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How much is your building work going to cost?

Have you ever wondered why building quotes vary so much?

There are a number of reasons and knowing these will help you evaluate which builder presents the best option for successful completion of your new home or other building project. It is possible to calculate costs and doing this can be quite revealing. It will give you some insight into how the builders have arrived at their quotations.  

Looking at these calculations before approaching a builder will also help you budget for your building work or new extension. Perhaps more important, working out even a rough calculation will protect you from speculative builders who under quote.  Take the lowest quotation and you are risking increased costs and you might well find your project going over your budget. The cheapest quote is more often than not the worst option. Read more on this in my guide to choosing a builder.

Visit this link for a calculator to help you work out the costs of your building project. The cost per square metre figure allows for a finished new build home or extension. This includes kitchens and bathrooms but does not including external landscaping.

10 things you need to consider when viewing building quotations

1. The extra fees involved. These include Legal Fees, stamp Duty, Land Tax and planning Application fees
2. You must build in a contingency fund – building work can be unpredictable and something  unforeseen might arise
3. Standard size or bespoke windows? Bespoke will involve a higher cost and this applies to pretty much ‘bespoke’ anything else.
4. Extra storey or rooms in the loft? Some loft conversions can be more expensive if the existing structure is unsuitable
5. Which heating system will you choose? Ground source heat pumps are more expensive than air source  heat pumps but will save energycosts long term 
6. How green do you want your finished building project to be? Energy efficiency usually involves higher cost upfront with savings made over a longer term
7. Finished effects – type of materials used can greatly affect the cost. eg roofing slate type needs to be specified as quality and cost varies significantly
8. Landscaping, will your builder design and organise this or will you do it yourself?
9. Final finish on kitchen and bathroom and other fittings all affect quotations
10. Design costs. Opting for design and build provides a much more cost effective option

Obviously if you decide to self build you will be saving on labour costs. But bear in mind the skill and time involved. Hiring different trades will take you longer than employing a building contractor. Whichever route you decide to take, building costs are affected by quality and specification. Always choose a builder who provides a fully detailed and realistic quote.  

Renovations Homes - How to retain original features

Keeping original features retains the character of older homes and listed properties, without them you are in danger of creating a theatre set. The reason most people take on a renovation project is a love of old buildings and the desire to create a comfortable and characterful home. Most people in these circumstances are determined to save as many of the original features as possible.

It’s often the little details that count and that will make the difference to your finished renovation. It’s important to be flexible and be prepared to make decisions about original features as your renovation progresses and the condition of those features is revealed.

At the same time it is important to plan ahead and to incorporate those original features in your renovation plan. Use a specialist builder and designer with experience of older properties. They will be able to advise you on what can be saved, used and restored as well as how to retain original features and how to best incorporate them to ensure you have a comfortable stylish home.

Original features such as inglenook and feature fireplaces, original timbers and beams, plaster work and roof tiles can make considerable difference to your finished renovation. Don’t discount specific features from buildings that were originally used for agricultural, industrial or religious use. This might include dove cots, cattle troughs, feature windows, high ceilings, brick work and original flooring.

What you need to consider

• Firstly can the original feature be retained 
• The condition of the feature might reveal itself at a later stage of your renovation 
• How will the feature affect your room layout and design?
• What will removing old paint reveal? Is it better to recreate from new using a specialist?
• Can you make better use of original features by using them elsewhere 
• Beams and ceilings in agricultural buildings might be too low so relocation will be the only option 

To see some of Kent Building Developments Renovations >>>>>

Garden Rooms

 

More people than ever are opting to extend their homes rather than move. Creating new spaces,  more room and improving the layout can make your home work more efficiently. Garden rooms can be designed to create an area where you can enjoy the warm breeze of a summer day, or in winter, shut out the cold and get cosy by the fire! Garden rooms are a fantastic way to let you enjoy your garden all year round. Good design will create a seamless transition between the house and the garden.

Whilst the majority of garden rooms are attached to properties, they can work just as well free standing as a part of your garden. Garden Rooms by Kent Building Developments can create that special area for different uses such as,
 

      Studios for art work and pottery

      Home cinema

     Children's playrooms

     Teenage hideaways

     Swimming pools

     Home offices

 

 A Garden Room may be a once in a life time opportunity, therefore,  good planning and design will make sure your Garden Room brings you more space, adds value to your home and complements the style and individuality of your home.

What you need to consider when planning your garden room

      Planning permission may be needed (link to other article)
     Will it be eco friendly and energy efficient
     Modern or traditional, glass or brick to blend in with your home and garden or something  more original, for example,  Green Oak
    Wide doors to connect you with your garden
    Type of heating

 

     A garden room for business and work

Around 30% of the working population now work from home. Garden rooms are the perfect solution, warm and spacious. Good design will create an office, or meeting room free from the distractions of a home environment.

Kent Building Developments Garden Rooms

Whether attached or a stand-alone construction. Garden Rooms by Kent Building Developments benefit from the highest standard of workmanship with comfort, energy efficiency and the use of environmentally friendly elements. Your garden room will be designed and built to your personal requirements and preferences.

Kent building Developments garden rooms are designed with style, longevity and quality in mind. Please visit our photo gallery. We are a Yorkshire based family run company and are committed to 100% customer satisfaction, with comprehensive guarantees. 

Kent Building Developments winter 2012 News

Prestigious English Country Cottages Gold Award marks continued success for North Yorkshire Holiday Cottage

Before Director Steve Kent, of Kent Building Developments Ltd, converted a derelict listed barn on

the edge of the North Yorkshire moors into two holiday cottages, he was advised to develop them

to a basic level of comfort and services for holiday lets.  

Feeling strongly that people on holiday deserve a comfortable stay and wanting to do justice to the beautiful 18^th century part stone built barn, he ignored the advice and renovated the cottages to a much higher standard.  Both holiday cottages, Rose & Granary, are heated with renewable energy and enjoy underfloor heating throughout.

Steve’s commitment and determination have resulted in a Gold Award for Rose Cottage from English Country Cottages.  Gold awards are based on customer feedback and 100% rankings for comfort, presentation of the property, customer service and degree of luxury for the accommodation overall.

The Gold Award follows a top English Country Cottage Five Star rating of ‘Exceptional with a degree of luxury’ for both Rose and Granary Cottages.  The converted barn in Rillington, near Malton includes both holiday cottages and Steve’s own property, so Steve and partner Pam are on close hand to help make visitors’ stay as comfortable and interesting as possible.  All three properties retain original features from the barn including beams and vaulted ceilings.

Steve said; “Despite the advice given to me, my instinct was to give people the comfort they deserve and, at the same time, do justice to the wonderful old barn. I’ve long had a commitment to renewable energy and energy efficiency and I’m sure this has been reflected in the high level of comfort reported by our visitors.”

He added; “We spent a lot of time researching the types of visitors we could attract and went out of our way to provide facilities for them. These include an en-suite disabled friendly bathroom in Rose, open plan lounges, kitchens and diners with contemporary furniture, French doors leading on to stone paved patio areas set within secluded walled gardens, secure cycle store, walking trail suggestions for hikers and details of bird watching sites for bird watchers.”

 

Building Estimates and Quotations

As a professional builder I often come across house buyers and homeowners who have found their longed for building project has turned into a series of problems and delays. Typically these are:

•  Problems obtaining planning permission and expensive repeat submissions (link this to previous articles)
• The cost of the finished project exceeds original estimates and quotations
• The time taken exceeds the time agreed

I decided to pass on some advice based on my 30 years of experience in the building trade. To start with let’s get a few legal points out of the way. When you employ a builder or building company you can expect and are entitled to:

• Work being carried out with reasonable care and skill
• Finished in a reasonable and agreed time
• Provided at a reasonable cost  to an agreed specification

Sometimes, additional work is required to make sure your project is carried out safely and correctly. The very nature of building means unforeseen problems can occur which may affect the final price

The simple way to overcome this is to have a contingency budget and make sure you agree with the builder that any further work will only be completed by agreement. A truly professional building company would not think of carrying out extra work without explaining the necessity for it and how much extra it will cost.

Estimates

It is important you know about the difference between a quotation and an estimate. Usually an estimate is an approximation of how much your building project will cost. Estimates are useful in the early stages in order to establish an initial budget cost. An estimate is not an agreed price. If an actual price for your building project was not agreed you may legally have to pay the difference if the builder asks for more money at any stage of the contract.

A quotation should be a detailed assessment of the work to be carried out. This should include the time required and the material specification to complete the work. A quotation from a professional builder will include this information. This isa good way to tell if your building company is professional and reputable.