Retrofit vs Renovate

BelovedAunt

Hi Guys, I'm looking at a retrofit company at the moment for a full renovation and it seems to add a premium to the price. I'm wondering if I just went with a renovation company, what would I miss out on? I assume that with modern building practices, any extension or insulation work would be done to a high energy efficiency rating anyway. Thanks.

BryanF

Can you give more detail. Not understanding the question. How many quotes did you get and what sort of brief/description/drawing did you give The company(s) to price?

BelovedAunt

Sorry I should have been more specific. The whole house needs to be gutted and insulated. The retrofit company have quoted me over 200k for a full renovation with retrofitting, with no extension but with knocking down a few walls to go open plan.

I have contacted a couple of other companies but still waiting for a quote. They are all design and build companies so I haven’t seen an architect individually.

Dudda

BelovedAunt wrote: »

Sorry I should have been more specific. The whole house needs to be gutted and insulated. The retrofit company have quoted me over 200k for a full renovation with retrofitting, with no extension but with knocking down a few walls to go open plan.

I have contacted a couple of other companies but still waiting for a quote. They are all design and build companies so I haven’t seen an architect individually.

It will be impossible to compare the quotes you get. If one person quotes to add 150mm of external insulation and new passive tripple glazed windows break out the floor and add insulation and underfloor heating it will be incredibly expensive compared to another company that drylines with 50mm insulated board and poor quality triple glazing shoved into a double glazed frame.

I'd be worried that the guy with a low quote could be providing very little but could have over inflated prices and have loads of things not included. The company with the high quote could be fantastic value for what they're providing and a bargain but you've no way of knowing as you can't compare as they'll all propose different things and you'll have no way of knowing whats included and what's not.

You could get hit with a massive amount of extras on a job like this where the company says 'oh we didn't include for that' on loads of things.

What you really need is an architect or someone to talk to you in detail about what you want and what you can afford. Work up drawings and a detailed specification of what you want and what's included and not included. Then if you get three quotes from three companies you know you'll be able to compare them accurately and be getting value for money knowing exactly what's included and what's not.

It could be ok the way you're planning but generally it's doesn't work out as well or as good value.

BelovedAunt

Thanks for that. Would a surveyor be necessary in that case or would an architect plan to that detail? I always assumed a architect would mainly cover the structure, but not so much detail into energy efficiency.

BelovedAunt

They are quoting 12k to insulate the external walls with their own drylining system. Does this sound excessive?