What do you need to price a package?
The architect drawings, the structural engineer drawings and calculations, and the site address so we can look at access. If there is already a truss layout, a frame kit quote or a steel schedule, send those too. From that we can put a real price together rather than a rate per square metre, and we will come back with questions rather than assumptions where the drawings do not cover something.
How long does a price take?
For a house-sized package, usually within a week of having the full drawings, sooner if the drawings are complete and the access is straightforward. Larger or multi-plot schemes take longer because the material quotes and crane costs have to come back in. If we are going to take longer than we said, you get told, because a subcontractor who goes quiet during a tender is a fair sign of what they will be like on site.
Is a package cheaper than pricing the trades separately?
Often, and where it is not, it usually still saves you money in programme. The savings come from one crane visit covering the steel and the frame instead of two, no gaps between trades waiting on each other, and one outfit taking responsibility for the interfaces where things normally go wrong. Where you already have good rates with a kit supplier, labour-only erection can price better, and we will say so.
Can we take part of the package?
Yes, that is how most jobs come to us. Plenty of clients take just the roof, or just the frame erection, or just the first fix. The package option is there for people who want the whole structure handled, not a condition of working with us. Take the parts that suit you and keep the rest in-house.
Who books and pays for the crane?
On a supply and erect package, we do, and it is a line on your quote. On labour-only work, it is normally the main contractor or the client, and we will tell you exactly what capacity and what radius you need to book so the lift actually works on the day. Either way the lift plan is worked out before the delivery arrives rather than on the morning of it.
Do you take on work outside your usual area?
For a full package, often yes, particularly for developers we already work with. Our base is Farnborough and we cover London, Berkshire, Surrey and Hampshire as a matter of course, and a larger scheme further afield is worth a conversation. Call and tell us where it is and what it is, and we will give you a straight answer on whether we are the right outfit for it.
