£70K to rewire, £110K to replumb

[MamaPumpkin21]

We are purchasing an old home in Dumfries + Galloway that is currently occupied but does need upgrading.

It's a large property (around 6,000 square feet) and purchased for £400k. According to the home report, the property will be worth £200K more than we paid for it when renovations are complete (£600K).

There are 5 bedrooms, 4 reception rooms, 1 bathroom, 1 cloakroom. Property isn't listed.

We requested quotes from local tradesmen. Today we got some quotes back:

To replumb the property + install central heating: £110,000 including VAT (of which £70,000 is labour)
To rewire the property: £70,000 including VAT (of which £44,000 is labour)
Estimated time to complete work: 6 weeks

We haven't received the roofing and decorating quotes yet, but we are seriously considering dropping out of if the quotes are considered reasonable (we're floored!). The area is v. rural and the tradesmen are local to the property.

The vendors are currently living in the property (it's not a total wreck), and though there are some issues (roof could do with replacing, damp etc), we cannot understand the rates. At all.

Are we missing something? The tradesmen all know each other (we found a joiner via Google and he recommended his friends). They joked about "Southerners with deep pockets" (certainly not us!).

Any insight? Prior to making an offer we googled average prices and multiplied several-fold to take into account the square footage. Didn't expect this.
TIA

Just got quoted £1k to rewire our semi detached so those quotes seem wild!

Yes, they don't want the work. Rather than contacting individual trades yourself, are there any building firms or small housebuilding companies in the area? Try getting all the work priced as one job. You pay a bit extra for having someone coordinate it all for you, but it saves a lot of hassle and they'll be using trades who won't mess them around with ludicrous quotes, it'll be a straight 'No, I haven't got time' if they can't do it.

My DP is an electrician and he works on mansion houses where spends on electrics can be up to £500k.

He initially said it's ridiculous but is now talking about various factors like materials, spec you're after etc and whether the place will be occupied.

Personally there is no way I'd pay £70k but I life in a small flat in London. 6000sq ft is massive.

Groups of builders can live together for jobs. I would look much further afield and have them live in the property while you move out.

You need to get a minimum of 3 quotes and also a timescale for when they can start. In rural Scotland now I would expect to wait 6-12 months. Their availability, along with the price, would indicate whether they want the job. Trades are all ridiculously busy just now playing catch up I would assume from the quotes you have, they don't want - or need - the work.

Thats what my DH would call a "fuck you quote". I don't think they want the job.

I don't know how big our house is currently but will be 4 beds, 2 baths, large kitchen diner and living room when all works complete. My BIL doing our re-wire and he's told us £5k tops. I know we have mates rates on labour but I do think your quite sounds ridiculous!

I had a small house in the south east completely re wired for £4000 last year.

These quotes would ring alarm bells with me. If it is such a small community that you are looking to move into that you describe it to be, and locals (and potential new neighbours) are providing such ridiculous quotes, this could tell its own story.

Perhaps they dislike 'incomers' and don't wish the house to be sold to people from outside the area. Perhaps they see you as rich and therefore ripe to be ripped off.

Getting people from outside the area to come in and do the work, staying in rented accommodation, could cause ill feeling from locals. I would tread with real caution here. In a large town/city these things wouldn't matter at all, but in a small rural community they would matter very much! Speak to the owners and try to do a bit of digging. Quite apart from having to get the house renovated, you and your family have to live in this community. This to me would be a much much bigger potential concern.

D&G is a very large area, for example the Mull of Galloway to Dumfries is 85 miles, a long daily commute for a tradesperson and you don’t say where you are near. Maybe you could try contacting trades persons in the larger towns in the area.

Looks like the locals don’t want you there full stop! I reckon, they’ve had a chat amongst themselves (the tradesmen and their friends & neighbours), and are having a laugh at your expense. I wonder if their desired outcome is that you don’t live there?
Maybe a well regarded local wants to buy the property cheaper. Even possibly a local developer that gives those particular guys a lot of work, and has asked them to price high.

You might be best getting a firm that will travel. Typically more expensive, but no where near that. Those local boys are earning around £700 a day at those labour rates. That labour cost should be between a quarter and a half of those rates depending on the type of firm you get in. E.g. gang of 3 or a firm that employs 70 tradesmen. You’ll cover the cost of their digs easily compared to that.

The problem you may have at this stage in getting a far away firm to price it, is that you have no drawings, and no-ones going to travel several hours each way to look at it. Not for free, anyhow.

I’d take a gamble, and happy to bet that they are trying to scare you off buying the property.

If all your doing is replacing like for like with no underfloor heating and no mood lighting or home cinema, then you will smash those prices easily.

I’m guessing your on oil if you’re rural, so could require 2 boilers at £3.5k each. £2k for basic rads and same again for for rad valves and thermostats. £1-3k for any tanks and associated items (pumps, valves) depending on spec. Then stick on another grand for pipe and fittings. Then allow £23 - £25k for install. And that labour cost is based on them suggesting a 2&1 gang for 6 weeks. I think that’s slow unless it allows for making good.
Allow £75 supply and fit for every electrical socket, switch and light fitting. Then £250 for the consumer unit. Another £250 for the cooker. Same again for each extractor fan. So if you have 20 rooms and allow 5 double sockets, 2 light switches and a light pendant in each, then that will be £13k supply and install. Add £50 for each LED spot light you want and £1k for a garage or other out buildings however if the buildings are not attached to the house, then there will be further expense.

Allow £10k to make good and same again to decorate and same again for carpets.

So for the plumbing and rewire, a budget of £65k should see you ok.

You still need to add a kitchen and bathroom though. £15-£25k for the kitchen, including install and £5-£10k for a bathroom.

I’ll do it for half their price 🤣