He said this to us, i.e the price is the price and if something comes up unless its a a major unknown then it wont change, so the risk is his I guess.Nah not for hourly or day rate either I have that worked out for myself and if it comes in under the timescale you price for your up slightly and if it comes in over that’s your mistake as a professional. The price is the price.
unless you come across a major snag in the build. Then you have to go back and talk with the customer.
don’t see the need to put a price for every single item I’m buying that’s my business.
Builders Quotes - Is this correct
- Thread starter J4MES99
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Can’t speak for everyone mate that’s just how I do things not saying it’s right or wrong but I think itemising every single item I’m buying in say an extension is total overkill.
when you do enough of them you can work out a decent enough timescale to work to and have a rough idea of how long the guys take to do what.
I’ve been stung a few times when things run slightly over but for the most parts it works out good for everyone.
saves you going back and asking the customer for more money cauz say the joiner has took longer than you thought he would
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I've had quotes that break it down, usually in stages, such as
groundworks and foundations, clearing (skips)
brickwork and windows/external doors
roof, felted and tiled
electrics
plumbing
boarding out and plastering
This was good enough, and showed some massive variations. For instance, one builder (arrived it big flashy Range Rover) wanted £20k for the first stage, whereas the builder I went for did that in less than half the price.
I lot of builders put more of the quote into the foundations / slab stage, just in case. They might quote more of less the same overall, but it means they take most of their profit early on, and also means you're less likely to kick them off if they turn out to be cowboys, because the next quotes to finish come in at more than what you have left to pay ...
groundworks and foundations, clearing (skips)
brickwork and windows/external doors
roof, felted and tiled
electrics
plumbing
boarding out and plastering
This was good enough, and showed some massive variations. For instance, one builder (arrived it big flashy Range Rover) wanted £20k for the first stage, whereas the builder I went for did that in less than half the price.
I lot of builders put more of the quote into the foundations / slab stage, just in case. They might quote more of less the same overall, but it means they take most of their profit early on, and also means you're less likely to kick them off if they turn out to be cowboys, because the next quotes to finish come in at more than what you have left to pay ...
In my opinion, a breakdown is irrelevant. Its the spec of what the builder is going to do that is important.
Its doesn't matter how much he has allowed to fit the sanitary ware to the ensuite. The more important thing is that he specifies what work he's doing and what goods he's supplying. EG if he's supplying the sanitaryware, is it the make and model that you want? If you're supplying it, has he allowed to install it all. If either isn't clear its doesn't matter how much he's allowed.
If you want to cherry pick certain bits of the work and find someone else to the bits you think are expensive, that's different.
I paid a fixed price for our extension, and the builder wrote a detailed spec. The only variations were when we asked for more plug sockets that he'd specified and a scaffolding extension that he'd not specified that i wanted so that i could access the chimney to put a rain cap on it. Other than that, we paid the agreed price.
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That's great in the fluffy fluffy world, where everyone is nice, but it gives no protection at all for a customer.Nah not for hourly or day rate either I have that worked out for myself and if it comes in under the timescale you price for your up slightly and if it comes in over that’s your mistake as a professional. The price is the price.
unless you come across a major snag in the build. Then you have to go back and talk with the customer.
don’t see the need to put a price for every single item I’m buying that’s my business.
Once there is a change the customer needs to know how that will be priced, and not held to ransom with some random price that the builder dreams up based on how much he needs for his next holiday.
All items need to be priced. If Builder A is quoting for say a WB boiler and Builder B quoting for some Fung-Yip thing from China, or one for chrome MK switches and one for no-name of Ebay things then the customer needs to know that. Same for all significant components or processes but that does not mean down the the nth degree.
One coat of gloss or two? MDF skirtings or quality softwood? Ceramic floor tiles or self leveller? That's the gist.
TBH, you could say that about every single gypsy rover that knocks your front door. Great salesmen, very polite very assuring, but total crap when it comes to the work and worse still when it comes to paying for it.
Reviews from friends and associates? Photos of the extension when built and nice and clean - not a year after with the cracks and flaking paint and leaky roof?
Sometimes it’s all you have to go off, plus the contract, drawings and specification that has been agreed. It’s stage payments and everything will be in writing.
We are able to view past works and there wasn’t any pressure to go ahead, he also have a 5 month wait to start.
What else can you do?
aye I’ll agree with you there what yer using has to be specd.
however the best way to deal with that is leave the customers with the catalogues for flooring doors windows and slabs etc
let them pick their own.
If your waiting half a year mealy chances are he’s busy enough which is always a good sign.
Ask him if he has done any other work in the area and have a look for yourself if ye can.
nothing better than someone who has already used him
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For an extension you might be better off asking for quotes for the basic build first, then worry about finishing it later on.
i.e. finished to be ready for decorating and installing bathroom, flooring etc. but with skirting and doors, lights. Then you can compare quotes like for like, and if the builder turns out to be good at brickwork but seems less knowledgeable about bathroom fitting and kitchens, you can find somebody else to do those bits. Although having a builder's carpenter in at a day rate to put a kitchen in will always be a lot cheaper than going to a kitchen shop.
i.e. finished to be ready for decorating and installing bathroom, flooring etc. but with skirting and doors, lights. Then you can compare quotes like for like, and if the builder turns out to be good at brickwork but seems less knowledgeable about bathroom fitting and kitchens, you can find somebody else to do those bits. Although having a builder's carpenter in at a day rate to put a kitchen in will always be a lot cheaper than going to a kitchen shop.
Not a lot unfortunately. Having that gut feeling is important, and the need to get on with the builder is paramount.
As long has you've done your homework, that is all you can do.
I know of people who have done everything right, done all the checks, done the research done the whole vetting thing, had contracts, payment plans the whole lot and been left with a pile of shiite from "good builders". Conversely, people who have just selected an unknown on a whim, lowest price, no spec, a 'just get on with it' type of attitude who have got excellent jobs.
But sort out concerns before hand.
Despite what I said about what should be done, if you feel that the builder wont rip you off and itemised quotes are not that important you (or less important than booking that builder in) then that's fine. Or if you want to use that builder but want an itemised quote, just ask - and if he knows he will get the job, he will be inclined to produce one.
If you as a builder know you are out to do a good job at a fair price thats fine, keeping it simple works. But I think that a customer does need to know what they are getting and for how much - as does the builder know what he's committing to.
And as you know there are probably as many dodgy customers as there are dodgy builders!
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And many customers also just don't know what to expect too (I speak from personal experience!). I have had those "oh, you're not doing that then?" moments from my first extension. With my last (and I hope final!) extension I felt in much more control as I had a very clear understanding of what was happening.
That's it. Some are bothered, some aren't, but without clarity and itemisation the potential to be paying more or getting less is there.
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