Quote much more than expected - are we unrealistic or is it too expensive?

[PippaFawcett]

We have a £25k budget to do the following (and more)

• Removel of chimney breast and associated support installation/making good etc
• Removal of kitchen and relocation of kitchen works - plumbing/gas/ etc into adjacent room
• Stud wall to be built
• Archway to be squared off
• external Doorway and window to be cut in
• Dining room floor to be levelled
• Patio doors plus five new windows to be fitted
• Ceilings skimmed to remove artex upstairs and downstairs of three bed semi.

This is the bulk of the work, what would you expect to be quoted? The quote includes electrics for the new kitchen but crucially not the kitchen itself. I can't decide if we are woefully unrealistic or if the only quote we have had returned to us is too expensive.

The chimney has been stuck on the back of the house so it isn't too bad. I think we might have to break it all up into smaller jobs and do it that way. If we can get anyone to do the smaller jobs of course!

Yeh, and like others suggested, maybe try looking a bit further afield for trades. Somewhere like Peterborough?

I can't get four quotes! This is the first thorough quote we have had.

This is your problem - if builders don't even want to come and quote as there is so much work going, those that will quote crazy prices, not really expecting (nor wanting - since they are so busy) you to take them up on it, but would be prepared to do so at such an inflated price.

We had quotes for a whole series of works come in at around £70K. We then found a one-man general builder who we paid on a daily rate, and got all that quoted work done for £33K.

I'm on the norfolk coast, our guys are great, they turn up, work all day and aren't ripping us off.

I can ask how far they travel for jobs if you'd like, but I know they have loads of work, the waiting list is 6 months.

We had problems getting quotes, we had 4 done, only 1 for back to us, 2 months later we started again and had 3 more done, 2 got back to me.