My first grown-up big boy job

[Riley]

A guy who I have done quite a lot of work for is due to buy a block of seven or eight flats in the New Year all of these flats will require complete gutting and re-plumbingwith brand-new heating systems and domestic water systems.

I like doing stuff for this guy because, ok he doesn't always use the most expensive appliances/ sanitaryware but he always does things properly and if money needs to be spent he will always dip into his pocket. I have never had to cost a project this big before and all I know so far is that it will be a Combi boiler in each flat (he won't scrimp on the quality of the boiler) and a new bathroom suite for each bathroom. Probably 4 or 5 rads in each, and all relevant first/second fix work

Whilst nothing is set in stone yet The guy is just trying to get an idea of costs and is bouncing around a figure of about £75,000 to do the lot.

I know it's finger in the wind sort of stuff without seeing the job but would this sounds a reasonable budget for such a large project. He has said he fully anticipates unexpected costs but I just wanted to run this past you experienced bunch that may have done such large projects before.

Cheers as ever

 

[thompsonbrown]

Is that price materials as well?

 

[stani]

Can't believe I read that as
My first grown up big blow job.
I thought you lucky man.lol

 

[gassafe]

That's roughly 9.5k per flat... For a small heating system & cheap bathroom??

Maybe 2 weeks work in each flat? Is there access for the heating system, I imagined they would be concrete floor & not floorboards like a regular house?

 

[Riley]

Sorry should've said the £75,000 is only for the plumbing side of things he has a team of carpenters plasterers electricians etc to do the rest

 

[Riley]

That's roughly 9.5k per flat... For a small heating system & cheap bathroom??

Maybe 2 weeks work in each flat? Is there access for the heating system, I imagined they would be concrete floor & not floorboards like a regular house?

I am only going on his say so here but it is an older property and he seems to think it's all floorboards

 

[gassafe]

You only have to do this one big job & have the rest of the year off

 

[newcastle phill]

Be very careful with your terms of combat.
A friend got done for over 100k.
He ran/owned a plastering business up here. Did work for developer on a setup like that and never got paid.
Ended up in court

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

get as much as you can in writing, even the nicest guys can turn nasty.

 

[Rickster123]

You could pay me to do them and just drop by with the occasional costa and a sandwich!

 

[thompsonbrown]

I am only going on his say so here but it is an older property and he seems to think it's all floorboards

Sounds like a good price but its all down to bathroom fixtures and fittings I probably would be pricing to make around £30000 and probably allow around 20 weeks.

 

[Ray Stafford]

get as much as you can in writing, even the nicest guys can turn nasty.

Deffo terms in writing, weekly draws for materials on site, regular stage payments on labour.

It may be worth trying the old trick of inflating your price on first fix and discounting the 2nd fix, so if things do go **** up half way through, you are ahead of the game.

 

[plumben]

9.3k per flat for C/H and a bathroom and kitchen plumbing i'd guess thats not a bad budjet but i'd imagine you'd be running a new cold main to every flat and possibly new soil stacks?
so could go either way really

 

[Riley]

Oh absolutely agree with all of you re terms. No brainer for me. he is a decent guy and I've done jobs over 20k for him before without problem but totally agree with you. It's fairer for all parties.

 

[Riley]

9.3k per flat for C/H and a bathroom and kitchen plumbing i'd guess thats not a bad budjet but i'd imagine you'd be running a new cold main to every flat and possibly new soil stacks?
so could go either way really

I raised those issues with him immediately and he said that these could be covered no problem as an additional cost if need be

 

[Riley]

Cheers all looks like I'm not a million miles off the target so I'll go and quote properly

 

[plumben]

dont forget to allow in your pricing the call backs, and add it into your contract like for the first year you'll rectify problems FOC and then after that parts only or labour only so of deal

 

[thompsonbrown]

You could always take some of the financial risks away by asking him to supply bathroom suits.

 

[Riley]

Generally the process we worked on is I order the materials he just signs the cheque for them

 

[mfgs]

Are there already flats there that are being refurbished or is it a big house/building being converted into flats?

I have done a fair few conversions over the past year and the soil stacks and gas runs are what you need to be careful of, they will make or break the job.

As for the price, it seems a little on the high side but then it depends on what spec of boiler, bathroom suite etc. Most try and keep the cost down.

 

[Riley]

It's an existing block of flats.

He's the guy that doesn't mess around moneywise because he like to get a decent calibre of tenants in

 

[mfgs]

It's an existing block of flats.

He's the guy that doesn't mess around moneywise because he like to get a decent calibre of tenants in

Then that will be a nice easy job.

 

[WaterTight]

If that's a big boy job I must be in utero.

 

[Rickster123]

If that's a big boy job I must be in utero.

I love that album!

 

[WaterTight]

me too :wink_smile: