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QS for 28 square meter rear extension?

RonnieL

Hi,

I've basically spent the entire year trying to get the ball rolling on a rear extension to my (standard 4 bed, estate) house. Eventually got an engineer to do up plans, and we're looking to add a single story 28 square meter extension to the rear, and also move our kitchen from one side of the house to the other. We've struggled massively to get quotes, and the couple we have gotten are high - 133K including vat, but excluding the price of a new kitchen, or the supply of any flooring. I understand the prices at the moment are crazy generally - I was just wondering if there's any point looking to find a quantity surveyor, or a project manager who might be able to co-ordinate things and get a better price? I am a complete novice when it comes to construction.

I've read several posters saying on here that the prices are going to come back down soon, but others who think they'll continue to rocket. I don't know what to do!

Any pointers for getting a fair quote?

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Tefral

Just a quick one (as a QS) the first thing i see when i see rear of house is access. have you a side gate big enough to drive machinery in and out of?

RonnieL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118006617#Comment_118006617

Thanks for the reply.

Both side entrances are narrow, but I'd say one of those mini diggers would fit.

Where you based?! 😉

mickie smyth

Hey there,

I'm looking to get similar done. If you were happy with the engineer who did the plans, might you be able to PM me their details?

Thanks

RonnieL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118065302#Comment_118065302

We got the plans done in the end, but I wouldn't recommend the engineer - it was like getting blood from a stone. Good luck with your project though!

Calvin001

I'm looking to do something similar also - but 4m x 5.5m total (20sqm). Had an idea what i wanted, and got an architect technician to do drawings. He left emigrated, so onto 2nd Architect.

Done the RIAI Open door, and got great advice (because i had a plan of what i was thinking). Going to get an engineer to do structural drawings and sign off on build. Expect to spend about €100k in total (incl VAT), and excluding kitchen or floor finish.

I'm in the industry, so will be using contacts. Would be sceptical of anyone building it for much cheaper than this. (side entrance needs to be 800mm or more at narrowest point, for access)

RonnieL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118106351#Comment_118106351

So you're happy to pay 5K per square meter? People used to talk about 1k per square meter for a basic finish, and 2k for high end. What's happened, or am I just mistaken?

Calvin001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118106927#Comment_118106927

RonnieL

the cost per sqm of an extension, is like asking for the cost of a car per wheel!, its only valuable to the person who has an idea what they are talking about. Its a very dangerous tool for the uneducated client.

Smaller areas or renovation work, don't always comply with costs per sqm.

RonnieL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118146342#Comment_118146342

Fair enough. A big part of my problem is I have no experience with construction. However, I can't shake the sense that while material costs have gone up, a bigger part of the price increases is builders being in very short supply, and creaming it as a result (don't blame them for a second btw!). We're going to hold off on our plans for the moment I think. I'm hoping as people return to offices, the demand for extensions might ease.

Calvin001

RonnieL, for anyone without experience, the best way is to employ the experience (architect / engineer / other), and be directed by them. Otherwise, you need to try and get some of that experience for yourself - from your little amount of knowledge, talk to everyone who might have an input into your build, and ask the silly questions, until you think you can put it together yourself (this is what a lot of self builders do), and its how best to find out who does what and who gets what.

In relation to "creaming", there is a unique process in the construction industry called "tendering" which is designed to omit this. If your not happy with one price, you get 3 more - but dont waste peoples time of you will either get no response, or a response that looks like "creaming".

Homer99

I'm doing a kitchen extension, 21 sq m, I've gotten 4 prices, 75, 67, 60 and 40, all incl vat, the fella at 40, my nephew has worked for him, small builder, very good work, I got a bill of quantities done up, materials are around 20k, build will take 10 weeks, now if you're happy to pay 100k for pretty much the same, and you say you'll be using your "contacts", you're either on here taking the piss, you're an actual builder and you want to let people think that people are out there happy to pay 100k for 3 walls and a roof or you've more money than sense

scwazrh

Unless it’s a complicated extension or have very high end glazing a single storey one room extension should cost around €2k / sqm

farmerval

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118304147#Comment_118304147

Are they labour only prices and you supply the materials or are they all in costs?

Homer99

All in, materials, labour and vat included

farmerval

€40,000.00 including VAT which I assume is 13.5% leaves a net cost of roughly €35,400.00 If materials are €20,000.00 then that leaves €15,400.00 for the builder for plant and labour and overheads and profit for a ten week build, or €1,540.00 per week.

Ten weeks looks like a short programme. I have no idea what the lead time on windows is, but normally the windows supplier has to wait for the blockwork to be complete to come and measure up, and then a lot of trades e.g. electrical and plastering have to wait until the windows are fitted before progressing, so unless the windows have an unusually short turn around time the programme looks very tight.

Regarding materials, they're shooting up in cost and more importantly some stuff is quite scarce.

Regarding Ronnie L's comment above about €1k /m2, it seems that's your material cost alone. If you hire any tradesman at the moment you're looking at a minimum of €1,000.00 per week plus employers contribution etc, many are costing more. So definitely at the moment construction is expensive.

The big issue with extensions etc is that you need to find a contractor that specialises in that scale of work and has access to the different trades. Getting say a sparks or a plumber to come when you need them, and often it's only a couple of hours work is the big issue. Often someone like that will only come for full day's pay whether it's three hours on site or 8.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118106351#Comment_118106351

If you’re using your contacts and that’s what you’re having to pay I’d strongly recommend you find new contacts. Have to say I’d agree with Homer99, the only person that would think that to be a good price is the person actually getting the money. The person paying it is most definitely being fleeced.

RonnieL

Regarding costs - I was watching the bungalow bliss show last night and it left me even more baffled about the quotes I've received. If you didn't see the show, they took a very basic bungalow in donegal, perched on the edge of a cliff, and did a massive job, including ground works on the cliff edge that the presenter said he'd only ever seen done in commercial builds. The finish was ultra premium, and the total cost for what I think was a 6 month build was 350K, all in. Now, maybe they were playing down the figures to save face, but it did make me wonder how on earth we're getting quotes of 133K for a 28 square meter single story rear extension, excluding floor finishes and kitchen. The mind boggles.

DOCARCH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118329613#Comment_118329613

Are you based in Donegal? Typically Donegal construction prices would be cheaper than Dublin/east coast construction prices. Also there are economies of scale. Typically the bigger the job, the less the cost pro rata/per m.sq. (generally). Finally, bungalow bliss is generally last years pricing/costs!

RonnieL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118330808#Comment_118330808

I'm in Galway. I get the whole economies of scale thing, but that only explains so much. And the builds on the show all took place in the summer of 2021 (the one last night was completed late October).

DOCARCH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118331261#Comment_118331261

Yes, but probably priced in 2020 or early 2021....different market! Also there is TV pricing issue (i.e. keen pricing to get on TV). Big problem on another very popular RTE programme with that! Some of the pricing is unrealistic!

DOCARCH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118329613#Comment_118329613

Watched that last night. The existing house was only 70 m.sq. and the extension, while relatively big, did not look as big as the existing house, maybe 60 m.sq.?