This is a great thread and there are some very informative posts
One thing I would like to ask is, if the builder is managing the project then how much more work is going to be going on in the property whilst you are on site?
I have been working in a property recently that has thrown up challenges involving working alongside other tradespeople who have no respect for what it is you are doing and certainly don't treat your cable with the care that you know it needs. This could create a massive headache when it comes to IR testing.
Silly little things like not being able to get into rooms due to other works will certainly keep you mentally tested. Probably best to keep a log of exactly what you have done or more importantly, what you were unable to do.
Is the property going to be lived in or is the owner vacating the premises whilst the work is carried out? You could end up finding that the amount of items that need moving could add up to days as opposed to hours in labour.
I wish you good luck in your bid and hope you walk away with a nice little sum in your pocket too
1shortcircuit
Good points - and exactly why you need to make sure you agree the work to be done up front, in detail. You need to have the customer sign a contract/agreement, that outlines your terms for all these eventualities.
There's a procedure we follow for every job we do, from I don't know, an extra socket outlet, to a national multi-site fit out programme.
From initial enquiry, we do a specification, or scope of work (essentially a site visit or from plans), to identify exactly what it is the customer wants or needs.
We then submit this to the customer for approval and signature of agreement. With that goes out standard t&Cs, plus a list of what we DON'T do in that scope - e.g. making good, redecoration, redesign, specialist access (unless priced for because we knew we would definitely need it), work outside of normal hours, waiting, and so on.
We also make it clear that we're happy to price for any or all of these things too, and will vary the quote in writing to that effect if requested. We then amend the specification so that everybody remains dead clear on what's to be done.
Together with this comes a one page quotation, which includes the general terms of business - the price, when we expect to deliver, what we include (bill of quantities), how we expect to be paid, what we do for delays, non-supply of materials (whether they supply or we do, different rules, but covered), and so on.
Customer will then send us back our signed request to work form, with his Purchase Order (we only work commercials). At this point, we have explicit written agreement to a clearly defined work project, and everyone knows where we stand in respect of pretty well any eventuality.
When, as often happens, a variation comes up - either because during install we find we can't do something a particular way because of one reason or another (our design excepting), or because of the customer wanting extra, we revise the specification with an insert to account the additional work, and quote it up front, get the signature, and the PO, and get the work done.
On final completion, we hand over an "as fitted" specification - which show the job as it completed. I've yet to see a project over and above the simplest of add-on jobs have an as fitted spec look the same as the initial quoted spec.
Sure, it's a lot of paperwork, and for a lot of jobs we use shortform versions of what we do to minimise this, but, on the whole that extra paperwork has paid off when it comes to satisfaction on the customer's part, and getting us paid. There are, like everyone, a couple of exceptions to that rule, but ironially, the major job we've had issues getting paid on, was one that was agreed and compelted outside the scope of our (now) mandatory paperwork process.
It's worth spending the time in the detail, and building up templates to cover these kind of things.