How do labour costs for extensions vary and what do I need to know?
Getting a handle on how much a home extension is going to cost, and budgeting accordingly, can be a tricky task.
There are lots of considerations to take into account, which is why Rightmove has created a new House Extension Cost calculator – to give homeowners a rough guide on what to expect from a financial perspective.
Our calculator estimates how much extensions could add to the value of a house in 103 postcodes across England and Wales.
It includes potential values for a small (15m2), medium (25m2) and large extension (35m2).
READ MORE: How much will it cost to build an extension? Use our new calculator!
But the calculator also gives some rough estimates of labour costs for the different sizes of extension based on quotes from over 1,000 builders.
Labour costs for a medium extension of 25m2 varied by more than £12,000 depending on where you live in Great Britain, with builders in Kingston upon Thames quoting an average price of £29,975 compared with the £17,972 average that labourers quoted in Birmingham.
Nationally, labour costs for a medium extension average out at £20,796.
The Rightmove data team who created the calculator advise that the final costs and potential value will depend on a number of factors including the finish of a renovation and materials chosen, the use made of the space and if the house has already hit an affordability ceiling for potential buyers in the area, and so should be taken as a very rough guide only.
Tim Bannister, Director of Data Services at Rightmove, said: “We’re often asked how much an extension might add to the value of a home and in this calculator we have given a very rough guide on this, plus average labour costs to help people with that first step.”
READ MORE: Take a look at four homes with AMAZING extensions
Martin Tucker, who has run his own architectural consultancy firm for more than 25 years and has been working in the property industry since he was 16-years-old, added: “Building an extension is a great way to add value to your property, but it’s not always straightforward. Evaluate how much equity you have in the house and don’t eat into it if you’re not confident that you’ll recoup it. In theory, higher specification extensions should add more value than basic finishes, but don’t get carried away and go over the top.”
Top ten most expensive places for labour costs (for a medium extension of 25m2):
Top ten cheapest places for labour costs (for a medium extension of 25m2):
To use our new House Extension Cost calculator, click here.
