Cost guides for renovations - HELP!!

charlie05 · Sep 09, 2006 5:28 pm

I am looking at renovating a worker's cottage and want to extend it by 50 sq m and add a deck (25 sq m).

archicentre use a cost benchmark for a weathboard house of $1525 a sq metre for a structural extension. I have spoken to builders who say it's more like $2000 a sq metre. Would this cover painting and flooring?

How much to add for an internal stair to downstairs (lockable. $5,000)? So i have an estimate of:

50sq m at $2000 = $100K (covers living area and a master bed + ensuite (extra $5000 for basic fittings in bath.
stairs = $5K
deck = $25K
kichen (standard) = $15K
total = 150K

is this reasonable (please tell me I might come in under!!)

Strumer · Sep 10, 2006 11:37 am

How big is your kitchen?

If you are installing it yourself you can get away with less than $15K for what I would call a "standard" kitchen.
$10K with appliances will get you a lot...but it also depends on what you want to do with tiling and trim.
Alternatinve splash backs can eliminate a large amount of tiling and bring costs further down.

Cheers,

Earl

zenithconstructions · Sep 11, 2006 11:41 am

Charlie,

What you've posted looks reasonable, based on the description you've given. Yes, you may even come in under. However, it depends entirely on the method of construction, existing site conditions, access, etc.

If you are only in the planning stages now, I would say you're on the right track.

Andrew.

charlie05 · Sep 12, 2006 7:30 am

andrew

these benchmarks are for me getting plans done and getting a builder in to do the majority of the work.

stilll reasonable?

charlie

zenithconstructions · Sep 12, 2006 9:50 am

charlie05

andrew

these benchmarks are for me getting plans done and getting a builder in to do the majority of the work.

stilll reasonable?

charlie

It really depends on so much Charlie. I have done a similar addition that came to only $1200/m2 (weatherboard, slab on ground, basic fitout), inclusive of new kitchen, deck and bathroom, and another that came to about $2600/m2 not including kitchen or bathroom! (though this was heritage, full brick, terracotta roof, with nasty drainage, access, excavation, retaining, bi-fold doors, architectural windows, blah, blah).

:lol:

I've also had people plead with me to get this amount of work done for $50k. Poor buggers had already spent $30k on their kitchen and bathroom items (sitting in a spare room) but had no idea what it would cost to build.

Can you please tell me:

1. Location, ie. suburb and state.
2. Site conditions - easy access? steep/flat block?
3. Slab or stumped?
4. Expected level of fitout, eg. basic, average, quality, or outstanding
5. Timber or aluminium windows? Architectural or project grade?
6. Bi-fold, sliding or hung doors. How big?
7. Type of floor coverings.
8. Type of balustrade on deck.
9. Type of decking.
10. Type and size of wardrobe in bedroom, eg. built-in, or sliding glass doors, or hung doors.
11. (This is a biggy) extent of demolition to existing house.
12. External wall type (for example, full brick, weatherboard, etc.)
13. Roof type (concrete tile, terracotta, steel sheet)
14. Extent of electrical fitout

This should allow me to give you a better guide.

Andrew

STANDARD DISCLAIMER: MY OPINION IS MY OWN, AND DOES NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF ZENITH CONSTRUCTIONS AUST. PTY. LTD. ADVICE IS GIVEN PURELY ON AN INFORMATIVE BASIS. INTERESTED PARTIES MUST DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH BEYOND MY OPINION AND MAKE THEIR OWN INFORMED JUDGEMENTS PRIOR TO COMMENCING FURTHER WORKS.

charlie05 · Sep 12, 2006 11:33 am

Apologies if some of my responses are vague. I'm new to this and plans are still being drawn up. Any help greatly appreciated and thanks for your response to date.

1. Paddington, Brisbane
2. two street, easy access, mildly sloping block.
3. stumped house (at level at front of house, two metres high at rear).
4. average fitout (I think) it's for us to live in but we don't want all the bells and whistles.
5&6. standard timber windows, french doors, not bifolds
7. approx 30sq m of timber flooring (have hoop pine at moment and would like to match) with carpet for remainder (will also replace old existing carpet and sand existing flooring (some folloring may need replacing so I have included a couple of thousand dollars in my contingency).
8. timber balustrade (colonial style - dowel preferably).
9. hardwood decking (spotted gum)
10. built-in (not sure of size - satndard??). sliding doors ok.
11. old deck will need to be demolished. back of house will need to be demolished to make way for extenstion. kitchen will need to be removed which will then required walls and flooring to be replaced/repaired. some demolition required to fit in internal stair.
12. weatherboard outside
13. steel roof
14. not sure what this means? hopefully just net electricals needed (eg, lights, powerpoints, not full rewiring.

zenithconstructions · Sep 12, 2006 12:02 pm

Sounds about right to me mate, possibly $2k/m2 is a bit on the high side, it sounds like quite basic construction. The thing that may push up the price is your stumping - 2m is pretty high, and don't forget it will have to bear on solid ground - who knows how deep that will be at your place. In fact, your builder will probably want to PC (Stand for Prime Cost, ie. an allowance only, so if it costs more, or less, you will have to pay the excess, or pocket the credit). that particular part, because he won't know how much to estimate for.

Andrew