Over the past nearly 20 years, delivering residential refurbishments across London, I’ve often asked myself the same question:
Why does a client sometimes choose another builder, even when they like my approach, my experience and my reputation?
In most cases, the answer is simple: price.
I often hear:
“You’re great, you’re reliable, we’ll definitely recommend you… but you’re outside our budget.”
And yet, when projects are completed and all costs are added up, the reality often looks very different.
A Low Quote Is Not Always Real Savings
When a builder prices a renovation significantly below the realistic market cost, there are usually only a few explanations.
Inexperience (The Most Common Scenario)
Important elements are often missed:
- preliminaries are not included
- technical details are overlooked
- the quotation lacks transparency
The difficulty is that clients can only judge what they can see.
Most renovations are assessed by their visible finish:
- paintwork
- tiling
- joinery
That is completely understandable.
However, the most critical parts of a renovation are often invisible:
- ventilation
- damp proofing
- structural work
- correct sequencing and build-up
A project finished two months ago may look perfect — fresh paint always does.
The real test comes years later.
That’s why, when possible, it is worth looking not only at recent projects, but also at projects that have stood the test of time.
A refurbishment completed five years ago tells you far more about a builder’s quality than one finished five weeks ago.
When corners are cut in the hidden parts of the build, problems often surface one or two years later, and fixing them is far more expensive than doing the work properly from the start.
Mistakes During the Build
An inexperienced builder may:
- make errors
- require rework
- cause disputes
- request additional payments
This often leads to stress, delays and unexpected costs.
By the time the project is completed and everything is added up, the final price is usually very similar to that of an experienced builder — or even higher.
And yet, even then, the overall finish is rarely comparable to the work of a truly experienced contractor.
It feels like paying the price of a brand-new Mercedes, but ending up with something closer to a used Ford.
The Experienced but Desperate Builder
This also happens.
In this case, the builder may intentionally underprice the project, knowing that:
- certain items will be added later
- variations will appear during construction
- extras can then be charged at higher rates
Once again, the client ends up paying the true cost of the project, and sometimes more.
The Reality of Renovation Costs in London
If a renovation is carried out properly:
- without cutting corners
- using standard market materials
- paying trades fair market rates
➡️ it cannot be dramatically cheaper.
Builders buy materials from the same suppliers and pay similar labour costs.
There are no miracles in construction.
How I Price Renovation Projects
Very often, clients come with drawings only, without a full specification.
In these cases, I:
- gather as much information as possible from the client
- prepare a detailed scope of works
- price the project honestly and transparently
- without artificial contingencies
- with clear allowances and assumptions
If genuine unknowns appear after demolition, or if the client adds work during the build, those items are priced at the same rates as the original project.
This way, the client pays exactly what the work is worth — no more, no less.
When There Is a Full Specification
This is the ideal and most correct scenario.
When all builders are pricing the same detailed specification, the figures become very easy to compare.
In such cases:
- prices usually vary by 5–10%, which is perfectly normal
- differences often come from management style, overheads, or whether the builder works hands-on
At this point, the decision becomes much healthier:
the client chooses the builder they trust the most, not simply the lowest number on paper.
Final Thought
The right builder may not be the cheapest at the start —but they are very often the cheapest in the end.
Choosing based on experience, transparency and trust usually leads to the best outcome — financially and emotionally.
Planning a Renovation in London?
Use our Project Cost Calculator to get a realistic ballpark figure before collecting quotes and avoid costly mistakes from the start.