Hecateh

I don't know It has never been mentioned as an extra but his current calcs don't show it as either included or as an extra - that is one point I have noted for discussion

Don't know about out of my depth - feel like I've got concrete boots on as well My son is an architect technician, he is going to come over tomorrow and go through it with me. He has also totally renovated a couple of houses himself so his experience is not all just on paper.

This is what I would like him to do Finish gables and roof, £5158 External drains, Internal soil stack (not sure what this means Finish Boundary wall Tank variation £1398 New chamber £1195 Velux windows £1127 (£620 already paid) Staircase Fit £300 £8558.00 And if he will meet - or even go half way to soffits etc he can have that too

Trouble is the person that quoted me £1400 hasn't given me anything in writing or confirmed the price and I don't know who they are.

No internal work and would get it done before that. B has quoted £1800 and my cheapest other quote was for £1400 - they knew the scaffold would be down. Maybe B will match it if it makes it easier for him to do the roof.

Not too bad a basic DIY - very basic. Lived alone for a long time so have found most maintenance tasks doable - but I'm much less fit than i used to be. think my son will have to spare a bit of time for me and do these jobs.

So he has come back with a couple of options for me There is £15858 left in the budget to bring him up to the 89K quote He will knock off £2100 for electrics £4000 for plastering £4000 for drive and £ 600 for bathroom and kitchen fitting which I don't think is enough - He's saying 1 man 4 days to fit 3 toilets, 3 basins and 2 showers) Which leaves £5158 to complete roof and gables To be added to this are the following variations £1398 tanking (which I knew about and signed) £1195 for new sewerage chamber as water board didn't accept original spec (known about) £ 1127 for 2 vellux windows in roof £1860 for soffits, fascias and gutters £300 to fit staircase with temp handrails £450 for suspended floor infill, porch joists, hangers, insulation and boards In relation to level access he wants to install aco drains on cement (16m) and build up level access to front door - with flag detail access

One big important question. I know the house needs soffits, fascias and gutters. Will it survive for a week or so without them Builder is saying not They weren't included in the quote and I have had a couple of prices below what he wants to charge

Sounds very familiar - and your advice sounds excellent.

So he has come back with a couple of options for me There is £15858 left in the budget to bring him up to the 89K quote He will knock off £2100 for electrics £4000 for plastering £4000 for drive and £ 600 for bathroom and kitchen fitting which I don't think is enough - He's saying 1 man 4 days to fit 3 toilets, 3 basins and 2 showers) Which leaves £5158 to complete roof and gables, external drains, internal soil stack.and complete boundary wall To be added to this are the following variations £1398 tanking (which I knew about and signed) £1195 for new sewerage chamber as water board didn't accept original spec (known about) £ 1127 for 2 vellux windows in roof £1860 for soffits, fascias and gutters £300 to fit staircase with temp handrails £450 for suspended floor infill, porch joists, hangers, insulation and boards In relation to level access he wants to install aco drains on cement (16m) and build up level access to front door - with flag detail access That all (including the £5158) comes to a total of £12468.50 I don't know if this will make sense to anyone but it has helped me typing it out. AND I've spotted one discrepancy already. The quote does include for the boiler and this hasn't been mentioned

We did that on Monday, and yes I have a good friend, who made exactly those points and kept the meeting more or less on track. Difficult as he was being very defensive. Things have calmed down since then and we are able to talk. I'd be in even more of a mess if not for her.

I doubt they'd be cheaper for me - I'm in Yorkshire - close to junction 36 M1 Going fo supply and fit so that's not really an option. Looking on ebay for other things I am trying - AND I'll be trying even harder once we are watertight He's coming back to me this afternoon with a breakdown of what he can do with the original price if we move out some of the none essential and add other ore important bits. I'll post on here what he comes up with.

I won't be camping in there until this one is sold so I have no problem with paying if I am living there. I do need to make sure it can't be classed as habitable although I think I am ok. I have talked with the officer at the council and she said to let her know when it was ready

Can't afford it - And - I have a quote which doesn't include these things - legally I doubt I have a leg to stand on. Legally I am responsible for ensuring the quote covers everything needed. Morally I think it's largely his. If I'd found this forum earlier, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be in this mess. Whilst not being as thorough as @JSHarris I would have been much more on the ball. If he had included the things he is now charging 45k for my guess is they would have come in at 20k at most. Pretty sure he does want out now which is why I am trying to keep him on side until the roof is on. After that I don't care - I can sort it from there is I have to.

I am looking at quotes for windows for 4 at 1200 x 1200 3 at 630 x 1200 1 patio - wanted bifold but settling for a 3 pane slider - 2700 x 2100 1 set of french doors with extra side panel to bedroom (Juliette balcony) 2 external doors - wanted composite but settling for uPVC

The pic shows what is left to be done The blue background isn't in the quote the beige one is what is in the quote. The pink is an extra I picked up. The budget that is is left is around 16k. In red are my priorities so I can at least camp in there - not that I need to yet but as soon as the scaffolding is down I want to get this house properly on the market. When this sells I can then afford - hopefully, to do more. I can get hold of a bit more cash - credit cards and a couple of family members but it all has to be paid back and I have no income so can't get a regular mortgage

You are absolutely right in everything you say. Problem is he can just down tools and walk away and I can't afford for the work to stop and get involved in a legal battle. Main finance is from a bridging loan that is high interest and HAS to be paid back at the end of November. I thought we did have a full breakdown and feel that he should have been the one to spot that the details I gave him didn't cover everything. If it hadn't been for the initial shock at the start for the foundations we probably would have but everything go tied up with that. I was already stressed with that and trusted naively (as you say) that everything was in there. It is a huge overspend. The initial quote was for 89k. I have already paid 15k extra for the foundations and sewerage pump and this is an extra 45k I'll do a separate post about window sizes - in fact everything I need - any help offered will be very gratefully received. Oh - and the social media thing - He has already sulked and accused me of slandering him and his team. I have asked him that - 'he doesn't think so'. Not a great answer. See above for why I won't be mentioning the social media - at least until the weather tight stage. He seems to think he is the one that is being wronged by being asked to take at least some responsibility for this. That's my argument At least you've made me smile. But no - he's a Barnsley lad "wi' gift a' gab" . Probably better not post his pic on here. Having said that - I've seen his wife on facebook and she is head turning so maybe he does have something.

Fitted - ex VAT - have emailed him about VAT. I suspect its something they are not aware of but, as they manufacture their own windows, they will be VAT registered so shouldn't be a huge problem to get that sorted. Yes, he knows the sizes AND as the same guy came out about 5 years ago to replace some blown units in my current property, they have been around a while

Thanks If it wasn't for reading on here about other FU I think I may well have done something stupid over this, I feel so stupid. He isn't a bad guy, just inexperienced, very young, and not really adult enough to fully accept responsibility although he wants to do the right thing so long as it doesn't cost him. Thank F he isn't on here

This is one area where I think he is trying to recoup some of what he has lost through his own inexperience. Will be getting quotes for this as soon is the roof is on. There is a bit of a challenge as it's a split level house. on a slope so single floor entry level -- up to bedroom or down to lounge

soffits before the roof? That isn't something I had ever considered and roofing is his main thing windows and doors I think I have already sourced. Had a company out last night to quote soffits etc and windows/doors - not a bad price (after something like 55% off - think DG companies are stuck in the 90's) but they used old style tactics - 'got to sign tonight to get this price' at which time they would have had to offer to do it for free to get my business. I don't like that kind of pressure. I have had a local quote - £4.2k for 7 windows, 2 doors, a 3 panel patio and french doors which I think is good I have been sitting on this for a few days, feeling too stupid to post on here where I know there is support - so I have been doing some research.

I have been wanting - and not wanting - to share this for a couple of weeks now. I was too screwed up to hear responses until now

that doesn't include internal walls at this stage

Internal M2 is about 96. Water tight, he is working out tonight - and he knows that, whilst obviously he knows more about building, I spot discrepancies. Remaining ext walls and all roof is within budget. Soffits etc is extra but will be set against something included that is further down the line. I have a local doors, windows quote which he says I should go for as he can't match. By tomorrow I should know what my watertight figures are and have a better idea where I am

I would - he wouldn't He's a small one man band - pays his way week to week - If I don't pay on a Friday - his lads don't get paid. It's a risk I took. I was confident he was skilled at bricking and roofing. I was confident he was honest and wanting to do a good job and I knew he had little experience of being in control of a full new build. He's only 28 - and has a delicate ego. Can't take criticism but - if delivered in the right way, he will go away and think about it and try to put things right - without ever admitting he was wrong. I am most mad with myself rather than him. Some things I missed altogether but others I wanted to address but didn't because he was so defensive and overall he's a good builder. I knew he was inexperienced in my type of project. Tight budget - cheap quote - nearly alway backfires