Property makeover price guide launched

Monday, 9 October 2006 12:00 AM

A new guide giving homeowners vital information about how much building and renovating work should cost has been launched at the Autumn Ideal Home Show.

The Property Makeover Price Guide, from the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS), sets out what people should pay for over 1,300 different types of work on their home, from small jobs such as fixing window panes to major projects such as a loft conversion.

In addition the Property Makeover Price Guide gives advice on how much costs should be adjusted according to the region homeowners are living in.

As well as costing information, the new book has advice on how to budget for repair, improvement, alteration and extension work.

Joe Martin, BCIS spokesman, said: "If you are looking for a glossy Changing Rooms magazine to guide you through makeover colour schemes this publication is not for you. But if you are seriously interested in knowing how to employ skilled labourers to undertake work on your property safely and legally for a fair price you will not be disappointed.

"Knowledge is power and we expect this guide to demystify construction and help drive the cowboy builders out of town. This is the first time such information has been made available to the general public and we are very excited about it."

Sample Property Makeover Price Guide facts:

• Building costs in Greater London are about 15 per cent above the national average

• Prices also vary across the capital - prices tend to be eight per cent higher in the London postal districts than in outer London. A roof repair may cost £100 more in central London, but a new extension is likely to cost as much as £1,000 more

• The cost of replacing ten metres square of three-layer felt roof in Greater London is about £800 and a three by three metre single-storey extension with one window would range from £16,000 to £19,500 (extension cost excludes work to existing building)

• In comparison, in the East Midlands, which is one of the cheaper regions, the roof repair might cost £650 and the extension £13,000 to £16,000

Property Makeover Price Guide's construction cost jargon explained

• Preliminaries - the costs for items required to carry out the contract other than the actual construction works, for example travelling costs, scaffolding hire, office or admin costs

• Provisional sums - an amount included in the contract sum/agreed quote for additional works that are not fully specified

• Variations - these are the works that arise during the construction which were not allowed for in the quote

• PC sum (Price Cost sum) - a sum of money allowed for an item or work or materials supplied by the client, for example, installation of a fire alarm system by a specialist already selected by the client, or the cost of a bathroom suite already purchased by the client

• Retention - sum of money set aside by the client from the contract sum until the works are completed to your satisfaction

The Property Makeover Price Guide is available from Amazon

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