Excavation costs - Rough estimate needed

[Tony McC]

I'm refereeing a dispute between client and contractor where the contractor has walked off the job on the grounds that the client is "an arsehole" and has submitted a bill for the excavation works they didn't quite finish but left in a right muddy mess for the homeowner.

The client is contesting the invoice amount so I've been appointed to adjudicate a fair price.

So: what would be a fair and reasonable price to excavate and cart away a 40m² driveway to a depth of 300mm?

Part of the problem is that the contractor is claiming that they were 300mm at the garage and 300mm at the threshold, just not 300mm in the centre and that is, apparently, standard practice. I must have been mistaken all these years!



Edited By Tony McC on 1382606300

[bobbi o]

JCB 3CX inc op/fuel/travel - £300
6 wheeler - 7hrs @ £40 = £280
Tipping charges - £100

Sub Total - £680.00
inc profit @ 20% - £136
Total - £816.00 + vat = £979.20

That would be a top end price,with scope to reduce depending on location,dig out material etc etc.

[ambient]

would have said £800 + vat around Manchester area
but that would have been 300mm all over

[Nigel Walker]

£900 plus VAT would be my price based on 300mm all over

[lutonlagerlout]

2 grabs a 3 tonne digger + driver and a banksman
£1000 +vat in the dirty south

LLL

[DNgroundworks]

Same as Ambient here.

[DNgroundworks]

lol @ 'on the grounds the customer is an ''arsehole'':D

[Tony McC]

More or less as I thought. Thanks everyone.

I've been seriously unimpressed by the contractor. His attitude is lousy; he's rude and abusive to the client; his story changes with each telling; and his understanding of pavement construction is appalling.

Why didn't he dig to 300mm when that was the spec he was given and what he priced? Because there's 100mm sub-base, then 100mm bed of concrete with 100mm deep granite cubes, but the cubes are embedded into the concrete to 75mm, aren't they, so that means it's only a 225mm construction depth, which means he's dug off to the correct depth. The man is a Grade A tool!

And besides, there's no retainer for the sub-base, so the whole pavement will fail, in his experience. There should be a full depth edging kerb to keep the sub-base in position, apparently. I'm learning so much from this clown!


Worryingly, he's on two of the more respected 'Approved Contractor' lists. My 4yo granddaughter knows more about pavement construction than this eejit!

[mickg]

f you can't name and shame on the forum then you could at least inform the said companies who he is an approved contractor with to make them aware of his work not being installed the correct way ?

[DNgroundworks]

It annoys me when idiots get decent projects and make a mess, its a waste of good work.

[lemoncurd1702]

Hey Tony, out of interest can you reveal what the said contractors quote/invoice was for the works.

[Tony McC]

Because the client is threatening to sue for breach of contract, I don't want to reveal anything that might prejudice the case by identifying the contractor or the project at this stage.

Mick - Apparently, there will be a complaint going to the administrators of the two 'approved' schemes to which the contractor claims membership, but I have little faith that anything will be done. After all, he's paid his subs, so why should they kick him out? (Yes, I know I have a highly sceptical and possibly controversial view of approved schemes, but then I get to hear and see so many horror stories that it's impossible for me to have any faith in any of them)

[mickg]

>>>but I have little faith that anything will be done
I cant speak for all of them but I know from reading the Marshalls newsletters that contractors are removed for various reasons all the time, always a few each edition being removed if my memory serves me correctly

[lemoncurd1702]

Agree with mickg on the Marshalls Register. Plus they are the only one who guarantee the contractors work I.E. they will carry out the repairs if the offending contractor has left the country/died/out of business or just plain refuses.

[GB_Groundworks]

job isn't it romiley is it? i priced a dig out for setts and the client went with the cheaper option