Finances Page

            Return to Homepage                                              

Enter your search terms Submit search form

                                                 

Brickwork Concreting Finances Hiring Professionals Joinery Painting Patch Plastering Pointing Preparation Project Management Removing Walls Safe Working Tiling Windows and Doors

Costs of any project can soon get out of control. To this end you need to itemise everything you can think of before starting any project. When you have the total cost worked out, add another15% contingency as items may go up in price before you can buy, or occasionally get damaged and need replacing. Small projects can be financed from savings or credit card but obviously large projects such as an extension or conservatory will probably need to be financed with a bank loan. Your ability to make the repayments should not be taken lightly. For example, what happens if you are taken ill or made redundant. An insurance policy may be worth considering for the term of the loan. A good book that I can recommend is The Housebuilder's Bible by Mark Brinkley, ISBN 0-9524852-3-0. This covers all aspects of building project costings from design to site clearance. The associated costs are very accurate and all the advice is spot on. It may be a good idea to phone around to see who's skips are the cheapest. If you need a permit for skips placed on the public highway, you should be aware that the permit lasts for 28 days so any more skips used within that period will be cheaper than the first one which included the permit cost which could be between £15 and £30 depending where you live as the costs are set by the local council. Shopping around will pay dividends as some DIY chains are very expensive although most people are led to believe that they are cheap based on advertising campaigns etc. I use Screwfix often as I live just down the road. My local builders merchants are dearer than B&Q by about 20% but are sometimes the best option as they will deliver quickly which means I don't have workers waiting around for materials or wasting time driving to B&Q. At £10 to £12 pounds per hour, this hidden cost can be considerable and should be considered if you're paying an hourly rate to any hired workers. Don't worry if anybody thinks you're a scrooge. Focus on bringing in the project on time and under budget. It's a great feeling.