During The Home Extension Building Works - Builder / Client Advice Guide

When you have found your local builder there will be a lot more detail yet to resolve before you can formally engage their services.  Here are a few areas that you should be discussing.

1. - EXTRAS

Building owners often fall into the ‘oh while your here’ trap and engage the builder to complete additional works without obtaining fixed quotations first or under the assumption that the works are included or will be very cheap as the builder is here anyway! - wrong - very wrong. Builders are in business to make money and extras are often seen as ways to make up for cut throat margins.

The ‘Golden Rule’ is to avoid altering the scheme from that approved and priced and do not engage the builder for extra works unless the item of work is quantified, described and costed in full before your written acceptance. If variations to the contracted works are required then get it agreed and costed in writing before implementing the works and keep a running total of the ‘adds and omits’ for easy adjustment of the contract sum later on. This area alone, in my opinion, accounts for the majority of disputes between builders and their clients. - you have been warned.

2. - UNFORESEEN ITEMS

Sometimes, very rarely, items are exposed on site that need alternative or extra works to overcome the problem eg. - exposing an old underground well or finding structural differences in the exposed building structure. Should this occur, most Building Design Agents will be able to visit site and assess the works required and offer an alternative design solution which may or may not be chargeable to the client depending upon circumstances.

However, it is very likely that the works will result in extra building costs to the client and we recommend having a realistic contingency sum within the contract price to allow for these unforeseen items. If none arise and the clients has not asked for any extra works then the contingency sum is removed from the final contract price.