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Planning renovation and determining budget

  • 20-02-2017 10:10am
    #1
    Surelook
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 ✭


    Hi All,
    First time poster here about to embark on a house renovation in Dublin.
    We have yet to determine our budget for the works. We have a big 'dream' wish list (extension to the back, garage conversion, extension above garage, front porch, etc.) which we would like to get some realistic costs on. From this we would prioritise elements of the renovation, as it's unlikely we will proceed with everything, then finalise the budget. Ideally we want to limit our budget to a reasonable amount that could somewhat be recovered if we ever sell in the future. We accept we may decide to spend over this amount if a particular element of the renovation is really important to how we would like to live.
    My question is has anyone have experience in this position? Did you engage an architect or QS first? How accurate can costings be without plans? Would you develop plans with the complete wish list for pricing purposes and then update plans later? Is there a company that can do both?
    If anyone has any personal recommendations, please PM me.
    Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    BoardsMember
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,529 ✭✭✭BoardsMember


    Hi. We were in a very similar position.

    What we did was we got an architect to sketch up some drawings of our dream home - the sketches included measurements, elevations, grazing sizes etc.

    Then we got a QS to cost them up. He's fairly confident of +/- 10% of his figures. He gave us a spreadsheet with everything on it, including all the refurb items like insulation, re-wire, carting away etc. The QS was a back & forth process until we scaled back some elements, going for cheaper options like upstairs and downstairs walls being flush/having the same footprint, taking out roof lights etc - nothing that massively altered the overall budget, but enough to make a difference.

    Until we did that we had basically nothing to go on, now we're going ahead with proper drawings & will apply for planning permission based on plans we are hoping will be affordable when we tender the job, but the reality is that until you go out to tender you don't know how much it will cost, you only have your QS estimate to go on.

    Hope this helps.


  • #3
    Surelook
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 ✭Surelook


    Thanks for that, that is helpful. I think we will need to get a few concept plans together and then find a QS.
    It would be good to hear if recent tender prices have come in close to QS estimates.

    Good luck with the renovations


  • #4
    Allen2020
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16 ✭Allen2020


    Hi guys, how much are the architect and QS costs? I'm looking to convert an old 2000ft2 barn/stable into a home but I don't want to pay a fortune and find out its not affordable or that I wont get planning. To be honest I don't think planning will be an issue as we plan to do minimal work to the outer walls of the building and I also think it may have been someones home many many moons ago.


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