Pricing - Spons guides??

[Injured]

A see in an earlier posting you say the spons book is giving top end pricing.

Does any one else think this??

As i have been told by other trades the spons book prices are low and they struggle to make money with the prices generated by these guides.
Thanks

[Ted]

I dunno, but I am going through a litigation process with a contractor (dodgy tender) and one of my "expert witnesses" who is a MRICS-qualified quantity surveyor is using SPONS as his pricing guide.

If it gets to court, I will let everyone know how well SPONS is accepted by a UK court of law in this respect.

[matt h]

most mod contracts are spons related, but the secret is in the wording...plus costs;)

[Injured]

I take it that none of you use spons to check if your prices are roughly right?? Or do you just work out how long the job will take and times that by a day rate or do a rough meterage price??

[Rich H]

I add up the man hours and charge a fixed price based on my rate and add in materials/hire/disposal at trade + 15%. The customer pays what was quoted unless they change something. However, I do 95% residential and very rarely anything by competetive tender.

[Tony McC]

Spon's is a "guide". It gives an indication of what sort of cost the client may end-up paying. It may be different for other trades but its prices for landscaping and civil engineering are "generous" and you'd be unlikely to win work if you based your tenders on the prices stated. The prices are closer to those obtained by major contractors after they've added in their overheads and profits and corporation tax. For small traders, they need to be discounted if you want to win any work.