating on price given by a builder for an new extension. From experience is there any room for negotiating? I assume the more the cost the better the wiggle room is. So let's say a quote comes in for €20,000 for small extension can you expect this to be reduced by several hundred euro, or will builder match another quote within reason?
Any thoughts?

jay0109

I spoke to a builder last week who is doing an extension on a house close by as thinking of doing similar myself. I asked him about a 1 storey extension to the kitchen...bog standard. He said for 25m2 with his team to cover plans etc, it'd cost 50k. Thats just for a finished extension and flooring throughout the kitchen, not a new kitchen itself.
I nearly fell over as I was expecting to hear 25-30k. I reckon he saw my face change colour and so he started to row back immediately, saying varying finishes could be applied to bring back the price.

50k!!! Thats €185 per sq ft.

So If you have been given a quote thats on the outlandish side, get more quotes. And be prepared to look shocked/forlorn, and they might come back with lower prices immediately!

BryanF

feckthisgenie wrote: »

Hi

Wondering what people's options are on negotiating on price given by a builder for an new extension. From experience is there any room for negotiating? I assume the more the cost the better the wiggle room is. So let's say a quote comes in for €20,000 for small extension can you expect this to be reduced by several hundred euro, or will builder match another quote within reason?
Any thoughts?

Best negotation with a builder is before you provide them any drawings, measurements, sizes, requirements, start/ completion date oh and any specifications of what you actually want, as once you give a builder that info they tend to price what things actually cost..

feckthisgenie

jay0109 wrote: »

I spoke to a builder last week who is doing an extension on a house close by as thinking of doing similar myself. I asked him about a 1 storey extension to the kitchen...bog standard. He said for 25m2 with his team to cover plans etc, it'd cost 50k. Thats just for a finished extension and flooring throughout the kitchen, not a new kitchen itself.
I nearly fell over as I was expecting to hear 25-30k. I reckon he saw my face change colour and so he started to row back immediately, saying varying finishes could be applied to bring back the price.

50k!!! Thats €185 per sq ft.

So If you have been given a quote thats on the outlandish side, get more quotes. And be prepared to look shocked/forlorn, and they might come back with lower prices immediately!

Jay to be fair the quotes I am getting are reasonable enough, all similar a grand in the difference. I was just wondering would a builder usually match or meet half way on the other builders price.
The price you seem to have got for 25m2 is way over priced, even if the site is complex and high standard finish.