Contingency for renovating a 120 m² Copenhagen warehouse

[tidy_door]

The budget looks workable only if the building fabric is sound. Moisture beneath the floors is the specific concern that makes me reluctant to rely on a simple percentage contingency.

I am testing DKK 2,128,000 for a 120 m² Copenhagen warehouse conversion. The present scope includes new kitchen and bathroom areas, finishes, electrical assessment and modest energy improvements; I am not proposing an extension. Plumbing access, concealed wiring and the order in which trades must open and reinstate surfaces could still change the cost substantially.

Which condition checks should come before contractor pricing, and what exclusions should I ask each bidder to identify? I would rather postpone decorative choices than discover halfway through that structural repairs or moisture treatment have consumed the reserve.

 

[yara.ridge]

The contingency depends less on the finishes than on what sits behind the walls and floor. Before fixing a percentage, ask contractors to list exclusions explicitly: structural repairs, electrical replacement beyond checks, opening and reinstating surfaces for plumbing, moisture remediation, permit-related changes and price changes caused by lead times.

I’d also commission condition checks before final pricing and ask for a trade-by-trade programme showing dependencies. If access is uncertain, keep those packages provisional and postpone nonessential finishes rather than pretending the current figure is firm.