Builder's quote - fair to ask for breakdown?

travel_freak

Hi there,

Per my other post re electrical works, I've just received a quote from a builder to carry out various different works at a flat I've recently bought.

The works consist of electrical stuff, carpentry, installing shower, some tiling and general bits and bobs.

The quote just gives a lump sum for labour. The figure seems really scary to me though this might be because I've never had works like this carried out before.

I would like to ask for some sort of breakdown of the labour element so that I can try and establish if it's a fair figure or just plucked out of the sky!

Is it fair to ask for a breakdown in these circumstances, or will all builders generally just give you this sort of lump sum labour cost? Will I cause offence if I ask? If I do ask, any tips for how to go about it?

Sorry to ask so many questions but have never been in this position before and am feeling just a bit lost!

Many thanks.

HugoSP

Ask for a breakdown by all means.

He's probably just added it all up and given you the total to give himself a bit of flexability. if one bit over runs on cost but another bit goes very well it allows him to spread unexpected costs among other bits that have gone well without difficult questions from the client.

Also bear in mind that some figures may assume he gets all the work. I've done a couple of quotes like this recently but I know that one client may only give me some of the work, hence I have priced it bearing this in mind. This gives me a potential bargaining chip if they come back and try to haggle - not that they do.

ozskin

ok to ask, might not tell you, or start to see you as difficult customer and walk, but you can ask.

HugoSP

ozskin wrote:

ok to ask, might not tell you, or start to see you as difficult customer and walk, but you can ask.

In which case then IMO he's done you a favour

roger56

Hi again! Ask him how many days he expects the work to take and divide the labour only quote by days. I'd think £150 ish per day is reasonable unless he has significant travel distances.

added:
£150 per person per day!

Ivrytwr3

i always get more than one quote from contractors, then you can compare prices (and even haggle if you feel the need!)

ellives

Definately - you are paying and it is therefore quite reasonable to ask. In fact, IMO it is critical.

Probably obvious, but get him to confirm it in writing. You are not trying to catch him out after all...just trying to get some clarity.

At my first experience with a major building job, I felt awkward asking for details prior to the job beginning. I did get a breakdown eventually, but failed to get timings included - I bl@@dy well wish i had tho' and got it in writing.

I asked him how long it would take and "5 weeks" was the reply. At week 14 I reminded him of this and he said "it will take about 5 weeks, just distributed over 18!"

I'm sure you are not as naive as I; my point is that as the customer, you shouldn't feel awkward nailing these type of details down. If it is too much bother for him, then that's a useful warning sign IMO.

travel_freak

Hi everyone

Many thanks for your replies.

Poor you Ellives!! Thanks for alerting me to the timings which I hadn't been focussing on - been too busy stressing about the quotes! I'm not so sure you were naive I think you just trusted your contractor to be upfront and honest with his time estimate which is only fair. The trouble is that once you have them started on the work I imagine it's pretty much impossible to chivvy them along as you're completely in their hands. I know there are plenty of honest, hardworking and fair contractors out there - it's just finding them!

Roger56 - thanks you're quite right. He told me he was confident he could finish all the works quoted for this week (i.e. Tuesday to Friday) so that works out to around £500 a day!! I just can't square that especially as it doesn't include ANY materials. If it is right then my New Year's resolution is to change career!

It will be interesting to see what my Part P person tomorrow says and I'll take things from there. I don't mind paying the going rate but don't like the feeling that I'm being taken for a ride and without having some sort of breakdown it's impossible to know - esp. as I've never had these types of works carried out before.

I agree with you Ellives you do feel really awkward asking and like to think you shouldn't have to but I guess I really must be naive to think that!

Regards,

Chivalry

? so he is charging you 1500 quid labour for 3 days work? he bringing a small army along to help?

travel_freak

That's just what I was wondering! I've had just a pure electrician round today and I'm waiting excitedly to see what his quote is. Interestingly he said some of the other work I'd been quoted for wasn't necessary under Part P and he would take one day, possibly 1.5 days to do everything - so I'm expecting/hoping(!!) that this quote will be far more reasonable.

I did ask the first guy for a breakdown and asked him to exclude some of the non-essential work previously quoted for and the quote "came down" by about £400 for substantially less work. Meanwhile things he'd "forgotten" to add on the first quote were added in. Incredible!!

Tom_Jones

Mmmmmmmm £500 per day, let's assume 2 guys working on your job, works out at roughly £30 per hour, very reasonable if you ask me.