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Mccallum contracts

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Offers services in EAST LOTHIAN
We are a small sized family run enterprise covering edinburgh , stirling . And surrounding areas - stonemasonry - tim...
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Jan Building Contractor

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Offers services in EAST LOTHIAN
Jan Building Contractor Ltd offers a complete property renovation and refurbishment service. We often play the role of a m...
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K&D joinery

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Offers services in EAST LOTHIAN
We’re just a small building firm with just 10 men We cover all areas from Glasgow. Edinburgh. Perth. Dundee Fife. Stirl...
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Premier Garage Conversions

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Offers services in EAST LOTHIAN
Thinking of converting your garage to something better? Choose Premier Garage Conversions! When it comes to garage conver...
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Hutchison garden services

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Offers services in EAST LOTHIAN
Landscaping business Fencing decking turf driveways paving
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Quality plastering

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Offers services in EAST LOTHIAN
We are a small building maintenance company... Who believe in quality and delivering the customer exactly what they want...

Recent Builder Enquiries

12 Nov

House Extensions

Haddington - EH41

Enquiry from: Graeme M

Start Date: Immediate

customer in the haddington area made an enquiry a couple of projects including house extension.call anytime and arrange an appointment to discuss. below is some details about this project: are you the...

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28 Oct

House Extensions

Haddington - EH41

Enquiry from: Graeme M

Start Date: Immediate

customer in the haddington area made an enquiry a couple of projects including house extension.call anytime and arrange an appointment to discuss. below is some details about this project: are you the...

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23 Oct

Insulation | External Wall

Longniddry - EH32

Enquiry from: Jackie N

Start Date: Immediate

Have the plastic roof insulated and boarded up as it’s so cold in the winter & too hot in the summer

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05 Dec

Building work | Demolition

Haddington - EH41

Enquiry from: Lindsay D

Start Date: Immediate

Removal & disposal of 28mtr Chimney Stack. Circular in shape, Of a mild steel construction

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24 Nov

Conversion | Loft

Dirleton - EH31

Enquiry from: Kate M

Start Date: Immediate

Looking for quotes for a loft conversion (turnkey). It's already floored.

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06 Jun

Insulation | Cavity Wall

Tranent - EH34

Enquiry from: Tina K

Start Date: Immediate

I have cavity walls on two sides of my midterraced house and require a quote. Please don't phone as I cannot answer at work. Please email.

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14 Feb

Insulation | External Wall

Longniddry - EH32

Enquiry from: Derek O

Start Date: Immediate

Price to insulate conservatory roof currently plastic, Hot in summer freezing in winter

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01 Nov

Driveway Repair

Tranent - EH33

Enquiry from: John B

Start Date: 3+ months

repair or replacement driveway. i am the landlord so all cost will be borne by me. are you the property owner: owner of the property property type: detached what level of service do you require: repa...

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28 Sep

Insulation | Cavity Wall

Haddington - EH41

Enquiry from: Rob M

Start Date: Immediate

Quote for cavity wall ins on semidetached house in east lothian

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22 Mar

Building Work | Porch

Dunbar - EH42

Enquiry from: John B

Start Date: Immediate

A new enclosed porch plus four new windows.

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26 Feb

Building Work | Porch

Dunbar - EH42

Enquiry from: Alex C

Start Date: Immediate

Call any time. New build or replacement: New build Quote requested on a porch, in PVCu, to be supplied and fitted.

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15 Jan

Conversion | Garage

Dunbar - EH42

Enquiry from: Rebecca J

Start Date: Immediate

hi we’re looking at getting a garage conversion made into a playroom/spare room & storage, we have a single attatched garage with electricity, we would like a window where the garage door is and the...

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06 Dec

Insulation | Loft / Roof

Kingston - EH39

Enquiry from: BARBARA F

Start Date: Immediate

loft insulation using earthwool by knauf. the area is about 50 to 60 square metres. the installer should be green deal approved. are you the property owner: owner of the property property type: detac...

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22 Oct

Insulation | Cavity Wall

Tranent - EH33

Enquiry from: Ian P

Start Date: Immediate

Cavity wall insulation on my semi detached home

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20 Sep

House Extensions | Single Storey

Longniddry - EH32

Enquiry from: Craig H

Start Date: Immediate

mr requested quotes for single storey house extension from a builder around longniddry. they are considering a couple of projects at the moment.call anytime to arrange appointment to discuss. the info...

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20 Sep

House Extensions

Longniddry - EH32

Enquiry from: Craig H

Start Date: Immediate

i am looking for a double bedroom en-suite extension to my mother’s bungalow total budget £20,000 are you the property owner: owner of the property property type: semi detached looking for: single ...

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03 Sep

Bedroom | Fitted Wardrobe

Tranent - EH34

Enquiry from: Carmel M

Start Date: Immediate

Fitted Wardrobes in one bedroom

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28 Aug

Building work | Sound Proofing

Dunbar - EH42

Enquiry from: FIONA C

Start Date: Immediate

I NEED A MANDRIN HAT FITTED TO MY CHIMNEY AS ADVISED BY A HEATING ENGINEER WHO SERVICED THE BOILER

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23 Aug

House Extensions

Dirleton - EH31

Enquiry from: Chris D

Start Date: Immediate

Simple 4x5m single story extension, under permitted development.

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19 Aug

Building work | Sound Proofing

Dunbar - EH42

Enquiry from: Mel S

Start Date: Immediate

Estimate for a cleaner to clean toilets and canteen units at Toreness power station on a daily basis - daily and hourly rates

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How much do Builder services cost?

How much do Builders cost? Prices for Builders in 2025 can fluctuate relying on the sort of work that you need to have carried out in your residence.

Are you planning to erect a new house or structure? If yes, then you’d probably want to know just how much it’ll take to get the project over the line to help you set a budget and start to plan. Building a new house is requires huge financial investment and as a result, there’s the need to carry out your due diligence before you proceed. In this post, we’re going to give you an insight into the prices charged by builders to erect a new home or structure.

First and foremost, like every other home project, the price charged by builders to construct a new house or structure depends on a wide range of factors. These factors include the size, location, accessibility as well as qualifications of the builders you wish to employ just to mention a few. For instance, you’d expect the cost of building two-storey in London to be a lot more expensive than the price of a one-story building in Scotland. However, we’ll try our best to give you an idea of the price range you can expect to incur to complete your project.
In general, a builder will charge within the range of £10 to about £15 per hour on the average. For small building projects which includes wall and foundations repairs, a builder will typically charge about £11 per hour. However, the price charge will depend on the extent of the job due to the fact that simple tasks such as repointing only costs about £10 per hour, while laying new foundations can cost up to £15 per hour.

The table shows the types of work that Builders typically do and the average cost range of these tasks. Some tasks take longer to finish than others so prices do fluctuate by job.

View our Builder cost guide View our Builder advice

The average price
of a Builder in East Lothian is:

£23,840

Builder job Builder cost in 2025
Garage conversion in East Lothian £4,500-£6,900
Loft conversion in East Lothian £18,750-£28,750
House extensions in East Lothian £42,000-£68,000
Loft insulation in East Lothian £450-£690
Upvc or wood porch in East Lothian £2,625-£4,025
Barn conversions in East Lothian £112,500-£172,500
Basement renovation in East Lothian £30,000-£46,000
Bedroom fitting in East Lothian £1,500-£2,300
Bricklayers in East Lothian £300-£460
Cavity wall insulation in East Lothian £400-£820
Commercial new builds in East Lothian £105,000-£161,000
Conservatory base in East Lothian £675-£1,035
Building maintenance in East Lothian £2,250-£3,450
Building insurance works in East Lothian £2,250-£3,450
Pebble dashed walls in East Lothian £2,000-£9,200
Plasterboard dry lining in East Lothian £638-£978
Residential new builds in East Lothian £105,000-£161,000
Restoration and refurbishment in East Lothian £37,500-£57,500
Roof insulation in East Lothian £7,500-£11,500
Underpinning in East Lothian £2,250-£3,450
Wall cladding in East Lothian £1,125-£1,725
Wall rendering in East Lothian £3,750-£5,750
Demolition in East Lothian £2,440-£3,660
Roof room in East Lothian £15,000-£23,000
Shop refurbishment in East Lothian £3,750-£5,750
Single storey house extension in East Lothian £23,200-£34,800
Soundproofing in East Lothian £900-£1,380
Driveway repair in East Lothian £1,520-£2,280
Garden room in East Lothian £6,400-£9,600
External wall insulation in East Lothian £6,000-£15,000

Related Builder searches in East Lothian

Builder FAQs

how long does a loft conversion take?

If you’re about to carry out a loft conversion project, you’d probably be wondering how long it’ll take to complete the task. Well, you’re not alone! This is one of the most common questions when it comes to loft conversion projects, however, providing a set timeframe for completion of such projects is impossible as all loft conversions vary. There are different factors that can determine the duration of your project. These factors include, the materials to be used, the type of the proposed loft conversion, the kind of staircase you’ll like to have installed, the number of windows included, the number of rooms to be added as well as a number of other influencing factors. As a result of these variables, the milestones and timings provided are only to be taken as guidelines. If you’d really like to have a set date, you can get in touch with a professional for help.

Generally, it’ll take up to 8 weeks to complete a loft conversion project.

✓ The first week activities will include putting up scaffolding, receiving the first materials for the build and creating an opening in the roof to gain access to the loft space.

✓ In the second week, the structure of the roof will be ammended and more support added.

✓ Third week, the floor joists will be fitted, building of the loft conversion will start, completion of the external roof works and commencement of plumbing and electric works.

✓ Fourth week, complete the building, construct the loft floor, fit the roof windows, insulation, ventilation and internal stud walls.

✓ Fifth week, apply plaster and plasterboard to the room walls, create a staircase opening and fit the new staircase.

✓ Sixth week, plaster the staircase area, complete plumbing and electrical works, hang the doors, fit skirting, handrails and bannisters and start decoration.

✓ Seventh week, complete the decoration and clean and wipe out all wastes.

✓ Eight week, complete all the remaining tasks.

Can a mortgage include renovation costs?

In a nutshell, a mortgage loan is for the acquisition of an asset, so lenders won’t tend to give you anything else in a mortgage that is going to cover your home renovation costs. When you are applying for your mortgage, your provider will examine the price of your new household. For example, if you’re planning to buy a property for £200,000, but you need another £50,000 to help improve it, you’ll find that your lender might turn you down.

Essentially, with any mortgage loans that you take out on your possessions, the bank or creditor theoretically owns your home till you’ve entirely paid off your loan, which is why it is very unlikely that you will get extra funds from them. There are some mortgage providers who will be willing to add on some building costs, but it is entirely up to you whether to choose it or not.

With most mortgages, banks and other lenders will usually give you a maximum of 95% of what you purchased your property for. That means, that even if you contemplate the household has the probability to be valued at so much more, you’ll have to find an alternative way of paying for the developments you have in attention. So, if the accumulation of extra funds on to your mortgage loan is out of the question, you’ll need to find additional ways of paying for the home developments.

It is well and good if you have the cash saved up, or else, you can explore other payment options which your bank or lender may be able to help you with. There are several methods by which you can collect the cost to pay for the improvements, from personal loans to credit cards or even overdrafts, there are tons of ways to lending money. Keep in mind these are all forms of debt so keep an eye out for the interest rates when you are repaying.

Are barn conversions a good investment?

A barn conversion can be a great investment for lots of reasons. When done well, barn conversions can be great at holding their value, meaning you could sell yours for a great price. They can also look fantastic, often with period features coupled with large areas of glazing. This can make them a great place to live, especially if you enjoy being in the countryside.

However, barn conversions do have their disadvantages. They may require extensive renovation work to bring their energy efficiency levels up to standard, which can be very expensive. It’s also important to be aware of their location – they might be on a working farm or close to several other converted buildings.

It’s essential to get a survey conducted before you buy a barn you plan to convert. This can tell you about any structural problems it might have and give you an indication of whether you might be able to get permission to convert it. You can also buy barns with planning permission already in place.

do i need planning permission for a kitchen extension?

If you’re planning to construct a kitchen extension on your property, one of the first things that comes to mind is whether or not you’ll require a planning permission before you proceed. Generally, kitchen extensions are normally classified as permitted development which allows you to carry out your project without any interruptions from the law or your local authority. In other words, if your extension is meets up with the guidelines of the permitted development rights, you won’t have to apply for a planning permission. However if otherwise, you’ll have to apply for a planning permission to your local council and may require additional reports. And regardless of your position, you’ll always need building regulations approval before you can carry out any kitchen extension project. It may also be required that you’ll have to issue a part wall notice if you’re to build on or close to the boundary with a neighbour.

If you don’t want to go through the hassle and stress involved in applying for a planning permission with your local council, then you must ensure the following:

✓ Your kitchen extension must not be over half of the area of land around your main house.

✓ The kitchen extension must not be side elevation onto a highway or forward of the principal elevation.

✓ The extension must not be taller than the highest part of the roof.

✓ The height of your kitchen extension must not go beyond four metres.

✓ Kitchen extension that’s more than one storey must not go exceed the rear wall of the main house by more than three metres.

✓ Two storey kitchen extensions must not be closer to rear boundary by anything less than seven metres.

✓ The kitchen extension must not include balconies, verandas or any raised platforms.

How good is external wall insulation?

External Wall Insulation (EWI) is the act of insulating a home by fitting insulation to the exterior parts of the building which in turn improves thermal performance, cuts energy consumption ( savings on energy bill) and also adds to the home’s visual appeal. The systems are built in multiple layers, with the insulation board offering a plethora of options with each being suitable to varying projects and their needs. Installing an external wall insulation comes with a variety of benefits, let’s have a look!

• Thermal Performance Improvement

With EWI, the thermal inertia of the walls are greatly enhanced while also restricting the loss of heat. Ultimately, this lowers heating costs, enhances the comfort of indoor thermal and also reduces CO2 pollution.

• Eliminates Noise Pollution

When the noise levels are high, it can have a bad impact on our overall well being. A great way to reduce the disturbances from the outside like traffic noise is by fitting an External Wall Installation system.

• More Comfortable Living Space

Do you know the damp in homes can contribute to respiratory problems? A properly insulated home will greatly limit the impact of condensation by combating the damp issues. As a result, you can always expect your house to be cosy and comfy irrespective of the season. A cooler summer and warmer spring is guaranteed with EWI.

• Enhances The Property’s Visual Appeal

Looking for an excuse to rejuvenate your home’s aesthetic appeal? Well, you can as well try out adding an EWI system. There are a plethora of unique colours and styles you can pick from to beautify your home effortlessly.

• Adds Value To Property

An insulated home will generally cost more than an uninsulated one at the time of resale. Potential home buyers are more interested in the acquisition of a home with an EWI system due to its various benefits - and a higher demand can only imply a higher price!

What qualifications should a builder have?

Some individuals who have been in the construction department for many years may not be qualified, that is, they may not have undergone an apprenticeship and/or trade certificate courses, but they might still be very skilled at their work. However, anybody can pick up a sledgehammer and demand themselves a builder lacking any skills or training. The wise thing would be to ask the builder coming to your house about what qualifications they have and what training they have undergone.

Licensing of building practitioners

You can now check if your builder or tradesperson is a licensed building practitioner by using an electronic public register which has a record of every registered builder. Being licensed provides you with an assurance that the builder who is about to do your work has proven his shill to the government and earned his right to be a practitioner. If you wish for certain important building and design work on your home it is imperative that you hire a licensed practitioner, the act is very common when you compare the scenario with when you have to call a plumber or an electrician regarding any work.

In order to become a builder in the UK, you must complete an apprenticeship or an NVQ. NVQ is another popular route to becoming a builder. You can also get your NVQ even when you are working as an apprentice. You can also make it based on any recognised overseas qualification.

All associates maintain a Code of Practice and Conduct which sets the standards for all stages of the building procedure. The Code requires builders to:

• Submit quotes on projects for which they have time.

• Securing the contract with a sufficient insurance cover.

• Maintain honesty and integrity at all times.

• Obey the law and industry standards of conduct.

All members of the construction association must also follow a code of conduct. As a consumer, if you think your builder has breached the Code of Conduct or the Code of Ethics, you can file a written against him or her.

how deep do footings need to be for a porch?

No matter how big or small a building is, it can only be as good as it’s foundation - and that’s a fact! It all starts from the footing and when it isn’t deep enough, unlike badly installed gutters or gapped hardwood flooring, can make the whole building collapse to the ground. Just like any code recommendations, the depth of the footings of your porch is a parameter that must be complied with and adjusted to suit your local code requirements.

As a rule of thumb, you should always dig below the frost line when excavating your footings. At this depth level, the moisture present in the soil will be frozen. Ultimately, this will help the ground to act as a barrier to insulate the soil below the footing from freezing during the cold months. As a result, in regions where the weather is almost always very cold the depth of your footings is expected to be at least 48 inches. But in areas featuring a warm climate, you may be allowed to install your footings on grade.

In addition, it’s compulsory that your footings must be installed at a minimum depth of 12 inches below unsettled soil. However, if you’re constructing the structure into a steep hill’s side or by the side of a retaining wall, it’s required that you maintain the least distance to grade both vertically and laterally. In the event whereby you need to achieve a good lateral barrier, you’ll need to have your foundation dug a lot deeper compared to if it’s on a flat surface. For a more accurate and updated information, you can consult your local building inspection department to get familiar with the requirements in your area.

How to put up plasterboard?

How To Put Up Plasterboard

Putting up a plasterboard is a vital process when it comes to home renovations. However as daunting as it may seem, with a good guide and regular practice you can master the skill within a small period of time. If you lack proper training and experience, we’d recommend you hire a seasoned professional plasterer for help so as to get the best result and also avoid additional costs due to possible damages.

Putting up plasterboard is way quicker than wet plastering and also significantly reduces the drying time that can slow down your renovation plans. With a plasterboard, you can delve straight into the decorating stage and achieve a smooth finish. Below are the steps required to put up a plasterboard.

• The first step is cutting the plasterboard to shape which be one of the most challenging parts of the process. This is because you’ll need to fit the board around things such as plug sockets and window sills. As a result, this involves cutting complex shapes rather than just a simple straight line. To get this done, simply mark out the cut required with the use of a tape measure, combination square and spirit level for a better precision. Once done, you can then use a plasterboard pad saw to cut along the marked spots.

• After you made the required cuts, the next step is putting up the plasterboard. And depending on where the boards are going to be put, this could be a very challenging task. If you’re going to put the boards on the ceiling or somewhere very high up, you’d probably need an extra pair of hands for help. To get this done, use the appropriate screws to secure the boards in place if you’re installing them directly on studs. However, if you’d be fixing them onto bricks or blocks, a drywall adhesive is your best bet.

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