Builder adding “Preliminaries” of £10k to quote

[TerritorialPissings]

Hi there, just wondering if anyone could please tell me if it’s normal for builders to add in a set of miscellaneous costs to a quote? Whilst it contains essentials like skip hire, there is also:

£1980 for small plant & tools
£530 for temporary supplies
£275 for insurance
£275 for health & safety

We are not doing any major structural work, such as an extension (we’re knocking a non-supporting wall down, redesigning a sun room & adding a porch).

I’m worried I’m being a cheapskate, but if he charges every client £275 arbitrarily for insurance for example, then that just doesn’t seem right. As for temporary supplies, I’d rather they were added up as and when required.

Any insights would be very useful.

I haven't looked at the items in detail, but the builders doing our extension certainly charged separately for things like these.

I suppose this stuff needs to be paid for somehow, and if you're happy with the total cost then having it itemised separately is better for you.

If they had just included it with the itemised costs of brickwork, windows or whatever, then in the event of any increases in quantities you'd end up paying more for prelims too.