Also, “no structural extension” does not necessarily mean no structural work. Removing finishes can reveal damaged framing or masonry, and changing the kitchen layout might affect openings or loading. Ask the surveyor to identify both existing distress and any proposed work that could touch structure.
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Gut check on ₩138.1m renovation budget for a 60 m² country home in Seoul
- Thread starter theo_cedar
- Start date
Useful survey questions: Which areas were inaccessible? What needs further investigation? Which defects are active versus historic? What could worsen during demolition? Which findings require another specialist? A report is much more useful when its limitations and recommended next steps are explicit.
I’d turn all of this into a short pre-construction package: measured plan, room-by-room scope, photographs, opening-up findings, service routes where known, finish allowances and an exclusions sheet. Then ask bidders to price the same information. Otherwise quote comparisons will be misleading.
When comparing bids, normalise them rather than jumping to the lowest total. Put each contractor’s number beside the same work item and flag blanks, allowances and exclusions. One price may include making good after electrical work while another assumes a separate finishing trade.
Yes, and ask for the sequence behind each bid. A contractor who has included everything but scheduled waterproofing, service testing or drying poorly may create more risk than a slightly higher bidder with a coherent programme.
There is a danger of spending too much time and money investigating a relatively small house. Some conditions cannot be known until demolition regardless. I’d identify the few areas capable of causing major redesign, inspect those, and retain enough contingency for the rest rather than opening everything.
That’s fair, but targeted investigation is the key distinction. Nobody needs every wall opened. Plumbing junctions, visible moisture locations, suspect structural changes and the main electrical distribution area are more informative than random openings. The aim is to test costly assumptions, not eliminate all uncertainty.
Add a cash-flow schedule to the budget. Contingency may be sufficient overall but unavailable when deposits, demolition discoveries and material orders overlap. Tie payments to clearly described completed work, and set a written process for pricing and approving variations before they proceed.
Before signing, I’d hold one meeting using the drawings and scope to walk through every room in construction order. Record who supplies each item, what must be decided by when, and what remains excluded. That should expose most sequencing gaps while the ₩138,100,000 budget is still adjustable.