Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Apr 28, 2009 8:29 pm We have signed with our builder to do an extension on our home. We will be knocking down the back section of our 50's brick home and rebuilding to add more bedrooms, a new family room, new laundry, toilet and bathroom. Plus a deck. Initially I drew up the plans for what I was hoping to achieve. The Extension company then pretty much re-drew my design to the exact sizes I had given them (I am not a buidling designer at all!). Anyway, I thought the laundry and bathroom were too small so I have asked to increase these so that I can fit cupboards on both sides of the laundry and a larger shower in the bathroom. The total amount it will increase by is 700mm and the builder has quoted us an extra $8000!! The laundry was 1500mm high and I would like to make it 2000mm. The bathroom was 2000mm and I would like it to be 2200mm. Here is the original plan (the new part being built is everything north of the kitchen in the pic, except Bedroom 2): This is what I would like to change it to: Do you think that $8000 is excessive for this small increase or fair? I feel like we are a bit stuck. Any other comments about the floor plan are most welcome! Thanks in advance! Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 2Apr 28, 2009 8:49 pm It does seem like a lot, how much did he charge you per metre before the add on? The first plan looks fine to me so if you don't want to pay the extra $8000 then leave it as it is. Blog: http://bluemistkids.blogspot.com "Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, and professionals built the Titanic." Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 3Apr 28, 2009 8:59 pm Thanks for your reply, Hels. I'm not sure of the rate per metre - our quote is around $152k for the job originally. Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 4Apr 28, 2009 8:59 pm It does seem pretty steep. You can ask them for a breakdown of why it will be an additional $8k. Also if the builder thinks that you may not go for the change due to high cost they may decide to provide a more reasonable quote, so don't appear as if you have to have the change when you speak to them. Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 6Apr 28, 2009 9:39 pm hey little.... This plan is quite diverse, obviously a reno of an older style home - I bet it is going to look fabulous! As for your quote of $8,000... You really need to ask the builder why so high. Just get to the nitty gritty of why, I say this because it may be because there is some big beam in the ceiling etc etc that needs moving and that is the cost. Therefore, ask if you can work around it to save money. I'm not a big time renovator, but I'm thinking that $8,000 is probably not too much, because we all know how expensive renovating is. It wouldn't be the first time I've heard someone say that it was cheaper to knock down and build, rather than renovate. So talk to to the builder about options - eg. could the laundry floor be lowered, rather than ceilings raised, in order to create space. I'm thinking because these two rooms are on the side of the home, there is problems with beams??? I'm not builder tho! Annie A thankful person is a happy person. [/color]My hobby design blog: http://aviewondesign.blogspot.com/ Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 7Apr 28, 2009 9:58 pm Thanks again for taking the time to reply. I want to add about 2 sqm (2.9mx0.7m) in total. Annie - I'm not sure if there would be any problems with beams etc as we are building that part from scratch. I will check that with them though. It will certainly be a huge improvement on the current home, I can't wait til it's finished! I did ask him today why it was so high and he said that it was about half a square and that was the rate. I asked him what his rate was per square then, that he had used to do the rest of the job but, he was a bit cagey and said it didn't work like that I just feel like now we have paid our deposit, he is happy to squeeze any extra dollar out of us he can. I need to let him know by tomorrow morning so we don't hold up town planning. Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 8Apr 28, 2009 10:08 pm Are you willing to live with the original design? If so then just say that you'd like to have it done, but that the price is a show-stopper for you so you'd like to come to a compromise, or you'll have to stick with the original design due to costs. Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 9Apr 28, 2009 10:18 pm purpleninja - I could live with the original design, but would be more comfortable with the revised one! I would really like to be able to have benches/cupboards on both sides of the laundry so i can put a big linen closet in there and for other odd storage. The bathroom, I would like to put in a larger shower (90x120cm) for showering kids. So, yeah I will probably just have to see if he will give me a break down of costs and if we can get them down somehow. He acts like I am adding on 2 metres! Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 10Apr 28, 2009 10:24 pm Tell him that the cost means that you can't go for that option, but that you are willing to consider: 1. What Annietom suggested - is there a way to increase the size as you want and to do it in a cheaper way with a slightly different design? 2. You can't afford the $8k so neither the builder or you will benefit if you can't do the extra work - but if a compromise is reached then you both get what you want - you get the addition and he gets extra income at an acceptable profit margin Hope that he's a reasonable guy and be frank with him (just make sure he understands you can't afford the $8k) Good luck. Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 11Apr 28, 2009 10:27 pm The changes have actually increased the length of the hallway between bedrooms 4 and 5 and also the size of the deck (is the builder doing the deck for you?). So the extra space added is more than just what you see in the bathroom and laundry. And as already mentioned, there might be engineering issues with extra or stronger beams required, or something else that won't be seen but is structurally important. If the quote includes tiling to wet areas, and/or cabinetry, you have to factor the additional costs there in too. Extending wet areas is usually costlier than extending say, a living room or bedroom. Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 12Apr 28, 2009 11:17 pm maybe get another quote, on just the new plans from another builder? "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 13Apr 29, 2009 8:59 am Kek - I had forgotten about the hallway, that does add a little bit more. With the deck, they are just putting in the posts and we are doing the rest, so he says that increase is very minimal. It will add to the tiling too, you're right I think we will actually get someone else to do the tiling though so we will be credited back the allowance for the tiles. Thanks so much for your help, guys. I will call the builder this morning and arrange a meeting to go over it. Hopefully he can give me a breakdown so I can see why it is so much. Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 15Apr 29, 2009 2:42 pm Quote: Good luck I spoke to him today and he told me that they have a formula worked out on the computer to calculate the costs inc plaster, bricks, roof tiles etc per square and that's what it calculates the cost to be. In the end the builder has dropped the price by about $700. I am happy with that compromise in the end so will go ahead with the revised plan. Once again, thanks for the advice Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 16Apr 29, 2009 3:22 pm That's good. Enjoy the changes - they will definitely make the home more usable! Re: Wanting to increase floorplan by 700mm - is $8000 excessive? 17Apr 29, 2009 4:06 pm Hi there, I am new to this site but here goes. I agree that you should get the break down of the why and what this $8000 is made up of. Make sure you also have the completion date clear with the builder and yourselves too. We have just had one room extended in our house and bricked in our carport and it has taken 8 months. Beware! How good is Simeon?! Always taking time to help others out! Wish we were building in NSW and could work together. Thanks for all that you do! 7 6562 Just to makea point about this, an approach that some people have found sucessful in negotiating these rises down, Is to provide some workings to the builder, specifying… 4 81712 Fair Trading can issue orders to rectify and complete but once the matter goes to NCAT these orders are automatically vacated. You will have to terminate contract and sue… 21 29709 |