What Are You Actually Asking Your Builder To Price?

View of a triple aspect stairwell with bespoke curved feature staircase and chandelier

We’ve seen it literally dozens of times: clients with planning permission and a set of drawings from the architect and engineer. The same information goes to three builders and in return they receive a spread of prices:

£800k
£1.1m
£1.3m

So which builder is expensive?

The answer looks obvious and so many clients fall into the trap of being drawn towards the most attractive number here, but it isn’t that simple.

Before going out to tender, we always encourage clients to create the most complete and most thorough scope of work they reasonably can for their project.

It is tedious. It takes time. It requires effort and decisions.

But, as with most things, if you don’t put the effort in at the beginning, you shouldn’t expect great results. The more developed your scope is, the greater the chance of receiving accurate pricing and, just as importantly, comparable pricing.

It is very easy to think, “I don’t know anything about building, so I’ll let the builders work it out.”

The problem is that three builders working it out independently can produce three different interpretations of the same project. As the client, you are then left trying to establish exactly what each price includes – and what it leaves out.

We have seen clients get themselves in a total mess at tender stage because of exactly this. Three prices arrive, all based on different assumptions, exclusions and allowances, and suddenly nobody really knows which way to turn.

Underdeveloped scopes leave you open to receiving very attractive prices which simply do not tell you the whole story, and we have all heard the cliché ‘miles over budget’. Whenever I hear this, I can’t help but smile. So often it isn’t ‘over budget’, it was under-priced for one reason or another.

The level of detail required in a fully developed project scope can be surprising. We can ask dozens of questions about a generic scope of work, all of which affect cost and programme. Even the simple items. Face brickwork. How do you want the mortar joint finished? Or painting. Which manufacturer? What product? What finish?

Trust me when I say I could go on (and on, and on).

This is one of the main reasons we are such strong advocates of proper pre-construction and early contractor involvement. An experienced construction-led party can work alongside the client and design team before tender, asking these questions, identifying the gaps and helping develop the information into something the market can price properly.

At Taylor Kings, this forms an important part of our pre-construction service.

We help develop and refine the scope, coordinate the required information, obtain realistic pricing from specialist subcontractors and suppliers, and review those costs with the client and wider team before construction begins.

We have a tongue-in-cheek saying when discussing this with clients: “Do you want our price to win the job, or finish the job?”

 

Jeremy

Taylor Kings

Our post-construction phase framework.

  • Deep Cleaning – We employ professional cleaners who understand the importance of the products they are using and the methods they adopt.
  • Completion inspections – We go over every inch of the project to ensure that the work meets our incredibly high expectations.
  • Submission of Certification – We submit all certification to the building inspector/s to achieve project completion.
  • Handover – We carry out a full walk-through with our clients so that they can be shown the operations of all new equipment.
  • Operations & Maintenance Manual – We assemble and present a full O&M folder with guides for any new systems and care instructions.
  • Documentation Pack – Alongside the O&M manual, we assemble a documentation pack for any work completed which includes as-built drawings, service mark-ups, specification packs and relevant certifications.
  • Contacts Directory – Beyond being the main point of contact, we also form a comprehensive list of contacts which have worked on the project.
  • 12 Month Rectification Visit – As standard on any project, we always return after 12 months to carry out any snagging.
  • Ongoing support – We are there for our existing clients, long after completion. From handyman tasks to full maintenance plans, we offer a level of service which is not offered to the wider public.

Our construction phase framework.

  • Internal Inspections – There are a host of inspections to be completed and recorded on a daily and weekly basis. From welfare facilities, tidiness and security to major safety considerations such as scaffolding – our site agents use a centralised mobile application, where we have created bespoke templates to follow and track all of the inspections.
  • External Inspection – We organise and fulfil compliance inspections from building and warranty inspectors and our third-party health and safety inspector.
  • Meetings – We hold official weekly site meetings for the project team and all parties which are affected the current or imminent programme. We also hold official progress meetings, normally on a monthly frequency, with the clients and wider project team.
  • Reviews – We constantly review and tweak all of the various pre-construction project plans and main programme, issuing any changes to the project team and client.
  • Quality Control – Anyone working on our sites knows the exceptional standards we expect, but we still remain vigilant and ensure that the standards are met in every detail.
  • Information Collation – we collate and present all building control inspections, product warranties, operating and maintenance records and start to form the post-completion documentation.

Our pre-construction framework.

  • Define the Project Scope – We sit down and evaluate the drawings, technical specifications and information schedules before setting out clear project objectives, deliverables, a breakdown of key components and a list of possible conflicts.
  • Set a Project Programme – using the agreed scope, we layout a project programme. We do this using GANTT chart software which is a tool to visualise and rationalize time scales.
  • Form a Cost Management plan – we use the costing documents and project programme to estimate financial forecasts.
  • Form a Risk Management plan – we seek to find, highlight and plan for any items which may create risk to the programme or budget.
  • Form a Health and Safety plan – this is an extension of our Construction Phase Plans and highlights our use of developed Risk and Method Statements.
  • Create a communication plan – how we inform any external parties like neighbours of work that may affect them, we look at setting on/off site meeting frequencies, expectations for the transfer of information in RFI’s (requests for information), completion of various Registers and form a centralised shared information hub.
  • Form a Procurement Plan – We assess the lead times of all proposed materials and trades and map these against the project programme to highlight any risks to the programme. 
  • Highlight Quality Concerns – we review the selected materials and specifications to assess any areas which will need careful quality control to meet our high expectations.

Our compliance commitments:

  • Qualified and competent personnel for every role, including Site Manager.
  • Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) qualified site agents.
  • Dedicated Construction Phase Plans.
  • Fully developed Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS).
  • Thorough Fire Control and Emergency Plans.
  • Detailed site inductions for all personnel and visitors.
  • Correct and clear site signage and first aid stations.
  • Regular inspections and maintenance of all plant and equipment by qualified third party inspectors (LOLER).
  • Daily inspections of plant and equipment.
  • Regular site inspection audits by a third party health & safety consultant.