Anyone know a reliable Roman craftsman to do some quotes?

So....looking at doing some public works to improve my beloved two provinces, fill them with lots of lovely buildings, public facilities and generally make them delightful places to live in.

So in the rules (and unlike the "Glory" game) there isn't a set price for things like public baths, market places, forums etc. I understand why (as they are part of the game rules for players glory score) but has anyone worked out rough prices for what it costs to (for example) build public baths in a "normal" Roman city? I guess I just want to avoid paying too little, suffer the humiliation of being publicly called out for delivering a sub-standard product, and then having to pay more to get them up to standard

Jason2 wrote:So....looking at doing some public works to improve my beloved two provinces, fill them with lots of lovely buildings, public facilities and generally make them delightful places to live in.

So in the rules (and unlike the "Glory" game) there isn't a set price for things like public baths, market places, forums etc.  I understand why (as they are part of the game rules for players glory score) but has anyone worked out rough prices for what it costs to (for example) build public baths in a "normal" Roman city?  I guess I just want to avoid paying too little, suffer the humiliation of being publicly called out for delivering a sub-standard product, and then having to pay more to get them up to standard

Have you ever considered the option of asking Watts, Agema and Bogitt Building Contractors for a quotation? Before giving the order to build something?

Cheap option if you command a Legion is to use "free" military man power to build power things like city walls, ports, roads, bridges and the water supply. This was all standard work for the Legions and keeps the blighters out of the taverns talking politics. Also if you use military engineers your new bridge may not be as pretty as one put up by Watts, Agema and Boggitt but its probably less likely to fall in a river. Though the Legions and the guilds might get a bit funny if you start using military manpower for clearly civilian projects or in the city of Rome itself (Note any building in Rome seems to cost 4 or 5 times more than elsewhere probably due to land costs).

Alternatively if you want to use civilian labour I work on basis that average Roman day wage was 1 denerii a day. On top of labour costs add on 100 to 300% for raw materials.

Page 25 & 26 of the rules gives some costs using various types of manpower for New Towns, Ports and Lighthouses. Which should give you some clue about other costs. So if building a great temple like say the Parthanon in Athens you probably need to spend as much as the Lighthouse in Alaxandria (1m denerii using free labour, 600,000 if you have slaves) but much smaller temples and shrines can be built for a fraction of the cost.

On top of these costs comes the "bling" I tend to spend 5,000 or 10,000 denerii per statute. Have spent somewhere between 100,000 to 400,000 per Temple......OK not exactly the Parthanon or the Great Temples of Egypt. But my cities are a lot smaller so do not really need something of that size.

They just need something tasteful and loveable just like their Patron - Trajan.

Stuart Bailey wrote:

Jason2 wrote:So....looking at doing some public works to improve my beloved two provinces, fill them with lots of lovely buildings, public facilities and generally make them delightful places to live in.

So in the rules (and unlike the "Glory" game) there isn't a set price for things like public baths, market places, forums etc.  I understand why (as they are part of the game rules for players glory score) but has anyone worked out rough prices for what it costs to (for example) build public baths in a "normal" Roman city?  I guess I just want to avoid paying too little, suffer the humiliation of being publicly called out for delivering a sub-standard product, and then having to pay more to get them up to standard

Have you ever considered the option of asking Watts, Agema and Bogitt Building Contractors for a quotation?  Before giving the order to build something?

I think if I ask W, A & B for a quote, I'd be met by much sucking in of teeth and the phrase "it's going to cost you" and be given a quote that exactly matches what's in my treasury

Jason2 wrote:

Stuart Bailey wrote:

Jason2 wrote:So....looking at doing some public works to improve my beloved two provinces, fill them with lots of lovely buildings, public facilities and generally make them delightful places to live in.

So in the rules (and unlike the "Glory" game) there isn't a set price for things like public baths, market places, forums etc.  I understand why (as they are part of the game rules for players glory score) but has anyone worked out rough prices for what it costs to (for example) build public baths in a "normal" Roman city?  I guess I just want to avoid paying too little, suffer the humiliation of being publicly called out for delivering a sub-standard product, and then having to pay more to get them up to standard

Have you ever considered the option of asking Watts, Agema and Bogitt Building Contractors for a quotation?  Before giving the order to build something?

I think if I ask W, A & B for a quote, I'd be met by much sucking in of teeth and the phrase "it's going to cost you" and be given a quote that exactly matches what's in my treasury

Fairly sure this is the Rome Builders Guild and Watts, Agema and Boggitt infamous relations trading under their name! And only emptying your Rome account is fairly mild they normally charge you more than the account holds and then take legal action or send the bully boys round to collect the outstanding. Plus the standard of some of the building work has quite frankly been terrible.

In contrast I have found Iberian builders and the Legion Engineering Units based in the south to be honest, hard working and first rate chaps. Unlike some of our horse dealers who if they got any sharper would probably cut themselves.

As a Roman Magistrate probably best to just make a donation (which in theory should cause lots of others to follow your glorious lead) towards a towns new Temple, Baths etc and leave the actual plans and building to lesser beings who hopefully know how to hold a slide rule. Perhaps you could get a bit more involved in the selection of a nice statue(s) for your new Temple or Bridge etc.

Other point you might like to consider is are you trying to increase your general standing - in which case build on the coast where cities like Terraco (which had a huge amptheatre) were part of the general Med culture and people are going to see it. Or are you trying to impress the Tribes of the north west and convince them to go easy on the checks and spiked hair and that Chariots are for racing rather than anything else.

Have read theory that a lot of the Roman Aqueducts in Spain and Gaul were actually too large and over engineered for the fairly small towns they were surposed to be supplying water too and who could have been supplied just as well by digging some wells. With suggestion that the Aqueducts were just a huge message in stone to the tribes about the might of Rome.

Its pretty clear that by the first century AD the east coast and the south of Iberia like the South of Gaul had got the message and had been fully engaged with playing the game by the proper rules for a long time. Its less clear how far this has got in the north and how tribal some of these areas remained. Rather think a Tribal Chief trying to impress his people and a Roman Magistrate trying to impress his friends, family and voters could easily be one and the same person.

I’m sorry that I don’t have a definitive answer. I have previously asked for a price. And got one.

Also I started clearing a silted up I river to restart trade …. But having paid and ordered the works I had to add some legionary engineers and 3 months delay. Once completed … I ordered trade…. [FAILURE] . I needed to add a port at 3M denarii….. Didn’t continue with that!

I’ve ordered new markets and other improvements and refurbed bridges etc….

I would tentatively suggest you undertake several smaller projects rather than one big one. And dont spend more than say 15% of your available cash. The you can finesse any issues next turn?