Estimate cost of renovations?

[NamechangeyMcnamechanged]

Hi, looking at a house we're interested but struggling to work out cost of renovation. I know I need to find a builder but the ones I've tried won't come out to look/quote unless I have bought the property (big firms). I know a couple of one man band builders but don't want to ask them because I possibly won't use them so don't want to mislead!

Is there a resource or website I can use to help me get a realistic sense of costs of renovation, because me and the husband are just plucking figures out of the air!

It needs (at least):
New heating (wet underfloor is my preference, on all floors if possible!)
New system boiler
New electrics/lighting
Couple of internal walls need taking down, but if reorganisation of space
New kitchen
New bathrooms (two plus downstairs loo, needs new good showers all fittings replacing)
New kitchen/utility
All the floors, walls and ceilings need stripping back (anaglypta, coving and wood cladding everywhere, false ceilings etc) and redecorating, possibly plastering but can't tell behind the anaglypta...
No idea what structural issues, as we're pre offer, let alone survey.
Roof areas might need new high spec insulation, especially if we strip out false ceilings in extension
Would like to add some skylights in kitchen

Would love to update Windows and do external insulation and other eco adaptations but this might have to wait till later!

So this is a cheapish area up north and we don't have high end expectations - eg happy to use laminate rather than granite worktops 😁 but we are keen on the UFH so might need LVT floors as not going to do ceramic tile.

So how do I work out roughly what all that is gonna cost me?

wyow, sounds like a lot.

One problem is that a kitchen can be ikea off the shelf fitted yoruself, or from a kitchen company and 10x more.

I would say the same with a bathroom.

Also, how much will you do, eg painting, tiling and how much do you want a builder to do?

UFH - concrete or floorboards? What's the floor to ceiling height - ie could you afford to have to have it all raised? It's easy enough to get the cost of the materials as you know the area.

Walls to remove - are they stud or solid? The latter might need steels, structural engineer etc.

I get that you don't want to engage a small builder to quote as you might but if you pay for his time to look around and draw up a quote that is more reasonable? To draw realistic quotes does take their time so if you offer to pay that might help?

my guess about 60k

Thanks all! Yes we know it's going to be a lot so we need to judge our offer on this basis and work out the ceiling price in the area if done up.

Some more details:

Kitchen - we'd definitely be happy to have IKEA level and husband fit it or get general joiner to do it. But prob want good quality sinks, taps, oven and hob.

bathroom - likewise can live with some ordinary high Street or 'shed shop' prices, but taps/shower fittings all need to be good, like hansgrohe etc. Might want a large insulated steel bath.

"Also, how much will you do, eg painting, tiling and how much do you want a builder to do?" We'd love to get it all done as we're not very practical, but husband can do basics like assemble and fit kitchen. More technical things deffo need it done. Can do decorating ourselves but not plastering!

"UFH - concrete or floorboards? What's the floor to ceiling height - ie could you afford to have to have it all raised?" Concrete base I think but will need to check. I've found a system that low profile intended to be laid on concrete. Ceiling height isn't brilliant but as ground floor is mostly single storey extension, we think we might get some ceiling height back by taking out false ceiling...

"Walls to remove - are they stud or solid? The latter might need steels, structural engineer etc." Yes think they're solid. Had a good knock at viewing but where we'd knock down, they only hold a roof (it's a one storey extension). Will get full survey if we buy and then architect and engineer anyway as we will need a masterplan for our longer term plans anyway.

Yes I will add up all the costs for materials I can find. Prob will need some steel here and there.

Thanks for the £60k punt! Does that still found about right to the rest of you?

Also yes, good idea to offer to pay someone. Might ask the person I know but will just have to be clear I'll be tendering and looking for different quotes.

We’re in the middle of doing virtually all the same jobs and I went through your list and based on the prices we’ve got I came to £55k. We’re also in the north. That’s project managing it yourself and finding people to come in to do each bit and assuming you’ll need a full replaster (which you will, after a rewire and removing anaglypta).

BitOftheSea, thank you, that's extremely helpful. How is your renovation going?

I guess we could work out the additional costs of project manager, fees etc and see what we can afford (or need to do ourselves) if we secure the house at the right price.

I think adding a project manager adds quite a lot to the cost. They won’t e.g. be haggling with the kitchen supplier in the same way as you would. Our renovation is going ok, it’s at a stage where the house looks terrible but it should start coming together in the next couple of weeks! It is a lot of work project managing it, but will hopefully be worth it.

We're doing a similar project at the moment, also up north, and I'd say you're looking at an absolute minimum of 60k (more if you choose to go above basic spec on any of it).

I think an allowance of 10% for project manager (same as a full architect) is a good place maker

Yes. Good point. I manage projects all the time but am terrified of the responsibility of a building project for our house! I can't get my head round how all the timings need to work. Then again I'm already thinking about buying fixtures/fittings myself ahead of time and storing them so that might help! Is there an Idiot's Guide to managing a building project somewhere?

£55-60k wd be ok. We'd have some contingency too as we have a bit of equity from our sale, so we're planning to pay a reasonable deposit but hold back a fair bit more cash than we need, and then if we underspend (haha, as if anyone underspends!!?) we can whack that back onto mortgage overpayments. But I just need to work out if the costs will be worth it in relation to ceiling price in the area.

And have a horrible feeling the soil pipe/drainage might need moving... and that's £££££££, right? Erk.

The "good point" was to BitOfTheSea. Thanks didireallysaythat, good to know the rough costs of proj man.

I think £60k sounds very very optimistic
We're midway through a similar job and it is going to cost £127k using a project manager and all tradesmen are not VAT registered so we are their labour is VAT free.

Differences in ours:

Only doing Wet UFH in a section of the downstairs. Electric UFH in bathrooms upstairs
3 new bathrooms
We're moving and replaced the staircase
No new boiler
All walls we moved were stud walls.

Oh, and we are in the North too.

I’m 😲 at the amount you’re paying for that, even with three new bathrooms. Ours are supporting walls and we’re getting a new boiler! But maybe your house is a lot bigger? Ours is 4 bed. Of course, some people spend £100k on a kitchen, so it would be easy to increase the budget! But I think the OP’s sounds doable for £60k if that’s what she needs to stick to.

Yeah, we might have to make some compromises on finish and factor in extra contingencies. We're going to have to strip out the whole interior and get it liveable and there's no wet heating in there at the moment, hence the UFH plan. I guess if it is cheaper we could explore other options upstairs but I want this to be a forever house, and we're quite old so need adaptable space for boomerang kids, elderly parents and elderly us at some point!

So I'm happy to do the inside to a livable basic state, with things I can upgrade easily later. But this does mean at least getting structure and shell and services right quickly, followed by livable rooms. We don't have to move in straight away, though the longer we delay will be costly, so I'm hoping for a relatively quick build too. Need to get it done so that teen exam years are not disrupted with moving/building, hence wanting to get the most realistic guesstimate to do it up.

Am working on finding a builder to pay to look at it for me, on the understanding that they'll have to put in a competitive quote later. Bigger problem is finding someone reliable who'll respond to me!

£60 for all of that is waaay out. Add in any structural issues and it’s £150,000 minimum for a decent spec. There are so many hidden costs you always need 10-20% contingency. £60,000 is DIY.

Oh. Ok. We have a big difference of opinion here. BubblesBuddy, can you give me a bit more context for your pricing please? Eg. Which area, what kind of spec is "decent" for you, what kind of renovation (eg we probably wouldn't change windows right now if we can get away with it, and maybe only taking down one internal wall...) Would you be willing to break down your £150k figure for me and what it compares to in relation to work you've done?

I genuinely have no idea how much things cost!

We’re in t’north and have done works/having quotes recently. I think I would be budgeting around £80k for everything you want.

Had a quote for wet UFH a few years back- came to £10k for 2xrooms measuring approx 500 sqft. We didn’t proceed.

Had a brand new combo boiler fitted a few years back and some pipe work amended- £4K. If it’s just changing over the boiler maybe £3k.

Waiting to get a quote from builders to knock 8ft hole in external wall and fit doors- no idea what this will cost, it’s been the hardest part to get quotes for so far. S E coming next week to calculate beams required.

New kitchen- quotes come in around £20k inc fitting but that’s a big kitchen with quartz worktops and includes moving services. A like for like kitchen on a lower spec I reckon you could do for £12k if you’re assembling units yourself.

Bathrooms- friend just had quote for replacing main & en-suite and tiling of £10k. Call it £12k with downstairs W.C.

Utility- I’d guess around £5k to supply and fit units, worktop and a sink.

Plastering- costs £400-£600 per room to skim walls & ceiling depending on room size. No plaster under wallpaper was salvageable.

No idea what skylights might cost, sorry.

Of course if you’re moving services and taking up floors it could all be different.

Just to add it’s been hard to find builders to come out and look at our (relatively small) building job. All the big reputable builders are booked up with extensions.

I had some luck finding a couple who advertised in the local pages to come out- I worked on the premise that if they’re advertising they’re happy to take on new jobs.

Will see whether the quote actually materialises...

We’re doing very similar job for about £60k and not doing any DIY, except the project management. We’re not having underfloor heating but have had a new boiler in a new location with a lot of pipework (£3.5k). Full rewire including getting every room wired for internet access, USB sockets (£4.5k). New kitchen with solid wood doors (£7k). New windows (£6k). Two supporting walls knocked down with RSJs (£5.5k including structural engineers calculations). Fireplaces replaced (£5k). Full replaster (about £4K). Etc. All done by qualified people who are either FMB or highly rated on checkatrade/mybuilder.

If you get a single project manager and large building firm in to do everything it will cost a lot more. But if you’re willing to contact each trade yourself and do all the planning, there’s no need to be spending over £100k. For example, for the walls we got a big building company to fit us in in between big jobs and literally just do the knock through and steels. Then got our own plasterer and joiner for making good. That was less than half the price of a quote we got from a firm who’d do everything. We had to go for the days they were free though and then wait until the others did the making good later. This is the third time we’ve done up a house that needed major work, plus two apartments which needed some work, so I am more confident doing it this way now.

I’m exhausted with it to be honest, but the money saved will pay for a loft conversion, so

My DH is a tradesman and he wouldn't give you a price from that list as it could vary by so much! You need professionals onsite

Thanks @westcountrychicken yes, we're trying to get some to come out but the ones I know are not responding! Tried three different builders now.