How detailed should builders quote be?

[Rhica]

Can I ask how detailed your quotes are from your builders? We are happy with the payment schedule set up and the quote seems to include everything we require but it is not really itemised- just says £5k for kitchen, £800 for electrics and £800 for plumbing.nothing else is specified. Just the total. Should I ask for more detail?

did you provide a detailed specification of the work you require, which the quotation tells you the price of?

Is your specification in writing, on record, and do you and the builder have it?

We haven't started yet or signed anything. The quote is quite detailed in that it states it includes kitchen, laminate flooring, skirting, doors, windows, painted finish, plastering, foundations, steels etc. Everything we requested and I can't see anything that it's missed.

Its just it doesn't give breakdown of cost for each thing. Just gives plumbing budget, electrics budgets, kitchen budget and total cost. Should I push for something more or do you think this is sufficient?

Payment schedule is at set times, so first payment after foundations, second payment after damp proofing, 3rd payment after wall etc so I'm happy with that part of things.

Yes it's in PDF in email so both of us have a copy. Thanks for your help

if he is asking 5k to fit the kitchen, shocking
800 for electrics??? what areas?? what does it include?
If just the kitchen area, shocking.
plumbing for what? again areas and what work is being done.
It is rather blind.
you do need to know what he is pricing for or he may come back for more is if things take longer than he wanted and neither of you know what is being paid for

"The quote is quite detailed in that it states it includes kitchen, laminate flooring, skirting, doors, windows,"

Do you mean it includes make, range, sizes, positions, colour? Or did you specify that when you laid down the requirements?

If neither of you has specified it, the builder can perform to contract by putting in the cheapest possible range, and not many units, socket outlets etc. When you ask for more, and better, the price will increase very profitably.

We had building works last year. We thought the quote was very detailed (they were done using our architects plans). They did include # of light switches, outlets, lights etc. New boiler (and type), details of moving pipes, water, gas etc for new kitchen (kitchen we planned and bought separately). Yet we still had a few thousand in extras - things we didn’t feel should be considered extras (ie, they removed things, didn’t save them and then charged for replacements - charged hundreds for item replaced). So advise getting very detailed quotes.

We also had building works (extension) very many years ago in another house. Attaching plans helped save me thousands when a less detailed quote was used. Builder installed the wrong doors and windows as in the entire house had Georgian bar, we asked for Georgian bar in the extension but he forgot and installed plain glass. Plans showed Georgian bar, he replaced and we were not charged as “extra”.

Rubbish taken away for example? It sounds a lot to me unless you are having a total redesign

Is the total £6,600?

That is not a lot (for a building project) and wouldn’t be broken down very far but I can see it would be useful to have it broken down further. Ask them to do so, for the reasons AdoretheBeach gives. You need to know exactly what is included.

If it is a full strip and kitchen refit then I think you should have at least 15% contingency on top of this - just in case.

Thanks for your help. Sounds like I need (alot!) more detail like I suspected. We are having extension and some internal remodelling total cost of nearly £50k. The £5k is just what he had budgeted to purchase the kitchen units. Alliances weren't included in the budget. I asked about number of sockets etc and he said that would be included in the electrical budget. The problem is a lot of the details we are undecided on so I wonder if thats why he has left it as kind of ball park figures?

He bases his quotes on low spec so we can than choose the areas we want to spend more on.

So do you suggest I require breakdown for every little thing then?
Eg 3 doors = £x
3 velux windows =£y
6 light switches = £z
Etc

Monty27 I think it included 4 skips in the quote. Although that doesn't sound much to me? This is how clueless I am 😩🙈

Just be prepared to pay or wait for a detailed quote - it can take quite a while to pull together lists for every plug etc.

Ah guess that makes sense. Our planning permission has been delayed so guess won't hurt to wait a little longer for the breakdown 😟. Do the detailed quotes vary significantly from the initial quotes does anyone know?

You should decide what you want and then get the quote, otherwise you are at the mercy of whether it is priced in or prices as an extra.