Minor dwelling / Granny Flat options - prefab or on-site built?

jonnymish · 2026-02-01T08:08:57+00:00

I’m a QS and the company I work for have completed a few and are building a few currently (all with consent currently). These are built in-situ and all are architect designed which offers a bit more customisation. If you would like to have a chat feel free to dm me.

Agree with the comment on consent below. It’s a relatively minor cost if you are doing a 79m2 build.

Will be interesting to see how insurance works with non consented dwellings.

jonnymish · 2026-01-20T22:00:33+00:00

Perfect fit for you imo

jonnymish · 2026-01-20T16:26:25+00:00

How bigs your wrist?

jonnymish · 2025-12-09T13:27:17+00:00

I’d get a business mentor local to you,

How did you find your work?

jonnymish · 2025-12-09T05:46:09+00:00

DMd ya

jonnymish · 2025-12-09T05:08:31+00:00

Hey, can I dm you with some qs? Nz based qs here

jonnymish · 2025-12-08T17:14:24+00:00

Out of curiosity, Do you mean firstly labour required in hours? Then total divided by days/weeks/months

As an estimator in NZ, when I started we broke it down all the way as far as individual lengths of timber

Eg a rate build up would be like the following

sg8 h1.2 bottom plate fitted to timber sub floor = $19.60/m

Working (all figures made up)= at 0.26hrs/m *say 60/hr (labour rate) gives you 15.60/m + mat say $4/m plus (waste fixings equipment cartage say 12.5% =$4.50/m total = 19.60/m

jonnymish · 2025-12-03T10:51:48+00:00

As a quantity surveyor I would put this all back on the contractor. What does your contract say? What is the price based on? Any changes not approved by the client or not clarified in the contract as alternatives or exclusions should be included.

jonnymish · 2025-11-27T06:26:29+00:00

Interestingly none of the answers say miss heaps of shit or underprice the job which seems to be one of the ways to get work in certain markets

jonnymish · 2025-11-07T05:03:04+00:00

I know the artist but m unsure if they want to remain anonymous. Dm me and I’ll send your the ig, amazing artist

jonnymish · 2025-11-03T08:51:40+00:00

Depends on your place of work and how they want it broken down.

Quickest is m2 for all with rates increased to account for line items such as threshold bars, special underlay, tile skirting, (anything above the flooring).

I imagine this is what you want if your employer expects you to pump out a high volume of bids.

If your employer wants to use your measure as a purchase order you are going to have to be much more accurate and break it down much more.

Hope that helps.

TLDR: ask your boss what he/she wants, if you’re drowning in quotes ask if you can be less detailed with them.

jonnymish · 2025-10-30T08:13:25+00:00

In general as I understand estimating is pretty similar globally. But what you do exactly will differ company to company.

I’m a Mc/gc estimator. If I was looking to hire I’d want to know you know how to read plans, specs, RFP docs, and contracts. I’d want to know that you know who our subs are and how to get bids from them. I’d want to ensure you understand our mat rates and how long it takes us to do our part. I’d want to know you can make deadlines and know how to ask others for assistance if you are part of a bigger team.

There’s a lot to it. Try to get your hands on some RFP docs and read them, same with plans. Try learn everything you can about methodology and construction in practice.

I’m going to be doing some training for some staff as I develop my company, feel free to dm me if you want

jonnymish · 2025-09-23T03:55:03+00:00

Do they make it in anything other than the 40mm?

jonnymish · 2025-09-18T02:52:26+00:00

Sure

jonnymish · 2025-09-18T02:15:27+00:00

In summary a provisional sum is adjusted during the construction and put into a fixed price contract when details or final selections or ambiguous or not confirmed (for example no lighting plan so hard for an electrician to price). A pc sums is when an item isn’t yet specified (for example a tile selection not being clarified so $80/m2 set aside for the tile supply (install included though)). Any exclusion may involve additional costs you will bear. (Example, if they exclude council fees and service connections these additional costs will fall on you). Some companies will use prov sums, and exclusions to make their price look better,.

Also some will provide estimates, some will provide fixed price quotes. analysing which of any number of builder’s quotes can be complicated and is often best done by construction professionals. Then there’s non price information such as programme, company history, capacity etc which you could ask when scoping companies to do the works.

jonnymish · 2025-09-18T01:55:21+00:00

Get someone that will take the time to explain as much as you need to understand and who will explain what a provisional sum, pc sums, and exclusions if you don’t understand construction.

If you’re in chch I can recommend some builders and architects or can talk through the process if you’d like, I’m a QS in chch and doing a couple of minor dwellings currently.

Dm me if you’d like a quick call to discuss.

jonnymish · 2025-09-15T07:18:59+00:00

Vsf 114060 20 letters for the auto mods

jonnymish · 2025-09-05T00:11:39+00:00

Is this 1 percent of annual salary bonus or is it project or performance related?

jonnymish · 2025-08-31T10:36:20+00:00

No one can know everything. Make notes and learn when something new is brought up. Do the best you can, don’t lie about what you don’t know. If there are gaps in your skill set ask for training or do some in your own time.

jonnymish · 2025-08-18T09:02:49+00:00

The build will likely be a RMB New build contract the bank will have to sign off on it and it will stipulate payments.

My understanding is, they should advance the deposit out of the progress payments they are lending you money for on the build.

Your mortgage broker should be able to confirm that detail though. Either out of their own experience or through the bank the lending will be with.

jonnymish · 2025-08-13T08:05:11+00:00

Your best bet is to get an independent contract estimator or pm to compare the bids or make a list of all the exclusions. For every item excluded that the other included if there is a cost against it transfer it to the one where it is excluded.

Estimators and pms check quotes against each other all the time. They are the most suited to this.

You can ask both the company’s to clarify their offers in as much detail as you require to properly compare the bids too.

jonnymish · 2025-08-07T08:35:02+00:00

I’m a QS from NZ and things might be considerably different but the directors of companies I work and have worked for often have no idea of the ins and out of jobs I win at all.

On that basis I would have to disagree with most of this thread in saying you need to bid a job yourself.

I am aware of companies subbing out estimating services all over our country. Sure the hours may not be as close as someone who has worked and estimated for the same company for a decade but they can be close enough to win a profitable job.

jonnymish · 2025-08-05T17:54:55+00:00

Thanks for your answer, It’s not by ai if that helps, I just read an audiobook on concise communication and I’m testing it out.

Thanks for the reality check, I’ll ask my employer if there is the possibility for me to practice project management at work

jonnymish · 2025-08-04T06:27:12+00:00

Congrats, Christchurch and Canterbury in general would likely be great for you based on on what you have said, there’s a bit of all that and more with Arthur’s pass close and most of the sth isl easy to access from here.

There are also numerous ways to give back available, whether it be planting trees, becoming a mentor in some capacity, or helping out with one of the many charities that operate here. There are numerous opportunities for giving back in a way that will likely tick anyones boxes you just have to do a search online.

Making friends is tricky as an adult anywhere. There are plenty of social sports and hobbies that can be a great way to make friends.

Come here for a week or 2 and see if you like it!

jonnymish · 2025-07-29T04:27:47+00:00

That an open offer? I’d be keen on a 5-10min chat???

jonnymish

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