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I am in the process of getting our technical drawings completed by my architect - these will then be sent out to timber frame companies to tender for. I will be project managing and sourcing trades myself. Appreciate that each timber frame company is slightly unique, and some may consider elements as 'standard' whereas others may consider elements as 'extra'. Therefore, I'm looking for a 'belt and braces' tender document or spreadsheet which I can send out to all the timber frame companies (for them to fill out against), so that we can accurately compare quotes like-for-like between the TF companies to make sure all elements are included and quoted for, thus avoiding surprise additional costs as much as possible during the build. I was hoping that with the vast amount of significantly more experienced individuals on here, that someone would have produced a thorough document/spreadsheet which they used to successfully tender against TF companies. If so, would it be out of the question to share it with me? Much appreciated.

I’m close to starting my first major renovation and I’m feeling more and more clueless the further down the path I go towards starting the build. I have planning permission, building regulations approval is imminent and I am starting to think about who will build the house. Currently I have a 220sqM bungalow that will increase to 500sqM on two floors when built. My plan is to phase the build, the first phase being a weathertight shell built by a main contractor to a fixed price funded from cash I have access to. From there I intend to project manage the second phase myself (doing a fair amount of the work myself) using individual trades on a time and materials basis to finish the build over a 6-12 month period funded from my monthly salary. The bungalow isn’t currently habitable. I’m a bit of detail person and intend on specifying the requirements in fairly fine detail. For example, if I think about the doors I know exactly which hinges and door furniture will be used. Another example is that I expect to use a particular style of MK light switch, plug socket etc so I will be specifying the materials to be used in quite some detail and not leaving this kind of choice up to the contractor. I’ve used an architect to draw up the plans and get planning permission. But, he is insistent I go to tender (using him to oversee the process) because of the size and (in his words) the complexity of the build. There’s a fair amount of open plan space for the living room and kitchen with the first floor held up by what seems like a lot of steel as well as a cantilever bedroom/balcony. In the architect’s mind the tender process will find us a builder who is able to handle this but he wants to part me with £4000 for the pleasure of executing the tender process. Whilst I don’t have any building PM experience I’m a long in the tooth IT programme director and have a fair amount of sizeable IT project delivery experience so I feel confident that I can deliver phase 2 myself– surely some of my skills and experience will be transferable! Incidentally, my architect has consistently tried to discourage me from phasing the approach and is quite insistent I abandon my choice of phasing the build. It would be great to know what the forum thinks about how I should take this forward, my approach to phasing the build and how I should get from my current position to a place where I have a builder appointed. Am I in denial and just plain ignorant of the risk the architect seems to be calling out? Would you take a different approach to tendering the contract other than using the current architect? I do have a trusted acquaintance who is a QS who will complete the bill of materials and schedule of works. Cheers.

Well, whatever size they end up, my eyes are going to water. That much is certain. Here's the thing: our SE has given us a comprehensively specified pile design. More than good enough as the basis for a tender. And slowly, the piling companies are coming round to visit the site, and then submit their tenders. But each company has specified piles of differing specifications; In terms of diameter ; one company suggests 220 mm, the next some 150 mm, and the rest 168 mm Is it simply a case of the bigger the diameter of the pile, the shallower the 'drive' is likely to be?