renovation costs

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elainem

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Hi! I've posted on this site before re. damp problems and high water table. The quote then I got for solving the problems was E100k. However, that builder pulled out, and the next cheapest quote is E150,000. This includes:

New Kitchen - Cash and Carry - price of kitchen E9k
New electricals for kitchen - 2k
Tiling - 4k

Tanking walls in kitchen 1k

Architects fees 10k

Painting House - 10k - 1800 sq feet - period house (my own painter)

The remainder of the costs 109k are for the builder to:

1) install french drains all around the house
2) knock down a raised flower bed
3) Plaster all walls in kitchen following tanking - kitchen is 20 by 15 feet.

Are these costs excessive even for Dublin?
 
Noah, thanks for your reply. The 10k for the Architect is to supervise the project. Being female and on my own, I don't feel confident dealing with builders. Also, he is the architect that originally supervised the complete renovation of the house for my mother in 1989.

I forgot to mention that a sump pump is also required to deal with drainage issue. Also, there will be new guttering all along the roof as rainwater is currently flowing from the roof into my yard, which isn't helping the damp problem.

Have you any idea of what a reasonable cost for this work would be. It seems it's a small job (though not small to me), and very few builders want to touch it.

Any thoughts on this much appreciated.
 
New Kitchen - E9k (sounds a bit dear, depends on quality, solid wood etc)
New electricals for kitchen - 2k (Slightly dear for 1 room)
Tiling - 4k (4k should pay for purchase and fitting of approx 70m2)
Tanking walls in kitchen 1k(sounds almost too cheap)
Architects fees 10k(on yer bike son, fool me once etc...)
Painting House - 10k - 1800 sq feet - (outrageous)
The remainder of the costs 109k are for the builder to:
1) install french drains all around the house(sorry dont know)
2) knock down a raised flower bed(get a local handyman, much cheaper)
3) Plaster all walls in kitchen following tanking - kitchen is 20 by 15 feet.
Are these costs excessive even for Dublin? Answer=YES
My advice is price around, ring more builders. 100k sounds dear, I cant understand why the builder pulled out.
 
Is the architect's fee included in the builder's quote, or have you been working directly with the architect yourself? It is important that the architect is working directly for you, and not in any way through the builder. If the builder has any role in paying the fee, the architect will find it a bit difficult to effectively supervise the builder.

Have you discussed the level of overall project fees with the architect?
 
Is this a period house (i.e. are there conservation issues?) and is the access difficult (limited space for scaffolding etc. outside?) two aspects of renovation which can considerably increase the difficulties, hence costs.
 
elainem said:
The remainder of the costs 109k are for the builder to:

1) install french drains all around the house
2) knock down a raised flower bed
3) Plaster all walls in kitchen following tanking - kitchen is 20 by 15 feet.

Are these costs excessive even for Dublin?
Click to expand...

I'd have thought (1) and (2) involve mainly unskilled labour (digging, soil removal) with a relatively small skilled component and as such should only cost a few thou.
(3) From the plasterer costs here and here, again I'd say the plastering of one room shouldn't be more than a few thou.
On this basis, 109k for the three items sounds awfully expensive to me.
As Froggie said, getting local handymen for the unskilled bits would be much cheaper.
 
Hi! everyone,

Thanks for your replies. Yes, the house is a period house. There is no huge problem with access, as there is a back entrance, and a mini digger would be able to get through, though I don't know what extra equipment would be needed.

I'm glad other people think it's expensive to fix rising damp and high water table problem.

Once the problem is sorted, I am hoping to sell, dealing with protected strucutres and Dublin builders is just too stressfull!!
 
elainem said:
Hi! everyone,

Thanks for your replies. Yes, the house is a period house. There is no huge problem with access, as there is a back entrance, and a mini digger would be able to get through, though I don't know what extra equipment would be needed.

I'm glad other people think it's expensive to fix rising damp and high water table problem.

Once the problem is sorted, I am hoping to sell, dealing with protected strucutres and Dublin builders is just too stressfull!!
Click to expand...


hi elaine,
your costs seem a fair bit high, 10k for an architect would cover a full build including submission fees for p.permission.
soffit and fascia is aprox 100eur a sq metre. french draining is about 45eur a metre, can be a bit more depending on the surface finish and how complicated the whole process is.

My advice would be to gt rid of the architect and speak to a quantity surveyor or an engineer. 9k on a kitchen is at the high end but quite psobbile depending on size and so forth....

i have quite a few contacts in the building industry which may be of use, including a few builders who are relaible and cheap, they are obviously busy being good and cheap, but worth it....private message me if you want some contact details of builders and surveyors and i can give you their contact numbers....can also provide some female friendly architects, there is a firm run by two women in rathmines that are quite popular with women, kinda along the lines of the female garages in the us...

anyhow, best of luck.
 
The prices you are being quoted seem very high. I would also sugest that you don'r hire anybody without first getting references and visiting their previous projects.

Is the house a listed building and have you planning permission for the proposed development.

John
 
Baby-tooth and Productive, thanks for your replies. Productive, yes it is a listed period house - a listed period house that's driving me mad!!

Baby-tooth, I have sent you a private message. I would be grateful for any contact of reliable builders that you could give me.
 
Hi

have to agree with some of the others...time to ditch the architect. Price sounds too high for the work involved.
 
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