Thinking about our pricing and how we can try to compete with some of the low low prices we are being told about.

We have looked at our rates and our material costs, (our material costs are probably the lowest you can get for a small building company because we have built good relationships with our suppliers over the last few years and recieve a good discount)  So our labour rates, fair for both parties involved.  We dont hide anything and try to take more than is set out at the start of the project.  So how can there be a big difference in quoting from us to another “professional builder” you would think it should be around the same costs involved?

Not unless they use sub standard materials??   They wouldnt would they??

YES!!

People when you are getting work done, ask questions, try to catch the builders out, they can show you all there invoices, they can tell you how much each material costs, why would they not? To hide how much they take home in a week or month? Does anyone really care?  There is a lot to educate yourself out there, Below is a picture of a patio door we recently fitted in a garage coversion:

Looks like every other patio you have seen? (needs cleaned but the job wasnt finished at the time of the pic) Now if you look closer to the sticker on the inside of the glass:

K-Glass  Any building warrant project that involves glazing, needs to be K-Glass, if you dont have the sticker then you dont have it, you need to then ask why? did you say that you dont want it?  It only saves the builder about £20-£30 per glazed unit.  Even if you dont need a building warrant for your project it wouldnt do it any harm to have the K-glass.  If you plan to stay in your house for the next 10 years then youe windows without the K-glass will be well below the building code.

The other builder tale/whopper would be insulation.  The drawing says a product called “kingspan insulation board” but the builder says glass wool does the same job.  WRONG!

The kingspan is around £10-£11 per m2 where the same m2 in glass wool is £1.50-£2.00  A good saving but again not what the building warrant says.  In 10 years your underfloor insulation will be well below the building code, not to mention your heating bills.  This could all be avoided if you asked questions and tested out what your builders intentions really are. There to make a quick wage,  or is the main objective to give you and your family the best product he can and the money is an afterthought??

So next time your getting some work done by others (dont be so silly) ask questions, educate yourself on why he is cheaper or why he changes the drawing specification!!

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