How I beat the cost estimator
Before starting my self-build I sent my Building Regulations’ plans off to an estimating service, to obtain a detailed breakdown of each stage of the build with costs divided into labour and materials.
These costings can be remarkably accurate. More importantly they tell me, firstly, that I can build my new home for the money I have allocated and, secondly, they give me a template to work to — if you like, a tool to use in negotiating prices with suppliers and providers of labour.
The project as a whole came in within budget
