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Showing content with the highest reputation on 11/30/21 in all areas

  1. If there were such a thing, you'd find it on this site. We haven't got one because it's too complicated a job - they vary too much. Customers want to reduce risk, and builders know that. So they build in obscurity. So you build in specificity. So they build in their margin in more hidden ways. All you can do is follow the Due Diligence Process, and be as specific as you can. Its a messy uncomfortable process. Good luck. Ian
    3 points
  2. Local builders have not bought it as they can't make money at it as a developer. In the UK equivalent position such a building is bought for self-build, where we can put in endless hours, change our minds and argue finer points with builders. At a distance this becomes even more difficult. If the builder or Architect or Mayor doesn't agree with your proposals, then you will have to do everything their way. You will have to use a local Architect, and what if they don't like refurb and only like complete replacement? So you must discuss with Architect, a builder, and probably the Mayor or Clerk at the town hall. And unless you know a lot about construction, speak the language including all its subtleties, and have at least 50% contingency on the price you are told, then it probably is too much of a risk. £10k or £50k? Yes. £10k with me on site all the time and if I could suddenly speak Italian and it was only these beams. £50k more likely...but perhaps £100k if the walls and roof come down on purpose or accidentally. Sorry.
    2 points
  3. Refurbs cost far more than new build at the best of times - the fact that they are practically giving this away would alert me to the fact that it could actually have a negative value. It is lovely but approach with eyes wide open.
    2 points
  4. Walk away. The work will cost a fortune. Unless you are a skilled builder with fluent Italian, do not think about it. Could easily cost £100k+.
    2 points
  5. Perhaps someone else in the Bristol area might comment if BC want to see a drain pressure test done? All I know is Highland council WILL want to see that, so you want to be sure your drains don't have any leaks before you cover them with plasterboard.
    1 point
  6. It’s more bouncy than I would have liked, cold void underneath it.
    1 point
  7. As a complete non expert but I've bought maybe 40 properties in my lifetime. This looks like it could be fantastic but also a complete money sucking hole. I guess ( if it's ok to ask ) what budget i.e. cash do you actually have?
    1 point
  8. We had a crusher in last month for a couple of days - cost £300 in hire. Ended up with a pile of 6F2 nearly as high as the house!
    1 point
  9. We are on piles, ground beneath floor could not be categorised, so safe option is to span over it, then it can do what it wants, shrink,heave whatever.
    1 point
  10. 10x£9000, you will spend that in a heartbeat, and then chuck in a load more. If the finished product isn’t worth £150,000 then forget it.
    1 point
  11. I don’t think you can use any of the crushed old house under your foundations, as they will not comply with any relevant standard. Use all the old house for driveway, and surrounding the house to keep mud down. You need to clarify what you want to build, and how you are building it. What levels of insulation you want and so on, foundation design will lead from this. There are dozens of questions on here repeatedly that say they need a thinner insulation as they cocked up the measurements and now cannot fit in the required insulation. Work out finished floor floor height and work backwards from there. If I had of had a choice it would be an insulated raft for the foundation. Unfortunately im on bad ground so ended up with block n beam which I don’t like much.
    1 point
  12. get it QS'd first then you have a base point of cost, this will be usefull to builders as they can see exactly what they are pricing for down to the last nail and screw. https://www.estimators-online.com/
    1 point
  13. Fitted the mcalphine . Seems a much better fit. Rubber seems much thicker ( SWMBO told me about this ). Had a slight leak on my glued pipework ; up a ladder , limited view, limited light so will forgive myself. Tiger sealed around those joints. So full test tomorrow when SWMBO showers. Also 'cheated' a bit ( but again will forgive myself as accessible ) and fitted a flexicon onto the new pipework again to make my life a bit easier. So so far looking promising!!! Forgot!. Tightening the actual trap to the tray (from above ) about a million times easier than the previous trap. Easy to grip; lots of thread - so much better!
    1 point
  14. Yes its a 4 bed bungalow, but the end specification can vary a lot. If you want an accurate price then you need to be detailing everything down to what sockets you want. E.g stainless £20, budget white plastic £2
    1 point
  15. For a box that fits 3 x double sockets (i.e. 6 sockets in total) not including the actual sockets, was £205 plus VAT for their "cheap" range and £330 plus VAT for their "nicer" range. To this you need to add about £60 for the sockets plus delivery which was about £25. They bespoke make the lid so it is exactly the right depth to have the tile or engineered floor finish glued on so that it is completely flush with the floor, that is the main advantage of this company as far as I can tell, just a very expensive way of achieving this. Surprised there isn't a cheaper alternative that can do the same thing.
    1 point
  16. I can understand how you could become emotionally attached to a building like this, but it could well prove to be a money pit. Be very aware of the lengthy and costly bureaucracy in Italy. You may do better to find somewhere that has had at least all the structural work carried out. Often, completed projects can be decent value.
    1 point
  17. Credit cards are an expensive way to take payment (merchant is charged a % of the transaction as a fee plus ongoing monthly costs for the facility, delayed time to payment and chargebacks if customer is not happy. It's justifiable if you're in a retail environment where everyone else offers it and customers won't buy unless they can use it but it's rare to see when there are much larger sums involved.
    1 point
  18. What a lovely place. With the complexities and nuance of restoration building work, pay attention to advanced language skills so you don't get caught out, as there are plenty of pitfalls for the unwary without that added complication. All the best.
    1 point
  19. Depends on the size and scale of the job tbh. Check that they have included waste (skips), VAT, materials, any preliminaries such as site security and toilets, and have a look for any “price sum” for things such as kitchens or bathrooms. @anna what is the project ..?
    1 point
  20. The only way to be sure of that is to specify exactly what you want them to do, in terms of scope, materials, quality, etc., and for them to confirm that's what they've done. As Markc says, the only way to get a line-by-line comparison is to commission someone to prepare a Bill of Quantities for you, with accompanying drawings and specifications. Whether it's worth doing that depends on the value of the work and your attitude to risk, among other factors.
    1 point
  21. Paint any cut edges with D4 glue. You can always sand it off at a future date. Other option is paint all the cut edges/holes etc with floor paint as that’s good too. Any holes for screws etc you can fill with cheap body filler.
    1 point
  22. Plans are open to interpretation, if you want to compare then a Bill of Quantities is required to enable all to quote based on the same amount of any item. also make a detailed explanation of what you are wanting them to quote on, level of finish, when the job will take place, where the site is, site conditions etc. even then you will get a wide range of prices back
    1 point
  23. Looks like you may be replacing the entire 1st floor. And if the floor is in that state, what condition is the roof in? And are you required to replace like-with-like for conservation reasons, or to is is advisable or mandatory to reinforce everything with concrete due to earthquake risk? IMHO you need a local contractor or, better still, a structural engineer to advice you.
    1 point
  24. not goggling well today found one now on e bay -I bought 2 to do two directions at once
    1 point
  25. Well done... keep going! Every day is a school day.
    1 point
  26. Decent air tightness is not expensive, it just requires everyone working on the build to understand what they are doing. The issue with dot and dab if not done properly is the void between the PB and the wall can become the famous "plasterboard tent" if the top and bottom are not fully sealed to prevent them venting to a cold loft or under floor space. THAT is where you should be talking to your builder. As this is a conventional block build, I would suggest you plaster straight onto the blocks. Very little to go wrong with that. The main reason dot and dab plasterboard is used is to prevent the need for a plaster skim and it is just taped and filled at the joints.
    1 point
  27. I suspect you should be more concerned about heat loss via convection and airflow in the air gap behind the plasterboard formed around the dabs of adhesive. Many years ago @ProDaveobserved the drafts he encounters at wall plug and switch openings when he replaces a fitting. Also what blocks are you using? Some thermo blocks air quite porous to air and water.
    1 point
  28. Very well so far. Detailed tender definitely helps, and the going rates for labour help too. Extras can be identified and an agreement at the outset to put out major extras to tender helps. Promised a good bonus to builder if the build is completed within budget. Also had agreement for 50% share in price increases or savings. But just the incentive and a collaborative approach seem to work well, not enforcing the 50% clause so far. Also managed to get agreement for some major materials to be purchased by us. Can save thousands that way. Cutting out unhelpful frills helps the builder to meet target and improve the chances of receiving a good bonus at the end.
    1 point
  29. Just an idea: perhaps find a new electrician, explain the situation, and then ask your previous electrician if he would be willing to do a one-off handover, either by phone or in person, with the new electrician. Although I am not in a similar situation, I plan to use a local electrician who I have found to be reasonable in his approach and I imagine would creatively help me solve a problem like yours. They are possible to find. Personally I'd go for a middle-sized firm of electricians, not a sole operator, and speak directly to the boss. (Unusually, I chose my electrician from his YouTube channel! A first for me.)
    1 point
  30. Didn’t bother, have just filled the holes in and running a longer lead on the table lamp, we felt that if we ever moved the furniture we would be left with this socket in the floor, so decided against them.
    1 point
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