One of the first things that people should consider when thinking about a construction project is how much it will cost. For every dream home, the only way to truly satisfy your requirements and desired features is to choose the right option for you (renovation, extension or a new build), be realistic about your finances and choose a contractor that can effectively meet deadlines and be open and transparent about their costs. With many years of experience in providing home construction projects, there are a few key things that we here at Copperwood would recommend to anyone planning a building project in their home:
Choose The Scope of Your Project
Construction projects can take many forms, with the main three being; a new-build property, a single or two-storey extension or a renovation of one or several rooms. Each tends to follow a relationship between cost, time and flexibility in designing the space. For instance, building an entirely new house can be the best way to create your perfect spaces, exactly the way you want, but is the most costly and time-intensive option. In contrast, a renovation project can cost relatively little, but has to fit into the confines and structural limitations of your current property, providing more aesthetic changes than anything else.
To give an idea of some figures, a 2018 survey by Homebuilding and Renovating found the average build spend of a new-build home to be £270,000, with the average plot cost at £190,000. In terms of extensions, householdquotes.co.uk writes that in 2017, the average estimate for a single-storey extension tended to range from £39,000 to £65,000, depending on the area and without taking extra plumbing costs of kitchen or bathroom extensions into account. Really, the costs can vary wildly depending on both where you live and how you choose to design the space.
Every option definitely has its perks, allowing you to add new style and use of space to your home. What is important to consider is just how much freedom you want and how the option that best suits that is able to fit into your available budget.
Budget Effectively
The next step is to consider all of the features you want in your new room, extension or house, making sure to be realistic and efficient when it comes to how this contributes to your overall spend on the project. This can include choosing everything from base building materials, windows and insulation, through to appliances, cabinetry and powers sources, before finally considering the finishing touches such as painting, furniture and decoration. While aesthetic features may be changed or left out if you don’t have the budget, the quality of the base construction itself should be the one area where corners shouldn’t be cut (literally and figuratively!). The majority of your budget will inevitably go towards structural, insulation and electrical work, but it also pays to ensure that your contractor has gone to great care to give you not just the best deal, but also the best quality of work they can, even if that means spending a little more. Read about how we ensure and guarantee the quality of our work at Copperwood Construction Services.
Discuss With Your Contractor
While every contractor will have their own pricing for their work, Copperwood’s approach to each project is to provide the fairest pricing that we can, as well as keeping the client informed and all costs transparent. Firstly, we don’t charge for advice and guidance as this is something that we believe is the right of every customer. We offer free, detailed and transparent estimates, as well as advising on possible contingency funds that may be required for any potential unforeseen events. Our fixed-price guarantee allows you to know that our quotes are exactly that; a “QUOTE” not an “ESTIMATE” with no hidden “EXTRAS”. We unfortunately do not offer price matching, but will endeavour to do our best to meet on common ground on a like-for-like basis.
The “Pay-As-You-Go” payment structure we use for each project is designed to protect both the client and ourselves. It allows us to keep a continuous cash flow and lets our customers keep track of the budget for their project. All of these ways that we approach our pricing are chosen specifically to create the fairest possible experience for the customer, as we understand the financial commitment undertaken for a construction project, as well as the importance of feeling that all costs are kept transparent and explained.
At Copperwood, we pride ourselves on our three core pillars of customer service: Fair Pricing, Realistic Timescales and Honest, Professional Practices. All of these make for a better working relationship between us and our customers, allowing us to offer a straightforward, transparent approach to a project.
To find out all about our standards of practice and why you should hire us for your next home extension, renovation or new build project, call to speak to a member of our team for advice, to arrange a consultation or site visit and to receive a free quote.