Is it worth getting a builder to do a two storey rear extension now while the economy is in downturn? Am I likely to get a cheaper price as people aren't spending so much money on building work at the moment?

Also, anyone have a ballpark figure for such work?

 

mines being done now and most finished my dad is a carpenter and car do lots more and is still coming to some big £££££ lol and u will find quiet a lot of builder are busy still. well ones i know anyway.

 

You could expect to part with the best part of 25k for 2 story .
Try and do as much as you can yourself thats what ive done hell of a lot cheaper.



Regards Doug.

 

35k ish i would say roughly

 

a decent builder is a busy builder; and IMO you might get it a little cheaper but i doubt it

alot of money goes into the foundations; so i would hire a small digger; dig your own foundations; concrete yourself and get it up to damp course - as this is mainly labour and will save you ££££

maybe then get a builder in to do the rest if your not comfortable with doing blockwork/ brickwork yourself

 

i dont live a million miles from you, i had a good builder do my extension put a new roof on the entire house, all electrics drainage etc and got it all done for 24k but that was cash

 

You can ALWAYS get a chep job done anyway. Dont expect quality cheap.

Budget on around £1200 per sq meter and you wont be far out...

 

I just had my extension done, didnt go double story as my house would have looked horrible. Builder said to me that he roughly charges about £14000 for a single and double that for double. I would say though, always put another £5 - 10,000 away as you dont know what problems you will get below the soil. My place is an end of terraced and when they were doing the footings they came across a storm drain pipe which served the whole road and this run through the center of my footings. The builders had to dig down over 6ft (mostly done by hand) and then use 2 RSJ's in a cross formation. These were supported on two padstones which were about a meter square each... cost me an extra 5 grand.

 

I was just thinking the same thing myself. I can dig foundations and mix cement so might be able to save myself a bit that way.

 

that's what i'll be doing next year if i decide to extend

 

i know a good hole digger...

 

i don't think you should hand it over to a builder jimbo. I can do the plans for you and can help dig foundations etc. and then get people in to do certain things like the block work etc and project manage it yourself.

It'll work out a lot cheaper that way i'd say

 

25k ishhhh

 

Thats what i'm starting to think.