Landscaping quote help

[Blackwatch]

Can someone help me out again please

I started my landcscaping businees and to start i thaught it would be small jobs , easy to quote etc but its not


I have a customer wants a quote for over £8000 worth of work but he wants a detailed quote ,

This is where i need the help

I dont know if i have to detail every slab, qty , or m2 or just mention slabs and colour /make
same as the bricks , etc

do i put in it how many ton of sand or just sand = £
how many ton of stone ?
or just put it all under aggregates ?

what do i put for the labour ?

or do i just put a big long list of items being used and total at the bottom without individualy listing prices and showing quantity ?

Thanks for your help

Tom

 

[david9108]

Well I only know from my own customers who sometimes come in with the details from their landscapers while they are planning their hot tub purchase - they tend to have a full breakdown for what costs what...not per each bag of sand but sand, slabs etc.

 

join the landscape juice forum and pose the question you will get the info you need mate http://www.landscapejuicenetwork.co...2074886:Comment:39179&x=1#2074886Comment39179
regards chris

 

[Lorro2]

You need to specify the exact materials, sizes, plants down to the last detail so there can be no dispute. For the time you need to have an hourly or daily rate for a particular task be it slabbing, excavation, blockwork, lawn preparation etc and you need to estmate how long the job will take. You need to put in an allowance for those unseen problems. Often jobs will take much longer than you think. Don't forget VAT as well.

 

[Tej]

You need to specify the exact materials, sizes, plants down to the last detail so there can be no dispute. For the time you need to have an hourly or daily rate for a particular task be it slabbing, excavation, blockwork, lawn preparation etc and you need to estmate how long the job will take. You need to put in an allowance for those unseen problems. Often jobs will take much longer than you think. Don't forget VAT as well.

LOL.. what business are you in?

Do you do a lot of quotes... and do you get any work?

 

[Beachcomber]

I tend to find a fully detailed bullet pointed schedule of works.

Lay your quote out like:

• Dig out foundations for patio
• Lay 150mm hardcore sub base and compact
• Lay and level 50mm sand / cement base
• Patio area approx 8m2 with Buff coloured riven patio slabs
• Fill and finish joints & edging

Total inc. materials & labour £XXX.XX

Seems to work for me.

 

[Tej]

I tend to find a fully detailed bullet pointed schedule of works.

Lay your quote out like:

• Dig out foundations for patio
• Lay 150mm hardcore sub base and compact
• Lay and level 50mm sand / cement base
• Patio area approx 8m2 with Buff coloured riven patio slabs
• Fill and finish joints & edging

Total inc. materials & labour £XXX.XX

Seems to work for me.

We always add to any estimate

Estimate incl Labour, materials, and disposal of spoil.. £ xxx plus VAT
Leave site clean and tidy

We don't do quotes.. only estimates


Works for us too

 

[OldWelshGuy]

The point made above is HUGE.

a qiote is a legally binding fixed price. And Estimate isn't. If someothing comes up and you have quoted(not estimated), then you are up the swanee.

 

[Beachcomber]

The point made above is HUGE.

a qiote is a legally binding fixed price. And Estimate isn't. If someothing comes up and you have quoted(not estimated), then you are up the swanee.

Yup - on 99% of jobs I give a fixed price quote. Customer like the fact that they know exactly how much the job will cost before going ahead.

Sometimes you take a bit of a hit - sometimes you get supplies cheaper / takes less time and you make a bit more, it evens out well.

On the jobs where there is a chance of finding unexpected horrors then I revert to the estimate and explain to the customer the reasons why I can't offer a fixed price.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

I know this might be a dumb question, but have you asked the client how detailed an estimate they want? They might just be looking for genralities such as sand, cement, slabs, piping etc.

They might then offer to buy the materials themselves, or try to dispute the qty's etc

 

[Stephen Berry]

In our previous house we had a garden job of a few 'k' - I've tried to find the original quote but it was probably thrown in the house move.

However, from memory - it was more detailed than Bechcomber and Tej mentioned (but not the intimate detail Lorro suggests).
It was broken down into sections so that, if we so chose, we could do it in several tranches.

If I recall correctly it was about 3 pages long - main patio details 1/3 page (listing material, size, and as Tej says, including material removal), details for 2 other smaller patios another 1/3 page, brickwork about 1/4, new plants about 1/2 page, lawn prep + laying maybe 1/4 page etc etc etc.
Old Welsh guy makes sense - ask 'how detailed?'

and ... as a customer I'd only accept a fixed price not an estimate. Plus, if there are part payments along the way (as we had) I'd tie them to specific points of physical progress in the project, not merely to timescale (otherwise they could have an incentive not to work as fast as I would like).

 

[Carpetman]

In my upholstery and flooring business i supply a lot of quotations. My Customers like to know that the price quoted is the price they pay unless of course thay add extras that are not on the quote. If I am dubious about a certain part of a job - for example I'm not sure what the subfloor will be like when i lift an old floor covering then i quote for supllying and fitting the new flooring only and advise that any additional work will be an additional cost - The vast majority of my customers are happy with that.

To answer the original question, my quotes are fairly detailed, i make sure my customer knows what is costing what. On an upholstery job for example, i will have a price for the fabric, a price for any foam/cushions, an overall price for sundry materials which covers staples, wadding linings etc but is not broken down, and of course my price for labour. Quoting in reasonable detail justifies the quotation to the customer and saves you having to do that verbally, if you just lump it all in one price. Of course customers being customers will still want you to justify your labour charge because after all £20 per hour plus VAT is a very good hourly rate is it not (sarcasm ! ) we must be raking in the cash !!

i'm sure you get what i mean though

cheers

Ray

 

[Blackwatch]

Thanks for your help everyone

Some helped and others didnt but that was only for this occasion

im sure i can use the advise on future occasions

im still not sure what to put on the quote or estimate

can someone send me an example

i dont want to lose business through a bad quote due to lack of experience

Thanks In advance

Tom

 

[willitbe]

Thanks for your help everyone

Some helped and others didnt but that was only for this occasion

im sure i can use the advise on future occasions

im still not sure what to put on the quote or estimate

can someone send me an example

i dont want to lose business through a bad quote due to lack of experience

Thanks In advance

Tom

Is this your Business or the Forum's?

If you can't quote a job sufficiently, then may I suggest a different career path?.
His desire for a detailed quote is probably more to do with him finding out if you are going to be competent in what you do than anything else.

He is seeking confidence and a detailed quote will give him an insight into your working methods and ability.

 

[Tej]

Is this your Business or the Forum's?

If you can't quote a job sufficiently, then may I suggest a different career path?.
His desire for a detailed quote is probably more to do with him finding out if you are going to be competent in what you do than anything else.

He is seeking confidence and a detailed quote will give him an insight into your working methods and ability.

I agree .

I think the OP is better off sticking to the small jobs as per the opening post.... obviously ain't capable of the "big" jobs as he seems clueless about even putting together an estimate/quote.. despite all the help given in this thread .. IMO

 

[Stephen Berry]

Wilitbe and Tej, I think you are being a bit harsh.
We're all good at some things and not at others. Probably in Blackwatch's case the landscaping side (i.e. the product) is a strength and he's seeking advice for the area of non-competence. This is not uncommon and surely is one of the purposes of the forum?

key areas to get right in a business - product, people, finance, strategy, technology, processes, marketing. Hopefully we've helped a little in the 'processes' area.

and ... watch out ... the Black Watch can be terrifying - "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit"

 

[Tej]

Wilitbe and Tej, I think you are being a bit harsh.

Why is that?

Just being honest.. if you care to read and digest his posts!!... he has had a lot of good advice IMO.. no?

So.. which part of Serengeti would you suggest would be the best strategy for him? .. as a matter of interest.

 

[Beachcomber]

There is an alternative which I have used and found to be very useful.

If I get an enquiry for a job that is a bit too big or specialised for me to handle I don't pass up on the opportunity but sub-contract.

I have built up a good network of local tradesmen from Gas Safe registered heating engineers to electricians to builders etc.

If I am asked to quote for, say a new central heating system I call my heating engineer, go with him to the site, meet the customer and get all the details you need. You then let them know you will send a quote thorough asap.

You then get the price from the heating engineer with you doing the labour on the job for a low rate. You then send the quote through with your business details on the header.

This way you get to quote for the job, you get to put a bit of business someones way, you get a few days labour rate work (better than not getting the job) and more importantly you get to shadow someone from who you can learn new skills, tips and methods.

If you do this for the patio job then you will see the processes involved, materials used, techniques etc, etc. Then, when a similar job comes along you will have a better idea of what is involved and be more confident in quoting / planning etc.

The key here is to make sure you never EVER take on a job you are not 100% confident you can do to a high standard. If in doubt - sub it out!

 

[Stephen Berry]

So.. which part of Serengeti would you suggest would be the best strategy for him? .. as a matter of interest.

he would benefit from reading the 'strategies of the rhino' chapter

 

[Blackwatch]

Right

I will explain it a little better

Its a brand new businees and i am getting quote/estimate requests

this particular customer wants a detailed request as he is recieving government funding

i have priced everything up , i know how much of each product i will use including labour and plant hire costs so yes i am competent and have worked in this business for many years just not for myself

I just dont want to break it all down and put it on paper as the customer will obviously think they can get an item or items cheaper and maybee they can but doing a quote or an estimate i dont have time to ring round all day pricing , i ring a couple of suppliers and price the job using the cheapest

Hence my call for help

Thanks to those who helped