Quotation preparation for interior designing and decoration

A quotation is a fixed price for ajob. Before asking a builder to start work, ask for a firm quotation with a breakdown of the costs based on all the points you have discussed; provide a revised specification if necessary. There may be grey areas in the quotation, for example estimated costs for sub-contractors such as plumbers or electricians; you can try to get these firmed up before the job begins or you must be prepared to accept the charges. Make sure that all rubble and debris are to be removed and the site left clean and tidy.
If • Working Contract Set out your requirements and know exactly what a builder intends to supply. This provides the basis of a workable contract between the parties concerned. you require any making good and decoration, make sure that these are included in the costs. You also need to agree in advance how you will pay for the job. A small job can be paid for on or soon after completion. But where ajob is going to last for several weeks or months, and involves the purchase of a large amount of materials, it is reasonable for the builder to ask for interim payments to cover delivered materials and completed work; never pay for anything in advance. You can arrange to hold back 5 to 10 per cent of the costs on completion for a specified amount of time until you are sure that there is no faulty workmanship, but you must agree this with the contractor before the work starts. Finding a contractor Approach several contractors, personally recommended if possible. Ensure they have good references and ask to see examples of their work. ~
Dealing with the unexpected One can never guarantee, especially with a large project, that there will not be any unforeseen problems as the work progresses. If something unexpected has to be dealt with in the course of the work, ask for an estimate before agreeing to do the work. The same applies if you change your mind during the job or you ask for extra work to be done. For large jobs, it is a good idea to ask the builder to provide a schedule list; if an architect is overseeing the job, he or she will draw one up and ask the builder to fill it in. It sets out the stages of work such as building a blockwork wall, installing new wiring, plastering, fitting a sink, ete. As well as his own work, the builder is responsible for the quality of workmanship provided by any specialists he needs to employ.
If you have any concerns over the work supplied by a sub-contractor, discuss these with the builder rather than the person concerned. To avoid confusion, a sub-contractor should be directed by one person only-the person who employed him. If you are hiring individual specialists yourself to help with specific jobs as and when you need them, brief these as carefully and precisely as you would a general builder, and also ask for estimates or quotations for the work. Again, personal recommendation is the best thing to go by and inspecting examples of their work will convince you of their ability.