Key Post House Extension

I'm currently trying to persuade builders to spare a moment of their precious time to give me a quote for a garage conversion/extension (just 2 rooms).There doesn't seem to be much interest judging from the lack of replies (obviously no slowdown in the building trade!) but I have had one quote of 80k.This seems exorbitant and I was wondering if anyone has built something similar and what it cost?

cost of house extension

Ed.

I'm doing the same myself. The quote I received was €140,000 we have only three or four weeks to go, all is going well so far and when I've done my figures I might post back with final costings.

Go onto a building site and ask a few Ukranians. They will do excellent work at a fraction of the cost of Irish labour.

The sooner this government hands foreign individuals employment certs rather than employers the better. A little competition never did anyone any harm.

140k??????

For an extension?!...I've seen new houses down the country selling for less than that, plus they have to buy the land.Builders must be still creaming it.

Ukranians

Hi Tom, Sorry my post wasnt too clear. Let me explain. I was quoted €140k by a builder (cheapest of three) for an extension. I didn't pay it or employ them. Instead I've got Ukranians to build it for me and it looks like its going to cost me a fraction of that cost. Just thought the information would be helpful to others in a similar situation.

quote

Hi Graham,I saw you said it was just a quote no my surprise was that you could be actually quoted that much for an extension.Is it a 2 storey extension?.And are you sure your Ukranians are going to build it to a reliable standard? (and yes I know we've got plenty of cowboys of our own!)

Quote

Tom architect sees that standards are adhered to, so that makes it easy for me. Its a single storey but high spec. No surprises so far but still 3 weeks left to go. We agreed a price at the start with a timeline of 9 weeks. They are excellent workers. They have kept rigidly to timetable, I source and supply materials, they dont dissappear for days on end, they are very neat, arrive 9am finish around 5.30. Work some Saturdays. They have never let me down on any aspect of the work. Have agreed 25% payment on completion. Couldn't fault any of the work so far.

smells fishy

A single storey extension for 140k???....no matter how cheap these Ukranians can do it for a lot less it still seems strange.Did you really just wander onto a building site and ask a few Eastern europeans how much they'd build an extension for you?.
Sounds more like you're a builder trying to excuse rip off prices.

Contractors

EJ, You should have some manners. I am not a builder, I have the tender documents and written replies received from the builders approached so the figures I have given are not fiction and are as stated, and yes I did go onto a site and have 6 Ukranians working on my extension as I write.

As an observation, there is little point in posting if one receives such replies. Whats in it for me I've nothing to gain personally by telling others of my experience. I thought this (poorly moderated) forum was about money and I'm just illustrating to other interested parties how with a little common sense one needent waste it unnecessarily.

Extensions

I don't know much about building, but a builder friend of mine informed me that many builders are not interested in small work like this, so quote ridiculous amounts for relatively small jobs like extensions. If someone decides to go for it, then quids in.

I will be planning an addition to our house, to be built on top of the already converted garage. I hope it doesn't cost 80K - surely if an extension costs 140K or 80K, it will not add that value to the house?

Re: Extensions

I thought this (poorly moderated) forum was about money

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Ah Graham - Give us chance. EJ's post was at 11.30 pm last night. Your response is at 10am today. What do you expect - Moderators (who devote time on a voluntary basis to this community) on duty on a 24x7 basis, ready to jump in?

As it happens, I saw EJ's post & I didn't particularly like it. But the best response to posts like this is a simple clarification, as you have done. Expecting moderators to get involved in sorting out each & every dispute between posters is a bit unreasonable.

extension

We've had a 200 sq foot 2 room lean-to extension (with Velux windows in each room) put on our 3 bed semi-d this summer. 1 room to extend kitchen to double it's size, the second is a kids payroom. We also had a partition wall put up between our sitting room and dining area, new bannisters on the stairs, the entire downstairs painted, tiled, skirted, varnished etc, the entire outside of the house was also painted, Total cost €25K and we paid for the paint and tiles.

140K - must be a big extension?

Sounds more reasonable

I have heard that some builders aren't bothered with small jobs as one of the posters have suggested, and price them so high to put you off.My architect suggested around 35k so I can't imagine what size extension would cost 140k!.Thanks for the replies, any more welcome along with any good builder names!

Garage Conversion

Yikes, scary prices here. I got a garage converted into a bedroom and bathroom in 2001 for a paltry €4000. Granted the floor wasn't raised 40mm to be the same level as the rest of the house (which would have cost a few hundred more) but it did involve building walls, knocking out a door, plumbing and wiring.

I must have got a bargain so. It was in a provincial town, not in Dublin.

Ukranians

Why don't you post the contact details for these Ukrainians.
If they are as good as you say, other AAM contributors might want to contact them for their building jobs?

Thanks

Ukranians

Rainyday I owe you an apology.

Ed you could be right perhaps contractors priced high so they wouldnt get the job. In that way they won't offend the architect who has given them the opportunity and who they may need in the future. Of the three one came in at €119k but quality wasn't there. Perhaps they just take a look at a place and judge how much you can afford, price high and sometimes get lucky. Your guess is as good as mine.

Pillow muncher, I certainly wouldn't have any problems recommending them but as far as I know they don't have work permits. Their employer holds this card and compared to Irish labour pays them buttons (the Ukranians think its great money so they are not complaining). A few months back I got a bathroom installed, one of them was involved in the fitting. Yes, I was ripped off by the contractor who was paying the Ukranian 20% and pocketing 80% of what I was paying. You should have seen the way these guys were treated.

I took their number and later traced them to a site where I walked up with a neck and asked them if they wanted to build an extension for me.

They visited the site one weekend. I gave them a copy of the tender doicument and spec and we agreed a fixed price. I pay in stages with bulk on completion. I pay them a hell of a lot better than what they would get from a contractor but a hell of a lot less than what paddy Irish man was trying to charge me.

They do block laying, tiling, carpentry, roofing, electrical, plumbing, plastering, heating, insulation, sewage, bathrooms, landscaping - the works.

Bottom line. I'd love to see the Govt give these people work permits so they can set up their own business here in Ireland. In doing so they would force others in the industry to reduce their outrageous profits. People wouldn't have to borrow so much etc. Surely that would be of benefit to society as a whole.

If it works out with permits etc I'll gladly post their details (I might need a few more jobs done first) and hopefully this will help other readers of AAM. In the meantime just have a bit of neck and go out there and ask them!

discrepency Graham?

"Have agreed 25% payment on completion. ...."

"I pay in stages with bulk on completion"

Which is true?.I had a 2 bed extension done last year for 35k and it was quite high spec, sorry but I really can't see how a couple of rooms could cost more than 35/40k
Shop around Ed, you'll find good value out there.

discrepency Graham?

Yes its a complete porkey a complete farce. I just love wasting my time and yours.

When someone talks about an extension why do you assume its just a pookey room or two and why does the same person using different user names keep insulting me?

Was the original poster of this thread serious or just posting something for a 'what if ' type of a conversation. In a similar situation I'd have been dammed glad of the information received if I was really that serious on the subject.

If its easier for you not to believe then do so if it makes you happier. But its your loss. I shall not level my wit with you and shall not post back again on the subject.

Ukrainians

I'd love to see the Govt give these people work permits so they can set up their own business here in Ireland. In doing so they would force others in the industry to reduce their outrageous profits.

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Graham, if they were on a legal footing here they'd soon be charging the same prices as everyone else. Thats human nature.

Shop Around

Ed

You'll get a reasonable quote if you shop around. I recently used a recommended builder for an extension and he did an excellent job. He even paid the fees for me to hire an architect to do site visits and certify the work as i initially didnt want to do this. His email is [email protected] and im sure he would tender a qoutation if you arrange to send on drawings/spec.At least youd have another figure to compare.

Best of Luck !

Thanks extended

Since my first post I got a few more quotes and they certainly vary in price!...It certainly pays to shop around!.I'll email your contact and see what he says, as you say its always good to have another figure for comparison sake.