New estimate

[chrish_1977]

Hi there, I dont post often but in need a bit of help, had a customer ask me to give him a price to first fix only his new extension (big enough to fit my whole house in it too).

This is not the problem, he is a quantity surveyor and has given a nice set of plans, he is asking me to give him a price for labour only for a loads of points, new kitchen sockets outside lights etc etc.

This is the bit I am having difficulty with, is that he has asked me to also make a list of parts he needs to get, and wants to second fix it himself and above all wants a price to certify the installation (new and old). The existing fuseboard is a lovely metal clad wylex rewirable with MCB retro fits.

He wants the upper floor of the extension lighting to be carried from the existing house, so an alteration to the old and not a new circuit, also he has asked for sockets in the rear garden (not a problem I hear you all cry), the garden is approx 250 foot long and he has already laid a 2.5 2 core armoured in the ground, I dont know if it has been laid to the correct depth, where the cable runs etc etc.

So your thoughts gentlemen please

Confused as always

Chris Hughes

 

[Mark_Burgess]

Charge him full price, as he wants you to sign off, you would have to supervise his second fixing!

Other than that walk away from, the guy seems like a plonker that will give nothing but grief all the way through.

And already laid the 2.5 armoured, sounds like you will have not chance of him digging it up.

 

[chrish_1977]

When i mentioned about volt drop and that he may not have laid the right cable as i would have do do a few calculations, he said that it works when he uses his 2 extensions that it works and what he has laid will be fine?!?!? WTF. guess me doing my time was a waste i should just ask this guy as he seem to know it all.

I would love to walk away but its the father of a friend of mine (cant say any more than that though, but worth not walking away if you know what I mean).

Just want to get my wordings right when I email him the costing as I will have to double check everything he has done etc etc etc.

 

[Knobhead]

If the rest of it’s going to be like the garden sockets tell him you can’t sign it off. It will be your neck on the line.

Friendship is one thing, professional reputation is another. Ask him if he would guarantee someone else’s work?

 

[chrish_1977]

Oh yeah I will not be signing it off if I am only doing the first fix, just had a look at the plans and I think he is in a little dream world, with what he wants and what should happen

 

[Mark_Burgess]

Oh yeah I will not be signing it off if I am only doing the first fix, the problem with that is if some other fool signs it off, they could spread bad word that YOU laid the 2.5mm armour just had a look at the plans and I think he is in a little dream world, with what he wants and what should happen

Just price yourself out of the job.

 

[richy3333]

I agree with Mark - price yourself out of the job, so your not saying no, they can then make the decision to walk away.

 

[chrish_1977]

Have priced it up, 136 items various bits and bobs, coming out at £2500. Dont think he will be taking that one

 

[Dunc]

The customer sounds like a bit of a burk. If it were me I would walk away as it sounds like trouble or convince him that you should do first and second fix. No way would i sign off someone else's second fix without checking every single terminal which would take as long as it would to do the whole job myself.

 

[telectrix]

as above comments, but up your quote to £3500 if you've not already sent it.

 

[telectrix]

and the term " quantity surveyor" immediately rings alarm bells ( jobsworth knows it all, knows nowt). he'll be on your back like a leech.

 

[chrish_1977]

Thanks guys, no I haven't sent it yet, wanted to see him in person and
Explain to him what will happen and that he will be hard pressed to get any
Decent spark to sign off someone else's work let alone Joe public, and yes I have a feeling he will be all over me thinking he knows all about what we do

A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing

 

[SW1970]

If you do any work for this chap, make sure you've got your contract terms in place with him and he understand what you will and won't be doing.

 

[chrish_1977]

Just wanted to let you all know, handed the estimate to the customer today (total £3264), apparently he was looking at more £1000 and it only taking a week (because thats how long it takes on site to do the houses) after trying to explain that he is wanting 136 items and last time I checked an average house had about 50 ish.

I then told him about the certification and he didnt like that, nor did he like me quoting the EAWR due the height of the fuseboard that is already installed (approx 12 up on the garage wall, he resets the breakers with a walking stick?!?!?!). He then told me that it is not covered by the EAWR as it is existing. Damn i thought i was the spark and he was the quantity surveyor

So what do you all think

Chris

 

[Octopus]

If its an existing house the height of the CU OK.

As for the potential customer, from what you've said, there are a number of warning signs so I'd not be chasing the business.

As for the customer laying the SWA, IMHO that's OK as long as you state on the cert that you connected a cable already installed.

 

[baldelectrician]

Lucky escape

 

[chrish_1977]

Nah, I just threw in the c/u height to see what he would say, even though its existing i can refuse to work on it EAWR etc. But as baldelectrician said lucky escape I think.