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Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:16 am
by mickavalon
I've been busy lately totting up quotes, took 2 days off the tools to do them. Does anyone else get a bit edgy about presenting, especially big prices, i.e £20K plus?
I've just finished one in particular, it's a complete new Garden, after a major 2 storey development that's left the Garden non existant. Total area is about 140m2, but it need a 25x.75 long boundary wall to the back, and 2 .400 high walls to the front(6.5&5.4) all in 9", Imperial Bricks, with Re-Claimed copings, 42m2 of clay Vintage Pavers for the driveway, 65m2 of Tumbled Sandstone Paving to the side and rear, 19 Bays of 6'x6' continental fencing, on slotted posts and grav bds, 26m of artificial lawn with aluminium edging, 15 m2 of planting, a Tree, plus associated Top soil/composts(10m3). the Garden has to be terraced because it's a corner plot into a hill so approx 2mts height difference from front to back, all in approx 20m3 of hard core to bring in and build up, plus lighting and all the usual.
I've costed it at about £25 k plus Vat, so £30k, but even though I did discuss rough estimated costs, I'm still stressed about meeting them tonight. Crap ain't I.
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:33 am
by London Stone Paving
I know what you mean Mick, but you've got to see it the other way round. If you get the job you are going to be doing a lot of work for your 25K + VAT and if you hit a few snags along the way your margin could get eaten into very quickly.
I have lost some serious money on big jobs over the years to the point that I couldn't give a monkeys about putting in the price. The price is the price, thats it.
Make the quote as detailed and professional looking as possibble and remember that you aint ripping anyone off.
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 9:43 am
by haggistini
I agree Steve gone are the days of worrying about cost it is what it is unless your backs against the wall....I gotta see a job today which is artificial lawn what's the spec and guide price???
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:03 pm
by lutonlagerlout
I know what you are saying mick, some jobs we do I think why are they spending this money doing this?
but the price is the price,if its fairly priced you should be happy to give it to them
LLL 
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:41 pm
by London Stone Paving
When I was best man at my mates wedding I was absolutely crapping myself about the speech. A load of people gave me all this different advice which was no use at all. Then in the bar just before the speech one of my best mates gave me a cracking bit of advice: "stick your chest out and blag it" Obviously you wont be blagging anything Mick, but hopefully principle is the same.
Let us know how you get on
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:45 pm
by DNgroundworks
just out of interest folks, how do you do it...post the quote and give them a call a week later to see whats happening or go round and see them with the quote in hand?
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:56 pm
by London Stone Paving
When I was doing it I always insisted on delivering the quote myself. I never ever won a job through posting a quote. If people asked me to post the quote then I knew I would not get the job. If someone is serious about getting the job done they will want to see you in person. That was before the days of email so not sure what happens now so much
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 6:28 pm
by DNgroundworks
i hear you, but if your looking at and pricing say 3 jobs a week, youd have to go and look at it, come home, then go back, then come home lol thats could add up in my case anyway to another 1000 miles a month!
I usually post or email and thats what the customer usually wants....
If they are serious about having it done a well written quote and references is what they want whether its delivered or posted im not sure whether it matters.
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 6:48 pm
by Dave_L
Big isn't beautiful.
We can make better returns on the smaller jobs rather than the bigger stuff. Plus more risk re:payments and developing extras as the job progresses.
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:16 pm
by local patios and driveway
I used to worry about all my prices but at the end of the day you add it all up and the price is the price.
Would you do it for 1000 less mate? Lol,
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:44 pm
by lutonlagerlout
i agree with dave l
on a 7 grand porch we might make 1500 quid in 2 weeks
on a 150k extension the profit is more like 12 % over 4-5 months
plus people tend to overspend and go skint on bigger jobs
a company i use for abestos removal went bust recently,another company owed them a large amount of money and they too went bust
[
they started in 1978 and the guvnor who is now 65 and skint after working for 34 years building up a company employing 30 blokes with 20 vehicles etc. all because 1 creditor defaulted on a big debt and the bank called in their overdraft by emptying the firms savings account of 100k
go figure
LLL 
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 9:39 pm
by mickavalon
Just got back, went fine, but they have asked for a few amendments, and a few less pounds, but I've got me foot in the door up to me chin i reckon.
Sorted a start date, and they love the Design, so out with the calculator and a large amount of coffee, should be done for the morning.
I agree about really big prices, but I enjoy large projects as much as the smaller jobs, just have to be more organised and straight in with the cost of any extras. I always get them to agree, in writing, beforehand, a payment schedule, so far so good.
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 9:57 pm
by DNgroundworks
Nice one Mick
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:30 pm
by lutonlagerlout
things i always add as possible unforseens are "subject to local authority approval" also asbestos removal and remedial work on previous electrical installations and gas work,none of which you know about till you start a job
on the current job we came across some brown asbestos ,14 day notification period etc etc,plus a lot of money to dispose of safely
you can still see the saw marks where some poor sod in the 60's sawed it with a hand saw
LLL
Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:02 pm
by Pablo
I don't have time to hand deliver every quote so they get emailed or posted only the design proposals get more attention then everyone gets a follow up 7 days later. I agree with Tony and Dave the big jobs don't usually give the same return as the small ones. My best paying jobs are the 5 day driveways of between 80 and 120m we go in blitz them and are away again with usually £1500 profit to show for it you can't put that sort of money on the big stuff it'll be to expensive. My dad used to say turnover is vanity profit is sanity the big ones are good for the ego and the small ones good for the wallet.
