Order construction or renovation: crews offer their price
First choose the scale of the work
Construction and renovation cover both replacing one switch and building a house. The scale decides whom to look for: one technician, a crew, or a company that runs the whole site.
If you want to hand everything to one team, look at turnkey renovation or turnkey construction. Then the contractor is responsible for timing, buying materials and coordinating the specialists. If the job is a single, clear one, it is easier to order it separately: for example tiling, plumbing or electrical installation.
Which works go in which group
Foundation and structure: foundation and concrete work, brick and block masonry, roofing. Services: heating, ventilation and air conditioning, electrics, water supply, borewell drilling. Finishing: plastering, painting, flooring, false ceilings, tiles. Exterior: facade and insulation, fences and gates, landscaping, paving.
Separate are design and planning, demolition, welding work and installation of windows, doors and balconies. Special areas are wooden houses, modular buildings and solar plants. Each area has its own category with its own advice.
What to put in your request
A contractor won't give an honest figure without the basics. The more specific you are, the more accurate the calculation:
- type of work: what exactly needs to be done and what result you expect;
- the site: a flat, house, farmhouse or commercial premises, new build or resale;
- area and scope: sq ft or sq m, number of rooms, ceiling height, number of points;
- condition of the base: bare walls, old finish, which services already exist;
- materials: yours, from the crew, the level or brand you want;
- design or drawings: whether you have them or they need to be made;
- address and timing: city, area, when to start and finish;
- budget, if you want to name it.
How to compare quotes
The most dangerous thing is to compare totals without comparing what they contain. One crew writes “room renovation” and counts only labour, another includes rough materials, debris removal and carrying up to the floor. Ask for a breakdown by stage, so you can see what is included in the rough and the finishing stages.
Find out whether the work is guaranteed and for how long, who buys the materials, how stages are paid and what happens if the deadlines slip. Don't hand over the whole sum in advance: the usual scheme is a small advance, payment by stages and a final settlement after handover. Agree on a completion report and an inspection of hidden work before the walls and floor are closed.
Take into account the season and the order of work. Facade, roof, foundation and earthwork are best planned for the dry season, not the rainy season, while interior finishing can be done at any time. In interior renovation the order is: first demolition, then services (electrics, plumbing, wiring for air conditioning), then plastering and screed, and only then finishing and flooring. Otherwise you will have to redo things, so ask the technician in which sequence they work.
If permissions or approvals are needed, for example for changes to the layout or for construction, record who arranges them.
How BlaBlaPrice helps here
Instead of looking for crews in listings and arranging site visits for measurements, you write one request. Contractors reply in the chat: what they offer, how much it costs or what the price depends on, when they can start. The platform shows the one that is best on substance first, and reviews are visible next to each. Technicians see where they rank among the others, so they compete for your request. Your phone is hidden until you choose a contractor. Details on the page “How it works”.
