A few weeks ago there was an article in The Guardian about building projects and the costs which might be involved. It was great to see a national paper talking about how prices for materials continue to fluctuate, and how to mitigate the risk of further price increases. However, the costs they quoted seemed to be 15-20 years behind the times, which got me thinking. Talking about all elements of a project is key. But quoting out of date figures helps no one.
So how much will the work on your home cost? Check out the figures below, which exclude VAT and are based on our experience in the north of England and on conversations with local builders and architects. As a starting point, you need to expect to pay approximately £2.5k per square metre for a single storey extension, with an additional £2k per square metre for an additional storey.
Project | Original quoted price | Updated example prices |
Small single-storey extension (3 metres x 5 metres): | £16,000 to £21,000. | £37.5k |
Medium extension (4m x 6m): | £26,000 to £34,000. | £60k |
Large extension (6m x 8m): | £52,000 to £67,000. | £120k |
Creating a loft room: | £17,500. | £2k +VAT per sq m – but fluctuating due to lots of variables such as stair position, ridge height, roof construction |
Loft conversion with dormer: | £45,000. | In addition to the £2k/m2 above, build costs for the dormer are approximately £10k + VAT |
Hip to gable loft conversion: | £54,000. | £2k/m2 plus each hip to gable £15K per hip (so typically £30K per loft) |
PVC lean-to conservatory (4m x 3m): | £9,000 to £11,000. | Upvc £1.5k per sq m – £18k +VAT or aluminium £3k per sq m – £36k +VAT |
Edwardian-style conservatory (4m x 3m): | £10,000 to £12,000. | From £2.5k/m2 |
Victorian-style conservatory (4m x 3m): | £11,000 to £14,000. | From £2.5k/m2 |
Painting (two-bed flat): | £1,500 to £2,500. | Approx. £500 per room (but quality/price of paint can vary) |
Painting (five-bed room): | £3,500 to £5,000. | £500 per room so about £8k for a house assuming 16 rooms |
Talking about prices is always a good idea. And if you haven’t worked with a builder before, by all means get a few quotes to make sure it is competitive (but make sure they are all quoting on the same basis so you are comparing like for like). The best projects all revolve around communication and relationships. So talk about what is in scope and what it will cost.
If you don’t specify that you want the price to include decoration and second fix for your bathroom, many builders will only price a job to a “builder’s finish” – which is likely to be a very basic spec and a long way from the vision you started out with. So clear communication from the outset is important, so that decorating and finishing touches are factored into the process. This ensures that when the trades have wrapped up, the dream project is coming together, and that you’re not then scrambling to find a decorator or to plan your paint colour, and work out what colour your curtains should be!
If you’re thinking about doing some work on your home, give us a shout as early in the process as possible – we have good existing relationships with local architects and builders and frequently work with them so it’s easy for us to seamlessly slot into the planning process. Time and time again, we have shown that the end results are vastly superior when an interior designer is involved from the start – the case studies on our website are just a sample of some of our favourite projects. We can help to make your budget go much further – we have a great network of suppliers to source products competitively and access to unusual products which simply aren’t available to retail customers, so your project can truly be unique.
And then, when it is all done, you can sit back and enjoy your fabulous new space, knowing that it was planned well and that you paid a fair price for a great job.
AMC