Product Description

Property makeover is a common activity in the UK, as a means of improving a home and adding to its value. The market is enormous, yet few people understand the pitfalls and costs involved. From an informed and unbiased source, this guide is designed to help homeowners (and developers) by providing: practical advice on how to plan building work; major property problems - the main problems and what they will cost to fix; alterations and extensions - the issues and typical costs; planning permissions and building regulations - they key considerations in England, Wales and Scotland; and, employing a contractor or builder - important considerations and advice. Critically, do not pay early and especially, do not overpay early. Hold back a sum for retention (5 per cent) that will only be released when the work is completed to your satisfaction. Prices for more than 1300 different types of work and almost 3500 items within Defects, Alterations and Project costs: Common Defects (e.g. replace gutters); Common Alteration Works (e.g. take out and install double glazed windows); and, Total Project Costs (e.g. add a conservatory). All the prices are at UK national average and adjustable for regional location. The prices include everything necessary to carry out the works such as labour, materials and call out charges.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #310909 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-29
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 207 pages

Review
"A real weapon in the fight against cowboy builders! I'd thoroughly recommend it to anyone who is serious about home improvement or property development" Gary McCausland from Five's "How to be a Property Developer"

Customer Reviews

Just say 'no' to rogue traders
Home owners now have independent advice on how to set about getting building work done and building costs. The Property Makeover Price Guide is the work of the Building Cost Information Service of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

The book contains advice about how to budget for repairs, improvements, alterations and extension work, covering everything from inspecting blocked drains to fixing window panes, replacing chimney pots and doing a loft conversion.

It aims to give a good idea of what work should cost in a bid to protect consumers against "too good to be true" quotes and excessive charges.

The book also allows you to adjust the figures to account for a particular location. Invaluable.

Oh, and if you remember nothing else:

Don't pay for building work up front!!

Not as useful as I hoped
A book full of technicalities and building trade jargon, shamelessly unexplained for the most part. The bulk of the book is (as you'd expect) a series of prices for various jobs around the house at full rates. Some of the products suggested are out of date - eg. 'oil paint' for interior decorating - or otherwise not very 'green'.
Several of the lists just give raw figures with no guidance as to what might be suitable or appropriate in different conditions. For instance if a door is in poor decorative condition you get no guidance as to whether to - just clean, undercoat and topcoat, or - burn off old paint, apply knotting and primer, two undercoats and a finishing coat. Just prices for each and everything in between. How do you know what you need - call in a professional and take what they say - which renders the book pointless!
It left me with the feeling that it was intended to put off DIY-ers, home improvers and people seeking real advice, that one might hope to get from the RICS but obviously not at the mere price of a book. They want you to get in an expensive professional for all your needs.