Know what your project could cost — before you speak to a builder.

The homeowner problem

Building work is a big investment. Don't start with a guess.

When you're planning an extension, loft conversion, renovation or other building project, one of the hardest questions to answer is:

“How much is this actually going to cost?”

Prices can vary enormously between builders, specifications and projects.

Without a realistic starting point, it can be difficult to know:

• Whether your plans are affordable
• What budget you should set
• Whether a quote you've received is reasonable
• Where the biggest costs are likely to come from
• Whether you're comparing like-for-like

EstiM8 gives you a clearer starting point.

What EstiM8 does

Understand the cost of your project before you commit.

EstiM8 takes the information about your proposed project and breaks it down into the different elements that make up the cost.

Rather than simply saying:

“Extensions cost £X per m².”

EstiM8 considers the actual scope of the work.

Things such as:

Groundworks · Structure · Roof · Windows & doors · Plumbing · Heating · Electrical · Insulation · Plastering · Kitchens · Bathrooms · Finishes · External works

This creates a more meaningful indicative project budget.

The big homeowner benefit

Go into the building process better informed.

EstiM8 isn't there to tell you which builder to use.

And it isn't there to promise you an exact final price.

It's there to help you understand what a realistic budget might look like before you start making expensive decisions.

That means you can:

• Plan your budget

  Know roughly what level of investment your project may require.

• Assess your plans

  See whether your ideas appear realistic for the budget you have available.

• Compare builder quotes

  Use your EstiM8 budget as another reference point when quotations start coming in.

• Spot surprises

  Understand which parts of your project are likely to have the biggest impact on cost.

• Make better decisions

  Go into conversations with builders with a much clearer understanding of your project.

How it works

How the quote works — then how you use it to build.

1. 1

   Tell us about your project

   Answer a series of straightforward questions about what you're planning.

2. 2

   EstiM8 builds the scope

   Your answers are used to identify the work involved in your project.

3. 3

   The costs are calculated

   EstiM8 applies its underlying costing information to the identified work.

4. 4

   You receive your estimate

   You'll see an indicative budget and a breakdown of where the money is likely to go.

5. 5

   Use it to plan

   Take that information with you when speaking to architects, designers and builders.

It's not a builder's quote. And that's the point.

EstiM8 is designed to give you a starting point before you obtain quotations.

The final price of a building project will always depend on the design, specification, site, location, contractor and many other factors.

So EstiM8 doesn't pretend to know exactly what a builder will charge.

Instead, it helps answer the question:

“What sort of budget should I realistically be thinking about?”