House extension build costs

House extensions build costs can vary depending upon many factors such as material selection, overall size, complexity of design, site access and even location can affect house extension build costs. The only true way to establish house extension building costs is to have the extension scheme properly designed and specified and go out to tender to at least 3 recommended and local builders.

However, many home owners are unwilling to embark on a house extension project if the final cost of the scheme is outside of their budget or access to house extension finance. Therefore estimated costs of a house extension prior to formal completion of the plans is often required and most experienced house extension building designers will be able to offer the client or home owner a ballpark budget of he expected build costs based upon the clients verbal requirements.

Another way to establish a house extension build cost is to employ a quantity surveyor as a clients own specialist estimator. However, they usually still need some form of drawing and outline specification to work from rather than simple verbal descriptions. Therefore using the basic Planning drawings may be enough information for the Quantity Surveyor to establish some basic cost principals. The will usually allow a number of prime costs sums (PC sums) within their breakdown of the house extension build costs for thing like plumbing, kitchen and bathroom fittings etc. These are ‘guestimated’ sums based upon the quantity Surveyors experiences.