Loft conversion rough costs?
Discussion
Looking to have the loft converted into a bedroom with ensuite,
House is in south wales
Mid terrace
2021 build
Floor space is about 35 sqm
Looking at a dorma to have full length windows and a Juliet balcony to make the most of the view we have
Ensuite would be directly above the main bathroom
What sort of costs have people been paying? Online seems to vary massively Per square meter.
House is in south wales
Mid terrace
2021 build
Floor space is about 35 sqm
Looking at a dorma to have full length windows and a Juliet balcony to make the most of the view we have
Ensuite would be directly above the main bathroom
What sort of costs have people been paying? Online seems to vary massively Per square meter.
I’ve only done a couple over the last few years and I haven't priced one for a customer for a long time. The going rate seems to be around the £40k/£45k mark for outside of London. With your house being new, you will have to check that you have permitted development rights, otherwise it will need planning permission, you will need building regs approval. Plans, calcs, and permissions can add another few grand. 35m2 existing size seems small, do you have anywhere for the stairs to go without losing a room?
I’m south east just outside m25.
Quotes for me in a similar position to you were £55k to £70k.
Ended up doing a fair bit of diy because the chosen builder stitched me up.
Technically it’s 2/3 of a shed on top of your house but most trades want to take the piss.
It will be cheaper for your location but you’ll be doing very well to be under £50k to a basic / mid standard.
Quotes for me in a similar position to you were £55k to £70k.
Ended up doing a fair bit of diy because the chosen builder stitched me up.
Technically it’s 2/3 of a shed on top of your house but most trades want to take the piss.
It will be cheaper for your location but you’ll be doing very well to be under £50k to a basic / mid standard.
Little Lofty said:
I’ve only done a couple over the last few years and I haven't priced one for a customer for a long time. The going rate seems to be around the £40k/£45k mark for outside of London. With your house being new, you will have to check that you have permitted development rights, otherwise it will need planning permission, you will need building regs approval. Plans, calcs, and permissions can add another few grand. 35m2 existing size seems small, do you have anywhere for the stairs to go without losing a room?
Looking online we could lose the wardrobe area in the current main bedroom, as the bulkhead is in the wardrobe If not, the 3rd bedroom is a box room which is so small we don’t use it.
Nickbrapp said:
Looking online we could lose the wardrobe area in the current main bedroom, as the bulkhead is in the wardrobe
If not, the 3rd bedroom is a box room which is so small we don’t use it.
The stairs can’t be in a room, losing one bedroom to gain another won’t add much value to your house. Have you measured the existing headroom in the loft, you need around 2.4m from the ridge.If not, the 3rd bedroom is a box room which is so small we don’t use it.
trickywoo said:
I’m south east just outside m25.
Quotes for me in a similar position to you were £55k to £70k.
Ended up doing a fair bit of diy because the chosen builder stitched me up.
Technically it’s 2/3 of a shed on top of your house but most trades want to take the piss.
It will be cheaper for your location but you’ll be doing very well to be under £50k to a basic / mid standard.
Yes always the trades want to stitch you up. Never a sQuotes for me in a similar position to you were £55k to £70k.
Ended up doing a fair bit of diy because the chosen builder stitched me up.
Technically it’s 2/3 of a shed on top of your house but most trades want to take the piss.
It will be cheaper for your location but you’ll be doing very well to be under £50k to a basic / mid standard.
t customer who want the job for nothing or who constantly changes the scope. No never that. lrdisco said:
trickywoo said:
I’m south east just outside m25.
Quotes for me in a similar position to you were £55k to £70k.
Ended up doing a fair bit of diy because the chosen builder stitched me up.
Technically it’s 2/3 of a shed on top of your house but most trades want to take the piss.
It will be cheaper for your location but you’ll be doing very well to be under £50k to a basic / mid standard.
Yes always the trades want to stitch you up. Never a sQuotes for me in a similar position to you were £55k to £70k.
Ended up doing a fair bit of diy because the chosen builder stitched me up.
Technically it’s 2/3 of a shed on top of your house but most trades want to take the piss.
It will be cheaper for your location but you’ll be doing very well to be under £50k to a basic / mid standard.
t customer who want the job for nothing or who constantly changes the scope. No never that. lrdisco said:
Yes always the trades want to stitch you up. Never a st customer who want the job for nothing or who constantly changes the scope. No never that.
Yes plenty of those around. I was sent this a few weeks ago, he expected me to sit down and spend a few hours of my time quoting for this work, which will probably never get done. At least he was honest though.t customer who want the job for nothing or who constantly changes the scope. No never that. 
“Given the significant head winds I am facing of increased utility costs and mortgage rates I need to think long and hard around return on this project, so I will be spending time of finding best possible fixed quote for works, and may decide not to proceed.”
Little Lofty said:
Yes plenty of those around. I was sent this a few weeks ago, he expected me to sit down and spend a few hours of my time quoting for this work, which will probably never get done. At least he was honest though.
“Given the significant head winds I am facing of increased utility costs and mortgage rates I need to think long and hard around return on this project, so I will be spending time of finding best possible fixed quote for works, and may decide not to proceed.”
Wow, what an outrage! A customer shopping around for the best deal and doing homework before laying out large sum of momey! What a shocker! “Given the significant head winds I am facing of increased utility costs and mortgage rates I need to think long and hard around return on this project, so I will be spending time of finding best possible fixed quote for works, and may decide not to proceed.”
brickwall said:
Little Lofty said:
Yes plenty of those around. I was sent this a few weeks ago, he expected me to sit down and spend a few hours of my time quoting for this work, which will probably never get done. At least he was honest though.
“Given the significant head winds I am facing of increased utility costs and mortgage rates I need to think long and hard around return on this project, so I will be spending time of finding best possible fixed quote for works, and may decide not to proceed.”
Wow, what an outrage! A customer shopping around for the best deal and doing homework before laying out large sum of momey! What a shocker! “Given the significant head winds I am facing of increased utility costs and mortgage rates I need to think long and hard around return on this project, so I will be spending time of finding best possible fixed quote for works, and may decide not to proceed.”
Little Lofty said:
I didn't mind people getting a few quotes when I done lofts full time, far from it. But in my opinion this guy has very little intention of getting the work done, he went on to say he wanted the whole quote broke down into materials and labour for joinery, plumbing, electrics, painting etc to see if he could get parts done cheaper elsewhere. There is no way I would run a job like that. The cheapest is rarely the best, I'm not sure why anyone would automatically go for the cheapest quote when it means major structural changes to major asset, I've seen, and repaired the results of the ‘best possible quote’
There really is nothing wrong with a customer wanting transparency. There is also nothing wrong with a contractor charging for their time, but knowing how many hours is part of that transparency. And, why should anybody pay more for the same (like for like) materials if they can get them elsewhere at a cheaper price? beanoir78 said:
Little Lofty said:
I didn't mind people getting a few quotes when I done lofts full time, far from it. But in my opinion this guy has very little intention of getting the work done, he went on to say he wanted the whole quote broke down into materials and labour for joinery, plumbing, electrics, painting etc to see if he could get parts done cheaper elsewhere. There is no way I would run a job like that. The cheapest is rarely the best, I'm not sure why anyone would automatically go for the cheapest quote when it means major structural changes to major asset, I've seen, and repaired the results of the ‘best possible quote’
There really is nothing wrong with a customer wanting transparency. There is also nothing wrong with a contractor charging for their time, but knowing how many hours is part of that transparency. And, why should anybody pay more for the same (like for like) materials if they can get them elsewhere at a cheaper price? beanoir78 said:
There really is nothing wrong with a customer wanting transparency. There is also nothing wrong with a contractor charging for their time, but knowing how many hours is part of that transparency. And, why should anybody pay more for the same (like for like) materials if they can get them elsewhere at a cheaper price?
If he supplies the plumbing fittings and something goes wrong, who pays to lift and replace the floor if a pipe leaks, who pays to remove the tiles and replace them if his shower leaks? Who pays for any delays when his delivery isn't on time. It’s not worth the hassle for me or him. If I do a job I do 100% or not at all, even though that means I take responsibility for everything. Little Lofty said:
beanoir78 said:
There really is nothing wrong with a customer wanting transparency. There is also nothing wrong with a contractor charging for their time, but knowing how many hours is part of that transparency. And, why should anybody pay more for the same (like for like) materials if they can get them elsewhere at a cheaper price?
If he supplies the plumbing fittings and something goes wrong, who pays to lift and replace the floor if a pipe leaks, who pays to remove the tiles and replace them if his shower leaks? Who pays for any delays when his delivery isn't on time. It’s not worth the hassle for me or him. If I do a job I do 100% or not at all, even though that means I take responsibility for everything. Faulty workmanship - the contractor
It’s fairly standard construction industry practice.
beanoir78 said:
Little Lofty said:
beanoir78 said:
There really is nothing wrong with a customer wanting transparency. There is also nothing wrong with a contractor charging for their time, but knowing how many hours is part of that transparency. And, why should anybody pay more for the same (like for like) materials if they can get them elsewhere at a cheaper price?
If he supplies the plumbing fittings and something goes wrong, who pays to lift and replace the floor if a pipe leaks, who pays to remove the tiles and replace them if his shower leaks? Who pays for any delays when his delivery isn't on time. It’s not worth the hassle for me or him. If I do a job I do 100% or not at all, even though that means I take responsibility for everything. Faulty workmanship - the contractor
It’s fairly standard construction industry practice.
“Our price for this work is £x. This include all material and labour. Should additional resources or time above our estimates be required to deliver the scope of work this will be at our cost.”
The customer is then welcome to say yes or no on that basis.
If you’re charging time and materials, then it’s entirely reasonable for a customer to know what has been budgeted by way of those items.
The problem is you have some trades who’ll load the materials as they have a moderate labour rate… then if a client asks for more details on a quote they then look expensive, even though their labour is cheap.
Best to just quote for your costs and let the client decide.
Transparent.
But I bet plenty of clients are idiots and prefer the cheapest headline quote, rather than too many details… etc.
Personally I’d prefer to just PM on a day rate, buy materials, and trust my trades to not take the piss on their time… just tell them you want the best quality, not a fast job.
Fixed cost quotes are surely a recipe for disaster?
Best to just quote for your costs and let the client decide.
Transparent.
But I bet plenty of clients are idiots and prefer the cheapest headline quote, rather than too many details… etc.
Personally I’d prefer to just PM on a day rate, buy materials, and trust my trades to not take the piss on their time… just tell them you want the best quality, not a fast job.
Fixed cost quotes are surely a recipe for disaster?
Little Lofty said:
brickwall said:
Little Lofty said:
Yes plenty of those around. I was sent this a few weeks ago, he expected me to sit down and spend a few hours of my time quoting for this work, which will probably never get done. At least he was honest though.
“Given the significant head winds I am facing of increased utility costs and mortgage rates I need to think long and hard around return on this project, so I will be spending time of finding best possible fixed quote for works, and may decide not to proceed.”
Wow, what an outrage! A customer shopping around for the best deal and doing homework before laying out large sum of momey! What a shocker! “Given the significant head winds I am facing of increased utility costs and mortgage rates I need to think long and hard around return on this project, so I will be spending time of finding best possible fixed quote for works, and may decide not to proceed.”
I've had a bit of a run of conversations bordering on the surreal recently where the client doesn't seem able to stop their trap, consider that which we're discussing lies in the specific area of specialism they're employing me for, and thus they might want to try assuming I'm the one who is correct and it's their own comprehension that needs work.
Or like, why would you employ me?
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