First time buyer

A question about : First time buyer

Hello all

In advance, thank you for helping me out with this query!

My fiance and I have just purchased our first property in London. It's in need of a fair amount of tlc, namely:

- Taking out walls for kitchen to make open plan lounge/kitchen
- New kitchen
- New bathroom
- New flooring
- New electric heaters or underfloor heating
- Painting whole flat
- Plastering ceiling
- Adding some nicer lighting

I have got a quote from a builder who has amazing reviews online and I have pasted his quote below. I've seen another builder as well whose quote was more expensive than this one (although it included all material). We have got another two builders lined up to see early next week, but I wanted to get an idea of how fair (or unfair) the following quote is. We are completely new to this so any advice would be much appreciated!

Many thanks

F

QUOTE: Ј14550

RIP OUT:

Kitchen to be taken out

All flooring to be taken up in property

Stud wall to be taken down

Bathroom suite to be taken out

All electric heaters to be disconnected and taken off walls

ELECTRICAL:

Supply and fit new spot lights throughout property

Install new double sockets in rooms - 2 x each room

New consumer unit installed

NIC cert provided

PLUMBING:

Install new bathroom suite

Plumb in new appliances and sink in kitchen

PLASTERING:

Apply a 3 mm skim to all ceilings

TILING:

New tiles to walls and floor in bathroom

Tile splash back in kitchen

DECORATING:

Decorate entire property - all walls, ceilings and woodwork

CARPENTRY:

Install new kitchen

All new laminate flooring

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS / NOTES:

Supply and fit new electric heaters - Ј1,800 extra
OR
Supply and fit underfloor heating - !Ј4,700 extra

All rubbish to be taken away by contractor

Client supplies:

Flooring

Best answers:

• No sizes, dimension, material finishes, quantity, parking, waste removal yes taking it away but when and how info etc if that's quote word for word I'd say nothing but one big argument and very likely not finish your expecting, be sure to have a carrot for there horse? Quotes like questions need the correct info in them without it you advance at your peril you could say if they can't be arsed to write it down doesn't bode well they'll be arsed to do it right
  Any answers going to be pure guess work probably not what you need? More information should equate to accurate advice also better job most of the time at least ?
  I do wonder sometimes are these newbies post just churned out for a ratings boost..?
• Is it wet or electric underfloor heating?
• Inclusive of VAT?
• Quality of the materials used isn't mentioned or how long the job will take . I know London prices are high but wowzer . I see a months works for a tradesman and young lad Max just on a standard 2 bed flat . that doesn't include materials at all or just no bathroom and kitchens and fires etc .
• Hi
  The flat is 56.7 sq m.
  That quote is inclusive of VAT.
  It will be electric underfloor
  The job will take 4 weeks
  4-5 people will be working on it
  Parking is okay because we have visitor parking as well as a space included for us (which we don't use as we don't have a car)
  Thank you for your help so far. The reason why I'm inclined to go with the company is based on 144 reviews online with 100% rating as well as having met the owner in person who seems like a decent chap... As far as I can tell!
  Based on your advice, we are asking further questions from the company to clarify, which are:
  -when they would need payment,
  -the level of their insurance,
  -length of their working day (start/finish times),
  -how often they will clear the rubbish,
  -that all work done will be certified to the required -statutory/industry standard level;
  -if COMPANY NAME is a member of a trade body;
  -that the Quote numbered XXXXXX is indeed a quotation and not an "estimate" of works; and
  -that if work begins on set date that they will be finished by a date 4 weeks after that
• 4-5 people for 4 weeks would make it a reasonable price, with VAT.
• Four weeks work to be done in four weeks, with a couple of days leeway. You want to tie them in so they aren't doing the odd couple of days now and then in between jobs elsewhere.
  Good luck !