Making better use of space
If you're moving just to gain extra or larger rooms, why not consider using the money themove would involve on altering or extending your existing home? Just imagine being able to have an extension built to your exact specifications to gain that jaw-dropping family kitchen you've always wanted or converting the loft for that much-wanted large master bedroom suite. With a bit of guidance on where to start, who to contact and what your options are, you may have already found your perfect home!
Even if you're an experienced DIY enthusiast and watch all the home improvement programmes, there are many jobs that are too large and specialised for you to carry out yourself. For these you'll need to hire a contractor. In fact it is a legal requirement that some jobs such as electrical and gas work have to be carried out by a qualified tradesman.
Choose the most appropriate tradesman or professional for the job. If most of your work involves plumbing, then hire a plumber rather than a general builder. However, if your project involves a number of different types of work, it makes more sense to hire the tradesman whose work accounts for the largest proportion of the project or a general builder who can bring in the necessary tradesman for the jobs he can't do himself.
Choosing the right contractor can be the biggest hurdle of all and makes a huge difference to the success of the project. There are many businesses around, so it pays to do your research to get the quality of service you'd expect. Get recommendations from friends, family or neighbours and from your local planning department.
If you're planning to have major structural work done or an extension built, you'll need the skills of a surveyor, engineer or architect. They can project manage the build for you and manage contractors. With all the work involved in providing the required documents for planning applications, many people approach an architect to design the drawings and manage the applications.
Contact the following for reputable member companies:
Once you've found your contractor, it's worth reviewing their previous work, getting references from previous clients, and checking that they're a member of a professional body such as those above and The National Federation of Builders.
Have a clear idea of the work you want done and invite at least 3 contractors to come round and talk in detail so they can give you as realistic an estimate as possible. This should be broken down so you can compare each aspect of the work and strip out costs where appropriate.
If you're going to buy and source the materials yourself rather than leave this to the contractor, you will need to budget for these separately. Remember, a contractor will have regular suppliers he uses so he's likely to get a more competitive deal than you can.
You'll have to allow a budget for planning consents if you need them, and any fees for professional services such as architects or chartered surveyors if you want the project managed. This is normally a percentage of the building costs.
Finally, put aside a contingency of at least 10% of the cost of the project for unexpected work that may arise. It's not uncommon for unexpected variations and extra work to arise as the project moves along. Get written quotes for extra costs for the additional work. Try to keep variations/extras to a minimum, or at least get these carried out as the job is being done, as this is more cost-effective.
Once you're happy with the contractor's estimate, make sure you get a contract that includes: the cost of the work as detailed on the drawing(s)/spec; the length of time the project will take; at what stages you will pay the contractor and the percentage; the final payment amount you will retain ('retention payment') and when it will be paid. A retention is a sum of money (normally about 5%) that you hold back until you're happy with the completed work. This gives you some financial leverage should you need it. Once both you and the contractor are happy with the contract, it should be signed and dated by both parties.
Some small contractors may be reluctant to draw up such a contract, so for large projects it's best to get a professional surveyor or architect to do this and prepare the documentation.
Never pay a contractor in advance! It will be like sucking blood out of a stone if it comes to trying to claw back any overpayments or if you decide to take your business elsewhere. It's acceptable to pay for materials as and when they arrive.
For small jobs that will be finished in a matter of days, agree to pay the contractor once the work is finished and you're happy with it. For larger projects, calculate the percentage you will pay once various stages have been completed. Check the workmanship at each stage and only pay once you're satisfied. The amount calculated is known as 'valuation'.