Groundworks quote advice - first time post.

[GrumpyBear]

Hi all,

 

First-time poster here.  Have been looking around at the various (extremely informative) posts on this forum for a little while and thought this would be a good time to start actively posting.  We have a single storey kitchen extension project that has been approved by the LA.  Our architect has produced building regs level drawings and has been working in close collaboration with a SIPs manufacturer to design an airtight shell.  The SIPs design is about to be signed off and scheduled for production.  Our foundation engineer has come back with a foundation design and spec and I’m about to get 3-5 quotes for someone to take on the groundworks up to DPC.  It might be helpful to attach the architectural plans and foundation designs here?

 

I have a few concerns at this stage which I’ll point out, but I’m sure there will be many more further down road!

 

1. Is it realistic to seek out a non-vat registered builder to take on the groundworks? Say do the labour as non-vat and purchase the materials myself? My guess is it probably isn’t since I’ve got rather precise specs with little margin for error, particularly on the concrete upstand onto which the panels will sit.

2. When the SIPs panels are due to be delivered, the groundworks need to be finished so that the panels can be installed ASAP.  Would a finish date and an LDC clause in the groundworks contract be at all helpful?  The LDC would be based on the weekly storage fee the SIPs company charges for changing the delivery date.  It’s not a huge amount, but would definitely add up with lengthy delays.

3. What’s the best place to get quotes from?  Ratedpeople?  Myjobquote?  Word of mouth recommendations? A combination of the above?
Apart from the obvious (providing plans and specs for the quote, timescales), what information should I be asking for in order to end up with like-for-like quotes?

 

Thanks in advance for the input!

 

GB
 

[Jilly]

I have discovered that the tighter you plan things, the more stressful it is to not have any slack in the system. Electrician with Covid, supply delays, builder needing a heart procedure are just a few things which have caused expensive delays which are no one's fault.

[nod]

In reality 

Most people that are doing extensions 

will ask you for cash So vat won’t come into it 

In fact most on here bringing in individual trades will be asked for cash 

 

It May be worth finding your bricklayer As most doing extensions will either do there own GW Or have someone they work with 

Better and cheaper to do this 

[MikeSharp01]

Welcome to THE forum! Don't think about clauses in contracts as any contractor who does domestic type work won't accept them - it's a scale thing. 

[tonyshouse]

Word of mouth is best procurement pathway. Forget LDC plan well and build in waiting time. 

[Gus Potter]

7 hours ago, GrumpyBear said:

Hi all,

 

First-time poster here.  Have been looking around at the various (extremely informative) posts on this forum for a little while and thought this would be a good time to start actively posting.  We have a single storey kitchen extension project that has been approved by the LA.  Our architect has produced building regs level drawings and has been working in close collaboration with a SIPs manufacturer to design an airtight shell.  The SIPs design is about to be signed off and scheduled for production.  Our foundation engineer has come back with a foundation design and spec and I’m about to get 3-5 quotes for someone to take on the groundworks up to DPC.  It might be helpful to attach the architectural plans and foundation designs here?

 

I have a few concerns at this stage which I’ll point out, but I’m sure there will be many more further down road!

 

1. Is it realistic to seek out a non-vat registered builder to take on the groundworks? Say do the labour as non-vat and purchase the materials myself? My guess is it probably isn’t since I’ve got rather precise specs with little margin for error, particularly on the concrete upstand onto which the panels will sit.

2. When the SIPs panels are due to be delivered, the groundworks need to be finished so that the panels can be installed ASAP.  Would a finish date and an LDC clause in the groundworks contract be at all helpful?  The LDC would be based on the weekly storage fee the SIPs company charges for changing the delivery date.  It’s not a huge amount, but would definitely add up with lengthy delays.

3. What’s the best place to get quotes from?  Ratedpeople?  Myjobquote?  Word of mouth recommendations? A combination of the above?
Apart from the obvious (providing plans and specs for the quote, timescales), what information should I be asking for in order to end up with like-for-like quotes?

 

Thanks in advance for the input!

 

GB
 

1/ Non vat registered. Well the current vat threshold is £85k and equates to two or three modest extensions a year for a builder if they do nothing else. Now if a builder is experienced in extensions they should be doing a few more than that. Ok if they are not vat registered then questions need to be asked... such as.. are they a limited company.. if so be very careful before you part with money up front. If not limited find out if they own their own house so in the worst case you have an asset to go after.

 

However they may be starting out on their own but do have sufficient experience so don't rule that out and take care... but generally there is no free lunch here.  Its a red flag this for the unwary. If you have to make up front payments only risk what you can afford to lose. No vat / cash = more risk for you.

 

2/ Your SIPs panels have to sit on a pretty level base and can't be altered. Watch your payment schedule to the ground worker as unless you are absolutly on top of the found setting out and levels then you are inviting a lot of grief.

 

3/ Word of mouth recommendation. Ask not least your Architect and the folk that are putting up the kit. They maybe will know who builds good bases / underbuldings and who to avoid.

 

All the best.

[Thorfun]

we have a timber frame rather than SIPS and our TF manufacturer was more than happy to delay the manufacturing of the TF to suit our groundworks delays so I'm really surprised the SIPS manufacturer is saying they'll charge you for storage if there are delays!

 

Ask them what lead time they need to manufacture the panels and then work backwards from that while adding a few extra weeks for potential issues. e.g. if they say they need 4 weeks lead time then when the Groundworker has got to a stage that they're 2 weeks away from finishing inform the SIPS company that you'll be ready in 4 weeks. yes, you may have a 2 week period where nothing is happening on site as you're waiting for the SIPS panels but that is a lot less stressful than trying to fit everything perfectly in a timeline. that was one of the first things I learnt! when I came to that realisation I started to stress less and things just flowed a lot better. remember things always take longer than you think (or are told) they will.