So you’ve got your house extension plan in place, the architect has provided detailed drawings of the home of your dreams, you’ve sent these out to numerous builders and building firms, and you’ve got at least 3 quotes back. Now how do you go about choosing which one to go for? It may be tempting to just opt for the cheapest price, but is this really always the right decision? Have a look at some of our top tips below for how to decide the right quote for your building work.
Check if it is a quote or an estimate?
A quote is a fixed price so that you know what you are getting for your money, whereas an estimate is basically a guess. A quote can change, but any changes will have to be agreed between you and your builder, whereas an estimate can change at any time, and you could easily end up paying more than you originally thought. If you have only been provided with an estimate then it might be a good idea to go back and ask for a proper written quote.
Get professional advice
Once you have said yes to a quote then it is a binding agreement between you and the builder that the works will be completed, and the agreed amount will be paid. So if you’re not sure what you’re doing then it might be worth getting some professional and independent advice. Your architect may be able to manage the quoting process for you, or you could commission a quantity surveyor to produce an independent cost assessment which you can use to judge quotes by and could also be useful if it comes to negotiation.
How detailed is the Building quote?
Check that each part of the building work has been fully itemised, if some parts have generic titles or provisional sums then it is likely that these may change. Also, if the quote simply includes a final price then asking for a full breakdown of costs can let you see exactly where the money is being spent and can compare different builders prices for the same work. Besides, if the quote includes the price of installing tiles for example at $35 per square meter, but then you fall in love with tiles that cost $88 per square meter then this could significantly affect the final price. It is also worth carefully checking exactly what is included and what is excluded in the price. If one quote is higher but includes more things than a direct cost comparison would be invalid.
To discuss your dream building project, contact our professional builders team today!.