Cost of repairs 2

[mikey]

Here is a photo of the verandah - last file was too large to load. Main issue is that water runs to the back of the verandah - so needs to be resloped.

M

[Dusty]

First up, get at least three quotes for the exact same work, that way you'll have some sort of idea of whether this one is dear, cheap, or otherwise.

This is Australia. Labour is expensive in Australia. The type of work that you need done is labour intensive.

To put it into perspective you have to ask yourself "How much is my time worth?" For whatever it is that you do for a living.

For the type of work you need done, there is only a small percentage of the population able to do it, and qualified to do it. Hence the expense.

Good luck

[journeyman Mick]

Mikey,
those figures sound in the ball park to me. Factor in all the overheads the builder has like licensing, insurance, depreciation, wear and tear and just the sheer volume of gear you need to have to building reno work and you'll realise there's a lot less money in it for the builder than first appears. Also if he doesn't factor in a contingency sum for unforseen extra work required will you pay him more? Maybe something has been constructed in such a manner that means an extra 20 hours is required to remove and replace it, but this wasn't obvious until it was demolished/dismantled. Building is a risky business financially and reno work has more traps and pitfalls than building new homes. Like Dusty said, get a few quotes and see if they're in the same range.

Mick

[Dan_574]

I dont know if its because Im able to do alot myself or what but 6k for a small verandah like that seems excessive to me, what is it about 4 x 2.4, Im doing my front verandah at the moment and its cost me about that for 21 x 2.4. Like I said I may be just lucky that I can do it myself.

[journeyman Mick]

Dan,
how much are you paying yourself an hour to do it? How many hours have you spent on it all up (including phone calls to suppliers etc). What about superannuation, sick pay, accident insurance, public liability, insurance against theft from site, cost of running a home office, license fees, depreciation on plant and tools etc etc etc. Maybe the quotes on the high side, I don't know, but what it costs you in materials to do a job for yourself has little to do with with what it costs a builder to to the job (and hopefully at some sort of profit). I've made some good money on renovations, but I've really scraped by on some too. When you even it all out I would probably have made more money if I worked in I.T.

Mick

[echnidna]

I agree totally with Mick that the price seems to be in the right ballpark.
Agree with his other comments too

[Dan_574]

like i said I may be lucky that I can do it myself if your in the industry Im not doubtin you, maybe Im a bit out of touch. Did I say I was lucky I can do it myself.

[journeyman Mick]

Dan,
you are lucky you can DIY, otherwise you'd be at the mercy of some money hungry contractor . And yeah, if I couldn't do things myself we wouldn't have a lot of the things we do now (like an almost finished bed, everything for a new kitchen except the man hours to assemble it and a few other projects that are still in the planning stage )

Mick

[mikey]

All

Thanks for the insights on ballpark costs. I will be doing a few things myself that I did not show (weatherboards, replacing some flashing, rendering an internal chimney...- but having failed woodwork, metal work and Tech drawing at high school my verandah and sub-floor building skills are suspect at best.

I will be having a further discussion with the builders. Again, I appreciate the comments.

M

[mikey]

Just an update

Having pulled up the existing veranda we (the Builders at least) found:

1. it had been rebuilt just prior to us taking over the property, but last owners had laid the bearers directly onto the ground and dont seem to have used a level - bodgey job .

2. set down a couple of shallow support posts to stop bearers moving laterally, but these had rotted at the base and set in shallow crumbly concrete.

3. failed to correctly install a root barrier - ie tree roots had weaselled their way under the veranda and then into the first bedroom (have also pulled up that flooring and dug them out and will be removing large tree in front of house)

Builders have

1. dug out earth and treeroots to provide air flow
2. used existing bearers cos still in great nick
3. reset the posts - concrete stumps, deeper holes
4. re-sloped jarrah decking to have 20 - 25mm fall away from house.

About to:

1. replace bullnose roofing
2. repair a hip rafter

They have also pulled up the bedroom floor, dropped a bearer down 20mm to remove the "hump" and replaced a couple of joists. On the strength of my observations I will give the second bedroom go myself - gathering confidence.

Cheers and thanks for previous comments