Kitchen extension

[beetrootsalad]

We’re hoping to get our kitchen extended and we’ve had the plans done, however the first builder’s quote has come back at 60k and it’s way way more than I was expecting. Do I need to start looking at ways to cut costs i.e are two sets of smaller bifold doors cheaper than one big one? Or would other builders quotes likely be much cheaper? It’s 9m wide x 4m if that helps. I was expecting it to be about 35k tbh

Why don't you have a chat with the builder and see if he can suggest ways of reducing the cost? I think bi-folds have had their day although I understand why people like the look - realistically how often would you actually open them up? Looking at alternatives could probably save a few grand. Also, are there things you could do that would reduce the labour costs, such as painting? We painted our new dining room and kitchen from mist coats to top coats and although it was a big job it saved us a lot of money.

However, even with shaving off costs here and there, you're unlikely to get down to £35k from £60k.

Depends what is included in that? Is your builder doing it all? Have you thought about reasearching the price of each element? E.g the builder does the shell - possibly all the way to first fix - you could look at getting in the trades individually but that’s a large project management task - have you looked at rendering the extension rather than having a brick exterior? Bi-folds are not all they’re cracked up to be. We have two sets and have probably opened them both twice fully in two years. Have you looked at the price of your kitchen? Etc it’s hard to help if we don’t know what the money includes.

That doesn’t include the kitchen. It includes everything else though and I wouldn’t be able to project manage as I have two small children and my own business.

That’s interesting about bifolds. So if I didn’t go for bifolds would you go for a couple of sets of doors instead and have more wall space?

I think you’d be very lucky to get anywhere near £35k unless you’re in a particularly cheap part of the country. We’ve been told to expect £1500-2000 a square metre for a well finished article (not an expensive area, not including kitchen or any fancy glazing. So at 36sqm I think £60000 sounds not far off it, though you may get it down a wee bit.

Ours is about that. Quotes ranged from £58,000-£105,000 not including painting, kitchen or flooring (I got 7 quotes). I doubt you'll get close to £35k I'm afraid

I agree with pp, £2k per square metre is about right is my experience so about right.

As for bifolds - we're in South Manchester - not famed for its climate and we have ours open (at least partially) all the time. Had them open fully all day yesterday - nice weather - from about 9am to 10pm. Today, it's tipped it down all morning and it's not particularly warm, but they're open again now. We do spend lots of time in the garden though.

The other thing I'd say is that even when they're closed, they "make" the extension if that makes sense. Makes the room looks 10 times bigger. FWIW I don't think 2 narrow sets would be much cheaper than 1 narrow set.

Sorry for typos!

We had our extension done 4 years ago and had 5 quotes ranging from £45k to £80k (excluding kitchen/flooring/unfolds/decorating). We went with the second cheapest builder at £47k. All in it came to about £75k in total. I have to say I love our bifolds and would choose them again in a heartbeat. We are in the sour West with a north east facing garden and we have them open a lot!