Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community
Old 09-12-2012, 10:16 PM   #21
moncton golden flames
Powerplay Quarterback
 
moncton golden flames's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by FurnaceFace View Post
I've been toying with enclosing our back covered deck and bumping out the house for a number of years. I had talked to my sister and brother in law (who are both architects) and they suggested a rule of thumb was $100/sq foot. They are in Vancouver so costs may vary but I think it's a reasonable guide.

The other thought I'd have on whether to do the work on not is how long you plan to be in the house. If the Reno improves your enjoyment of the house and would result in you staying there for a long time then I don't think it really matters too much. If it's move vs reno and the reno means you'll stick in the house for 10 years then might as well do it I'd say. If it wouldn't really change how long you'll live in the house then probably better to spend the money on freshening everything up.
$100 a square foot is damn cheap. i'd be weary of any contractor who quoted that low here in calgary.
__________________

moncton golden flames is offline  
Old 09-20-2012, 04:23 PM   #22
Bill Bumface
My face is a bum!
 
Bill Bumface's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Exp:
Default

What's a reasonable range?

I was told by someone with half a clue (former building experience, but not currently tied in) to bank on ~$100,000 to add 5' x 2 stories on the side of our house (about 27' long) with no bathrooms/kitchens involved. Is that way low? I know its hard to say without much for detail, but I was curious if that savings goal is remotely reasonable.
Bill Bumface is offline  
Old 09-21-2012, 11:54 AM   #23
moncton golden flames
Powerplay Quarterback
 
moncton golden flames's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Exp:
Default

so your addition is 135 sq ft per floor, for a total of 270 sq ft. let's just say a sq ft price of $250 is used, which is a high level of finish, a rough cost of $67,500 is an estimate. add in any design fees, permit fees etc... and you might creep up towards $75,000.

needless to say, the advice given to you is a little high, but as with renovations, you never know what never know what you might find once you open up the walls. to have about $100,000 available to you for all costs and unforeseen incidentals, would be a safe bet.

be careful of the type of contract you get into with a builder. it could be a 'cost +' or an 'all inclusive'. if you go cost+, demand that the builder provides you with a copy of all invoices he receives from suppliers. i have heard stories from clients who have entered a cost+ contract with a builder, but the builder had a good relationship with some suppliers, and they presented the client one invoice, but the builder paid a discounted industry price. this gave the builder profit on the payment and his +. needless to say, once the home owners found out, they were livid. the builder was double dipping and making a killing.

example in case i wasn't clear.

a bathtub costs $500. but the builder gets a better deal than retail from a supplier and only paid $400 for the tub. the builder provides the $500 invoice to the client and pockets the $100. on top of that, he probably added a 30-35% management fee. this scenario also requires a supplier to go along with the scheme, but it does happen.

if you get an 'all inclusive' be careful as well. make sure there are provisions to cover your arse for cost overruns, construction delay costs etc.. also, be very attentive during construction, as corners will be cut in order for the builder to maximize the opportunity for profits.
__________________


Last edited by moncton golden flames; 09-21-2012 at 11:58 AM.
moncton golden flames is offline  
The Following User Says Thank You to moncton golden flames For This Useful Post:
Old 09-21-2012, 03:31 PM   #24
darklord700
First Line Centre
 
darklord700's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by moncton golden flames View Post
so your addition is 135 sq ft per floor, for a total of 270 sq ft. let's just say a sq ft price of $250 is used, which is a high level of finish, a rough cost of $67,500 is an estimate. add in any design fees, permit fees etc... and you might creep up towards $75,000.
$75K-$100K for 270 sq ft of space seems expensive. Wouldn't moving be a better option?
darklord700 is offline  
Old 09-21-2012, 05:12 PM   #25
moncton golden flames
Powerplay Quarterback
 
moncton golden flames's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by darklord700 View Post
$75K-$100K for 270 sq ft of space seems expensive. Wouldn't moving be a better option?
it could probably be done for as low as $50 or $60k, it all depends on how the interior trims out. i quoted a little high, becomes people want certain things, like flooring, mouldings, fixtures etc... but don't always realize how expensive they are, and get sticker shock. always over budget for any build.
__________________

moncton golden flames is offline  
Old 09-27-2012, 03:52 PM   #26
Bill Bumface
My face is a bum!
 
Bill Bumface's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by darklord700 View Post
$75K-$100K for 270 sq ft of space seems expensive. Wouldn't moving be a better option?
Here's the factors I consider in my own situation:

-Selling/buying/moving with realty/moving/lawyer fees would be about a $25,000 transaction.

-So if we take the $75,000 estimate, that now knocks it down to $50,000 for 270 sq ft.

-The house rang in at $472/sq. ft (lot was a big portion of the price), but even if we got $100/sq ft in resale on the addition that is $27,000, leaving it a $13,000 disadvantage to moving

-work we've done to the house itself and to the yard to get it where we like it is easily in the $5000-$7000 range, mostly sunk costs we wouldn't get selling.

-Now I consider the fact that if we move it's likely we go a touch over our budget seeing the "right" house, or end up financing the money we would have spent on the addition via a mortgage which would lead to way higher interest costs.

It took a lot of looking to find the right house in the right location, so I put a price on the ability to stay put as well. If we added onto the place we could stay there the rest of our lives, no problem.
Bill Bumface is offline  
Old 09-28-2012, 08:32 AM   #27
darklord700
First Line Centre
 
darklord700's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by hulkrogan View Post
If we added onto the place we could stay there the rest of our lives, no problem.
If you can do that vs moving multiple times like some people do, then the addition makes sense moneywise.
darklord700 is offline  
Old 09-28-2012, 11:53 AM   #28
bizaro86
Franchise Player
 
bizaro86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed View Post
Yup, youlikely put in a grade beam 4 feet into the ground anyway, you might as well make it slightly deeper and pour a floor, and then you have a basement.

Basement space is quite cheap to build, and that's why pretty much every house in Calgary is built with a basement.
What about lowering the foundation of a house that has only a crawl space to add a basement? I assume that would be pricey?
bizaro86 is offline  
Old 09-28-2012, 01:07 PM   #29
fundmark19
#1 Goaltender
 
Join Date: May 2009
Exp:
Default

you normally go the other way and raise the house by cutting foundation framing up and adding a new support beam
fundmark19 is offline  
Old 09-28-2012, 01:12 PM   #30
You Need a Thneed
Voted for Kodos
 
You Need a Thneed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by bizaro86 View Post
What about lowering the foundation of a house that has only a crawl space to add a basement? I assume that would be pricey?
Yup, pretty pricey. You would definitely want a structural engineer involved as well.

To do something like this, you essentially have to do it in little pieces. Let's say every other 8 feet section along a wall first, and then do the stuff in between second. We've done it before.
You Need a Thneed is offline  
Old 09-28-2012, 03:27 PM   #31
bizaro86
Franchise Player
 
bizaro86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Exp:
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed View Post
Yup, pretty pricey. You would definitely want a structural engineer involved as well.

To do something like this, you essentially have to do it in little pieces. Let's say every other 8 feet section along a wall first, and then do the stuff in between second. We've done it before.
My SWAG was 25-35k for a house with a 1200 ft2 footprint, does that seem like it'd be in the ballpark, or keep going higher?
bizaro86 is offline  
Old 09-28-2012, 11:08 PM   #32
trublmaker
First Line Centre
 
trublmaker's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: in the belly of the beast.
Exp:
Default

[QUOTE=

example in case i wasn't clear.

a bathtub costs $500. but the builder gets a better deal than retail from a supplier and only paid $400 for the tub. the builder provides the $500 invoice to the client and pockets the $100. on top of that, he probably added a 30-35% management fee. this scenario also requires a supplier to go along with the scheme, but it does happen.

if you get an 'all inclusive' be careful as well. make sure there are provisions to cover your arse for cost overruns, construction delay costs etc.. also, be very attentive during construction, as corners will be cut in order for the builder to maximize the opportunity for profits.[/QUOTE]

As a contractor myself, it usually takes time, reputation etc to get good prices from suppliers because I buy alot and am a good customer. A home owner CAN'T get my prices, that's why I'm a contractor. when I add on my mark up it is still cheaper than the average person can get and I always offer the home owner to either supply materials themselves or I will do it. Of course I make money on it, that's why I'm in business, so your idea of a contractor "pocketing" money with the supplier "going along with it " is very misleading.
trublmaker is offline  
 

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:54 AM.

Calgary Flames
2023-24




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright Calgarypuck 2021