Home extensions

[CHOCOLATEPEANUT]

We are in the process of buying a semi with a small kitchen. We want to put a small side extension on to open up the kitchen space but dont have a clue about costs? Jas anyone got any experience of this?

The extension would be 3ft wide and 10ft long
thanks!

£140 per square metre is a good guide.

It probably will vary on what part of the country you are in, whether you need to put in steel beams, move plumbing, etc. We have had some quotes recently to get a small kitchen extension done (probably smaller than what you are thinking of doing) and it will be a hell of a lot more than £140 per sq metre (or even £1400 which is probably what Hideehi meant to type...)

I live in Lancashire and know a cheap builder so hoping its going to be affordable

We have been told £1500 per square metre (but then we're in Surrey so everything is more expensive here...). Stuff like steel beams where you used to have a load bearing wall cost about £5000.

Over here, Australia, you can get your own Builder's ticket for a one off project and then sort out the tradies and the materials yourself. I am doing a major house extension including a steel frame kit home and this will be the cheapest way to do it saving me about 20% of builder's fees but I have to get own insurance.

Is that possible in UK?

You would probably be best inviting your builder round for an informal chat prior to getting any plans drawn up etc. He can then advise on things that might not have crossed your mind, how to keep costs down (if money is an issue) etc. He can also let you know an approx price per metre/foot squared as it varies massively across the country.

DP is a builder and he often does this for people. There are all sorts of things that can affect a build (and its cost/time/difficulty levels etc) -things like if there are any existing manholes/drainage under the area you want to build on, building regs and so on.