The main work has begun on the house now with electrical and plumbing work having started today. I had a long conversation with the main builder over the weekend and agreed costs for the remainder of the work and I can now make a reasonable assessment for the first time on how close to our budget we will be.
It has proven quite difficult to work out how accurate my estimating has been as I seem to be forever moving items from one budget line to another. For example the original plan was to ask the DPC and timber treatment company to do the specialist rendering. I have subsequently decided not to do that as the people who are doing the rest of the plastering are quite comfortable about the type of render required.
The main builder has agreed a reasonably detailed schedule of works which includes (amongst other items) all of the plastering, brickwork, studwork, painting and decorating, kitchen fitting and tiling. We just have to provide the following.
Upstairs bathroom suite and shower
Downstairs cloakroom suite
Kitchen
Any floor coverings we want (carpets, tiles and laminate flooring)
Whilst I enjoyed my foray out into the garden recently I haven't got the time to finish this off so a friend of the family is going to do this for me starting from this Wednesday.
I think we will be very close to our revised £40,677 estimate. There is slight disappointment that we won't we thousands under but I guess if that were the case the estimate wouldn't have been very good. I am very pleased that we have now understood all the work that has to be done. There will inevitably be some more surprises but I hope that the amount of planning and preparation we have done to date will minimise this.
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