Mini Piling info Required!!!

[purplelad]

Hello, Im Lee and could do with some info on mini piling.

Just got plans for an extension for an office/study single storey extension to join house in the drive. size 7.7m x 2.8m

I then asked builders for quotes to do the project to be told my detatched property is built on piles ( confirmed by local council) andhas informed me that i have to have the footings mini piled.

Can anyone help with costings or info on this for me, would be really appreciated

 

[Shytalkz]

Hi Lee

Well, if you're going to have driven steel-cased concrete piles, you're going to have to accept a 50% increase in tube prices over the next two months .

Cost per metre will be in the order of £50, plus mobilisation £500-1000, 21.2.1 insurance (in case your neighbours property gets damaged by vibration) at £600-700. As a base figure, assuming 8m piles, you'll be paying £400 per pile, plus the other bits above.

For the size of extension, you'll be looking at 6 piles, so that's £2400.

Beams will be about £150/m, so that adds another £3600.

Final costs will be subject to remeasurement, depending on pile length.

All plus VAT and IPT on the insurance.

If neighbours are v close and/or properties are fragile, then non-vibrational piling will be needed. Add another £10/m for pile costs.

Adds up, doesn't it?

 

[purplelad]

Oh Dear,

Not good news at all, But thanks verey much for the info.

I will continue to get a price but it doesnt look very promising to continue,

I have already paid £400 for plans and £270 for Planning permission thats a bit of a swine

 

[^woody^]

Well if thats the cost, then that is the cost, and if you want that particular job then that will have to be paid.

Building costs are not going down, and so consider getting the quotes agreeing a specification and then building sooner rather than later.

If finances are limited, then you could get the shell done and then do the internals as and when money becomes available. Also reduce the internal spec to a basic one, and upgrade later.

The permission will last 3 years, but if you start within that time then you won't need to reapply later

Out of interest how come you paid £270 for planning permission when the statutory fee was only £135?

Also if you had drawings for building regs done, didn't the designer realise it would need to be piled?

 

[purplelad]

Woody, thanks

I understand what you are saying, The £270 was actually £275.00, Planning permission has actually increased From £135 to £150 as from 1/4/08 the other £125 was for building regs initial payment and i am told i have to pay £230 after first visit, Is this normal?

Also, going back to the extension the chap who did me plans was recommended to me, i Have since asked him about the piling issue and he tells me that the piling company will give building regs what plans they need. Is his normal?

Once again chaps thanks for the info

 

[purplelad]

Woody, Or any one that can help.

I only moved into this property 6month ago and have already doubled my morgage, the reason for the extra room is because we are expecting a baby (unplanned but happy!!)

So as you can imagine i just want a small bedroom adding, is there anyway around these building regs or planning. (loft is very small so thats not an option.

A friend says build a conservatory stile extension along the side, I know this would probably look odd, But can you do this to prevent planning issues. Or am i stuck with these piling costs of around 5-6k for an 19sq metre extension

 

[^woody^]

Your problem is building regs not planning permission, and if you want a room then it needs b/regs. A conservatory is not really a room so I don't know how much use one would be for you.

If you paid the £150 fee, then that means you don't have the planning permission yet and its still going through. In which case if you want to alter your proposal, you can withdraw it and submit a different scheme at no cost.

Yes the piling company will give the spec to the BCO but sometimes you may also need an engineer to design the pile foundations too - even more expense (but I hear some engineers do freebies ).

But the point is, why didn't the designer mention the possibility of needing piles? It is something which perhaps should have occurred to him, and being aware of it incorporated it into the plans and made you aware of the cost implications too.

Did you ask the designer for possible build costs or tell him that you had a budget and to design to this budget?

But to move on. Give the drawings out and get firm [fully itemised]quotes. Get quotes for the piles. Then study the quotes. See if you can trim things down - flat roofs, different windows, do some work yourself etc.

Then see if you can afford the cost (plus a contingency)

If not, see if the scheme can be altered to something cheaper.

Perhaps put the footings in for all of it but then just build the part of the extension most needed?

If its really a none-starter then it will have to wait, and cut your losses.

 

[purplelad]

Thanks for that mate,

I will await for a quote from Roger bullivants who did the piling to the house, sent them plans today.

Go from there, let you know how i go on

Cheers

 

[Shytalkz]

Thanks for that mate,

I will await for a quote from Roger bullivants who did the piling to the house, sent them plans today.

Go from there, let you know how i go on

Cheers

There are cheaper options than RB. Use my email and I'll give you some contact info (it's not me and there's no payola either!).

 

[Shytalkz]

Yes the piling company will give the spec to the BCO but sometimes you may also need an engineer to design the pile foundations too - even more expense (but I hear some engineers do freebies ).

One and one only! Few and far between and certainly not for piled founds, the implications for PII are too great. Plus we generally like to get paid for what we do .

You have a choice: either get an SE to design and detail and then get tenders on the same basis; or go to at least three piling firms and they will include for design within their costs, but you might get three differeing proposals, making comparison difficult (unlikely on such a straightforward job, but it happens).

Whatever you do, DON'T go for a conservatory option, as they will put it on standard foundations, regardless of the site conditions and, within a few months, it will be tipping off the house.

 

[purplelad]

Thanks lads

Much appreciated, RB is only 20 miles from me and did my original footings thats why i asked them for a quote, but i will of course get 2 other quotes

Also im thinkink of reducing by 6 sqm to keep price down, after all its only a bedroom and that will now be 2.9m x 5m which will be ample for me lad

Thanks again chaps

 

[Shytalkz]

At that size, four piles should suffice. If/when you instruct a company, get them to deliver the steel tubing as soon as poss and pay them for it - otherwise, you will have to pay the next increase/s that have come through by the time they start on site. As mentioned in an earlier post the increase is 25% this month and next and it's highly likely there will be some more.

And yet inflation is still only 2-odd percent, hmmmm.