How to Get Realistic Quotes from Builders – An Expert’s Guide

How Can You Secure a Realistic Quote?

When embarking on a major project, like a self build, renovation or extension, one of the first steps is to establish a basic idea of the likely overall cost. Your architect or designer may provide this service, but be aware that early-stage estimates tend to be rough, as they often lack details on the materials and finishes.

Many professionals rely on build cost tables found online, but keep in mind that these figures may be outdated or overly optimistic, especially given the sharp rise in material prices over the past five years.

A more accurate method is to use an estimating service, such as Build It’s Estimating Service. Using your plans and a series of algorithms, a basic price for materials and labour can be established which could then be used as a yardstick against other quotes. The gold standard for accurate cost estimation is a full quantity surveyor (QS) appraisal. While not cheap, this approach provides highly detailed costings for your build by itemising all materials and labour required.

Bear in mind that renovation projects can often uncover hidden work, making accurate estimates and flexibility critical to managing unexpected costs. Photo: Paul Maguire / shutterstock.com

A comprehensive QS report serves as an excellent foundation for tendering, ensuring no vital aspects of the project are overlooked in a builder’s quote (excluding the pricing itself, of course). Though it might seem like a significant up front expense, investing in a QS appraisal can save you considerable money in the long term – it will highlight any disproportionately high elements in the quotes you receive.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve asked for quotes to be broken down into a particular format so I can isolate the various works and compare ‘apples with apples’, only to receive a different format in every reply. It can be incredibly frustrating to decipher what is covered in each quote, as every builder – or their QS – tends to have their own way of presenting information. While you can request that they send you quotes in your preferred format, there’s no guarantee they’ll comply. If they don’t, at least you’ll be prepared for the challenge!

Why is it Important to Get a Variety of Quotes?

The common advice is to obtain three quotes for every aspect of your project. While this makes sense in theory, it can be time-consuming and often reveals that prices within a tight market tend to align closely. In some cases, if a quote seems fair and you’re satisfied with the builder’s reputation, there’s little harm in accepting it.

Similarly, if you have a trusted local tradesperson known for their reliability and reasonable pricing, it’s likely they will offer you a competitive deal – especially since word travels fast if someone treats clients poorly.

That said, it’s still wise to secure between three and five quotes for larger jobs that involve general builders. For individual trades, especially when you lack any personal connections or recommendations, obtaining at least three quotes remains a really smart strategy to ensure you’re making an informed decision.

A word of caution: while it might be tempting to request a large number of quotes, keep in mind that builders often ask how many others are bidding for the job. Be careful of how you respond to this question.

If you say there are 10 other builders in the running, they might see the chance of getting the work as so remote that it’s not worth replying. Don’t forget that putting a quote for a self build together is time consuming and potentially expensive, especially if they have to hire a QS, so they need to have a realistic chance of getting the project if they are going to bid.

Why Do Quotes Vary So Much?

When requesting quotes from multiple builders for the same project, you’ll often get varying responses due to a collection of factors. This could include:

Demand

In a rising market, where builders and tradesmen are sought after, some clients are willing to pay above the standard rate. This allows builders to set higher prices, confident that if you decline, someone else will accept. Conversely, during a downturn in the construction industry, work becomes scarcer, leading to lower prices as tradespeople are often willing to accept reduced margins to stay afloat. Interestingly, this makes a recession an opportune time for self builders to undertake projects.

Single quotes

Builders are aware that some clients will only seek a single price, often from a trusted local firm with a solid reputation. If the firm is really busy, they can comfortably set a high price to set a significant profit, or they might subcontract the job to another builder, while taking a share of the profit. If their offer is declined, they’ll likely have other projects lined up.

The loss leader

Understandably, we are drawn to cheap quotes, but beware. Builders know that once they have started a job, it is rare for them to be kicked off it, and putting in a low quote gets their foot in the door. As the job progresses, ‘extras’ will appear for work not originally included. Before long, the initial price can become a distant memory, with costs escalating beyond your budget.

Such offers often include vague, one-line prices lacking detail. Distinguish between low prices and real value. If an offer is significantly lower, proceed cautiously. Request a detailed breakdown to ensure nothing is missing, and insist on references. This could signal potential issues, so stay vigilant.

Risk

Building a simple house, comprising four walls and a slab-sided roof is not too difficult. Big builders construct these designs on a daily basis, as they are quick, easy and low-risk, maximising their profit margins. However, a cutting-edge, contemporary eco-home with cantilevered balconies, or using new structural systems presents additional risk, which UK builders will factor into their prices. If something goes wrong and requires additional work to remedy it, the builder’s profit margin won’t be affected – this risk is built into the higher price. Simply put, complex designs will inevitably come with higher construction costs.

It’s Important to Be Realistic When Obtaining Quotes

Finally, while we would all love to get the lowest possible quotes, remember that everyone who works on your project is there to earn a decent wage. It’s how the industry works, so you need to accept it. The key is to complete the entire project within a budget that is both realistic and well-planned – ideally one that ensures the finished home is worth more on the open market than it cost to develop in the first place.

Depending on how the general economy is doing, a builder might make 20% profit on your scheme, sometimes less, sometimes more. During a recession, it’s not uncommon for builders to price jobs with minimal or even no profit margin, simply to secure work and keep their business afloat.

If you can get your house built within the budget you have set, who cares who made what profit? Ultimately, you will have the house you want at the price you wanted to pay, and the chances are it’s already worth more than it cost to construct.

FAQs

Where can I find a reliable builder in the UK?

Use recommendations from other partners on your build – the local merchant, key suppliers, your design team or other professionals. For instance, if you’re building a timber frame home, ask the provider whether they’ve done other projects in the area and who was used.

You can find builders online. The Federation of Master Builders’ (FMB’s) Find a Builder Service is a useful tool – enabling you to search locally by trade or job type. The FMB does some pre-vetting for you when trades join the organisation, and provides all its members with contract templates.

The Accreditus Register takes things a step further; submit your job details and their team will match you to vetted builders on the register, provide you with feedback from past customers and send a detailed quote. Accreditus also offers free background and quote comparisons, and monitors customer satisfaction on an ongoing basis.

Your guide to finding a builder

How much does it cost to build a house in the UK?

An average build cost would be around £2,200+ per m². This is on the assumption you’ll be taking on some of the project management and using experienced trades to finish your scheme. At this kind of price point, you can expect an average self build spec. The price per m² will rise significantly if you want to increase the quality or intend to hand the project over to the professionals (expect to pay at least £2,750 per m² for a main contractor build, for instance). On the basis of £2,200 per m², if you wanted to self build a 200m² home, it would cost you around £440,000 for the construction and fit-out costs.

Your guide to how much it costs to build a house

What should you factor into a self build budget?

• Demolition The cost of knocking down any existing structures to make way for your project.
• Survey fees This could include soil reports, bat surveys or other ecology reports, mitigation proposals for replacing protected trees etc.
• Difficult plots Steep plots, for example, will invariably mean an uplift in costs for groundworks and engineered foundations.
• Getting utilities to your site On a plot with reasonable access to services, you might spend £20,000-£30,000 on service connects. However, that can rise manifold if utilities are far away, so always call in quotes from providers before you buy the plot.
• Preliminaries (prelims) would include design fees; mortgage fees; temporary services and welfare facilities; planning fees; and more. Plus, of course, paying for your accommodation while construction is underway.

How much does a design and build turnkey package home cost to build?

Building a turnkey house isn’t the cheapest self build route, but you’ll  be getting a high-quality home alongside the reassurance that an experienced team is going to deliver it at a price and timescale you’re happy with.

Dan-Wood’s predesigned homes typically sit in the range of £1,400 per m² to £2,000 per m² (plus foundations, kitchens, landscaping and any custom items you commission yourself – all of which would be outside the turnkey contract scope).

A turnkey home from a supplier such as Baufritz, which focuses on healthy, sustainable houses for people looking to realise a very high specification, will be higher up the scale. Its prices start from around £3,500 per m² (gross external area; GEA). Go totally bespoke, and you might be in the region of £5,000-£6,000 per m² depending on the complexity and size of the project (the larger the house, the greater the economies of scale).

How much does it cost to get planning permission in the UK?

It costs £258 for a homeowner to make a permission for alterations to a single house, including works within a home’s boundary (this could include adding an extension to your home or creating a garden building). This does not cover works to a flat.

Full planning applications require you to submit an application containing all the details relating to a particular development. This is necessary if you’re building a new house or if you’re significantly altering a domestic property. It costs £578 to make a full planning application for the erection of each dwellinghouse (up to 10 dwellinghouses). To make an application for between 10-50 dwellinghouses, it’ll cost £624 per house.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PLANNING application COSTS