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Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:44 am
by friedchimp
Figured PR was the best place for expert advice

Both my neighbour and I want to do a side return extension and plan to share a new party wall (approx 5m long). Excluding drainage, what would you expect to pay for foundations and the wall (brickwork to dpc and then blockwork on both sides)

as they're starting first, his builder has just quoted me £10k for our "half", which is about double what I thought it would be.

We're in North Herts if that helps.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:51 am
by Uthikoloshe
5.7 billion is the wall quote.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:59 am
by friedchimp
Uthikoloshe wrote:5.7 billion is the wall quote.
i might be a few bob short

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 12:04 pm
by julian
Pay for the wall and then ask Mexico for reimbursement, it's an incredible deal.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 12:18 pm
by globus
Uthikoloshe wrote:5.7 billion is the wall quote.
The upgrade of the Great Wall of China comes in at a bit more than that!

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 12:57 pm
by happyhooker
Very difficult without having a look/seeing plans, but that seems 2-3k over

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:04 pm
by pjm1
happyhooker wrote:Very difficult without having a look/seeing plans, but that seems 2-3k over
They're probably using Festool...

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:08 pm
by happyhooker
pjm1 wrote:
happyhooker wrote:Very difficult without having a look/seeing plans, but that seems 2-3k over
They're probably using Festool...
A festool trowel and plumb level set would be a thing of beauty.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:23 pm
by friedchimp
pjm1 wrote:
happyhooker wrote:Very difficult without having a look/seeing plans, but that seems 2-3k over
They're probably using Festool...
:lol: cheers lads. Going to ask for a breakdown. Couple of other builders have told me i'm being ripped off but don't trust any of the feckers.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:23 pm
by crash 669
happyhooker wrote:
pjm1 wrote:
happyhooker wrote:Very difficult without having a look/seeing plans, but that seems 2-3k over
They're probably using Festool...
A festool trowel and plumb level set would be a thing of beauty.
True Level. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-wbWGwZ7_k

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:54 pm
by slick
friedchimp wrote:
pjm1 wrote:
happyhooker wrote:Very difficult without having a look/seeing plans, but that seems 2-3k over
They're probably using Festool...
:lol: cheers lads. Going to ask for a breakdown. Couple of other builders have told me i'm being ripped off but don't trust any of the feckers.
Tad ungrateful to HH

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:02 pm
by friedchimp
slick wrote:
friedchimp wrote:
pjm1 wrote:
happyhooker wrote:Very difficult without having a look/seeing plans, but that seems 2-3k over
They're probably using Festool...
:lol: cheers lads. Going to ask for a breakdown. Couple of other builders have told me i'm being ripped off but don't trust any of the feckers.
Tad ungrateful to HH
present company excluded of course

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:32 pm
by Uthikoloshe
globus wrote:
Uthikoloshe wrote:5.7 billion is the wall quote.
The upgrade of the Great Wall of China comes in at a bit more than that!
The Chinese Nancy Pelosi will have been added to the cement mixture years ago.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:35 pm
by Winnie
friedchimp wrote:
pjm1 wrote:
happyhooker wrote:Very difficult without having a look/seeing plans, but that seems 2-3k over
They're probably using Festool...
:lol: cheers lads. Going to ask for a breakdown. Couple of other builders have told me i'm being ripped off but don't trust any of the feckers.
Surely the bigger question here is can you trust your neighbour?

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:02 pm
by globus
I've a few Festools now. The DeWalts were good but nothing on these lovely bits of kit.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:05 pm
by globus
Any plans friedchimp? I don't think we have enough information.

I have a few builders to ask. I do planning applications too.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:16 pm
by cubby boi
friedchimp wrote:Figured PR was the best place for expert advice

Both my neighbour and I want to do a side return extension and plan to share a new party wall (approx 5m long). Excluding drainage, what would you expect to pay for foundations and the wall (brickwork to dpc and then blockwork on both sides)

as they're starting first, his builder has just quoted me £10k for our "half", which is about double what I thought it would be.

We're in North Herts if that helps.
So 20k for a 5m long cavity block wall? How many storey?

Materials would be ~1k. 2 men could have it done in a week. 19k divided by 2, divided by 5 = builders taking home 1.9k each per day. You do the math!

Seems an extortionate price to me.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:20 pm
by SaintK
friedchimp wrote:
pjm1 wrote:
happyhooker wrote:Very difficult without having a look/seeing plans, but that seems 2-3k over
They're probably using Festool...
:lol: cheers lads. Going to ask for a breakdown. Couple of other builders have told me i'm being ripped off but don't trust any of the feckers.
Your quote isn't from a builder in Letchworth by any chance?

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:43 pm
by friedchimp
SaintK wrote:
friedchimp wrote:
pjm1 wrote:
happyhooker wrote:Very difficult without having a look/seeing plans, but that seems 2-3k over
They're probably using Festool...
:lol: cheers lads. Going to ask for a breakdown. Couple of other builders have told me i'm being ripped off but don't trust any of the feckers.
Your quote isn't from a builder in Letchworth by any chance?
No, why is there someone from Letchworth I should be avoiding? This one's based in Stevenage.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:48 pm
by SaintK
friedchimp wrote:
SaintK wrote:
friedchimp wrote:
pjm1 wrote:
happyhooker wrote:Very difficult without having a look/seeing plans, but that seems 2-3k over
They're probably using Festool...
:lol: cheers lads. Going to ask for a breakdown. Couple of other builders have told me i'm being ripped off but don't trust any of the feckers.
Your quote isn't from a builder in Letchworth by any chance?
No, why is there someone from Letchworth I should be avoiding? This one's based in Stevenage.
I had a poor experience with one some years back. No experience with Stevenage builders even though it's my local town

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:49 pm
by globus
Hum. That explains a lot of things.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:49 pm
by P in VG
cubby boi wrote:
friedchimp wrote:Figured PR was the best place for expert advice

Both my neighbour and I want to do a side return extension and plan to share a new party wall (approx 5m long). Excluding drainage, what would you expect to pay for foundations and the wall (brickwork to dpc and then blockwork on both sides)

as they're starting first, his builder has just quoted me £10k for our "half", which is about double what I thought it would be.

We're in North Herts if that helps.
So 20k for a 5m long cavity block wall? How many storey?

Materials would be ~1k. 2 men could have it done in a week. 19k divided by 2, divided by 5 = builders taking home 1.9k each per day. You do the math!

Seems an extortionate price to me.
If it's a side return extention - then only one storey probably

10K (20K) for that seems crazy expensive - it's likely that the builder is just taking the piss because you both have to agree to it (if they've already started on the other side)

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:52 pm
by ScarfaceClaw
SaintK wrote:
friedchimp wrote:
SaintK wrote:
friedchimp wrote:
pjm1 wrote:
They're probably using Festool...
:lol: cheers lads. Going to ask for a breakdown. Couple of other builders have told me i'm being ripped off but don't trust any of the feckers.
Your quote isn't from a builder in Letchworth by any chance?
No, why is there someone from Letchworth I should be avoiding? This one's based in Stevenage.
I had a poor experience with one some years back. No experience with Stevenage builders even though it's my local town
That’s a bad start. They’re all either cowboys or conmen in St. Evenage.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:59 pm
by happyhooker
Shit, just re-read the thread, I thought the 10k was the shared price

They're doing you sans lube.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 4:15 pm
by SaintK
globus wrote:Hum. That explains a lot of things.
Well explain them to me then

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 4:22 pm
by Yourmother
Your neighbours builder might have agreed to give a convenient breakdown for the work. Charge for the other non shared work parts more cheaply, but charge more for this job.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 4:32 pm
by globus
SaintK wrote:
globus wrote:Hum. That explains a lot of things.
Well explain them to me then
You will already know, living near there.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 4:48 pm
by friedchimp
happyhooker wrote:Shit, just re-read the thread, I thought the 10k was the shared price

They're doing you sans lube.
That's what i thought, cheers HH.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 4:51 pm
by cubby boi
cubby boi wrote:
friedchimp wrote:Figured PR was the best place for expert advice

Both my neighbour and I want to do a side return extension and plan to share a new party wall (approx 5m long). Excluding drainage, what would you expect to pay for foundations and the wall (brickwork to dpc and then blockwork on both sides)

as they're starting first, his builder has just quoted me £10k for our "half", which is about double what I thought it would be.

We're in North Herts if that helps.
So 20k for a 5m long cavity block wall? How many storey?

Materials would be ~1k. 2 men could have it done in a week. 19k divided by 2, divided by 5 = builders taking home 1.9k each per day. You do the math!

Seems an extortionate price to me.
5k absolute max for a 5m cavity block wall (in total - both “halves”!). That would allow ~1k for materials and 2 men 2 weeks at £200 a day each.

Still expensive, especially when you consider that it wouldn’t take that long and that one of those men would be a labourer on a pittance.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 4:58 pm
by friedchimp
cubby boi wrote:
cubby boi wrote:
friedchimp wrote:Figured PR was the best place for expert advice

Both my neighbour and I want to do a side return extension and plan to share a new party wall (approx 5m long). Excluding drainage, what would you expect to pay for foundations and the wall (brickwork to dpc and then blockwork on both sides)

as they're starting first, his builder has just quoted me £10k for our "half", which is about double what I thought it would be.

We're in North Herts if that helps.
So 20k for a 5m long cavity block wall? How many storey?

Materials would be ~1k. 2 men could have it done in a week. 19k divided by 2, divided by 5 = builders taking home 1.9k each per day. You do the math!

Seems an extortionate price to me.
5k absolute max for a 5m cavity block wall (in total - both “halves”!). That would allow ~1k for materials and 2 men 2 weeks at £200 a day each.

Still expensive, especially when you consider that it wouldn’t take that long and that one of those men would be a labourer on a pittance.
Cheers cb

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 5:32 pm
by SaintK
globus wrote:
SaintK wrote:
globus wrote:Hum. That explains a lot of things.
Well explain them to me then
You will already know, living near there.
I really don't. Beautiful countryside that I go walking in regularly, great pubs. A very good hospital that has done well for my family. Great communications, I can be at my favourite pub or restaurant in Soho within 50 minutes.
We also have a very good local councillor. But you wouldn't know anything about that.
Only downside is that the local rugby club is a shithole

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 5:49 pm
by Sandstorm
cubby boi wrote:
So 20k for a 5m long cavity block wall? How many storey?

Materials would be ~1k. 2 men could have it done in a week. 19k divided by 2, divided by 5 = builders taking home 1.9k each per day. You do the math!

Seems an extortionate price to me.
You don't just lay out the blocks along the flowerbed in a nice line and throw some cement between them. There's the foundation for a start.... :roll:

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 5:49 pm
by globus
Well. I'm told I'm a very good Councillor. But I'm sure you, St K know better.

I've worked in Stevenage and have appeared on stage at the Gordon Craig theatre.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 5:53 pm
by pjm1
globus wrote:Well. I'm told I'm a very good Councillor. But I'm sure you, St K know better.

I've worked in Stevenage and have appeared on stage at the Gordon Craig theatre.
FYI, it's pronounced "COUNCE - iller". I think they've been trying to tell you something else.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 5:56 pm
by globus
pjm1 wrote:
globus wrote:Well. I'm told I'm a very good Councillor. But I'm sure you, St K know better.

I've worked in Stevenage and have appeared on stage at the Gordon Craig theatre.
FYI, it's pronounced "COUNCE - iller". I think they've been trying to tell you something else.
Well, that has flown over my head.

Unusual for me as a crossword solver and compiler.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:18 pm
by SaintK
globus wrote:Well. I'm told I'm a very good Councillor. But I'm sure you, St K know better.

I've worked in Stevenage and have appeared on stage at the Gordon Craig theatre.
Blimey, no lift companies in Stevenage. I guess you were consulting for Airbus Defence and Space?
They are to demolish The Gordon Craig Theatre. I assume you played Widow Twanky

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:24 pm
by globus
SaintK wrote:
globus wrote:Well. I'm told I'm a very good Councillor. But I'm sure you, St K know better.

I've worked in Stevenage and have appeared on stage at the Gordon Craig theatre.
Blimey, no lift companies in Stevenage. I guess you were consulting for Airbus Defence and Space?
They are to demolish The Gordon Craig Theatre. I assume you played Widow Twanky
Nope, I've been in pantomime though. I was there with a principal ballet dancer from the Royal Ballet school.

Her husband was a Finance Director of a certain company. She was gorgeous. Her walk was as though she'd got a shampoo glass on her head.

Go on. Have a guess as to the real role.

What are they going to put up in its place?

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:26 pm
by globus
Forgot to add. Barbara Windsor was in it.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:57 pm
by cubby boi
Sandstorm wrote:
cubby boi wrote:
So 20k for a 5m long cavity block wall? How many storey?

Materials would be ~1k. 2 men could have it done in a week. 19k divided by 2, divided by 5 = builders taking home 1.9k each per day. You do the math!

Seems an extortionate price to me.
You don't just lay out the blocks along the flowerbed in a nice line and throw some cement between them. There's the foundation for a start.... :roll:

Yes, as detailed in his post.

I’m quite aware what’s involved in construction, thanks.

Any 2 man team who can’t dig a foundation, pour concrete and build a 5m wall in a week of work isn’t worth his salt.

Re: Builder's help required

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:59 pm
by SaintK
globus wrote:Forgot to add. Barbara Windsor was in it.
Christ!!! I give up, Hamlet?