It seems not all quotes for sewer connections are equal – and we don’t mean the cost of the sewer connection itself, either.
We’re often complimented on the detail we give when we quote for a sewer connection, and it’s one of the reasons that we benefit from a lot of repeat business and referrals. So what sets our quotations apart from the rest?
Accurate quotes for sewer connections
When it comes to the cost of new sewer connections, a lot depends on the specifics of the site. The cost and the complexity of the job depend on a number of variables, and this is one of the reasons we don’t like to give anyone a ballpark figure for works. There isn’t really a ‘typical’ sewer connection job, so there isn’t really a ‘typical’ cost – you can find out more about sewer connection costs in this blog.
And this is the reason why we offer a lot of detail when we quote for sewer connection works. If you don’t do the necessary groundwork (pun intended) then you can’t be sure that the scope of the works, and the resulting cost, will be at all accurate. We’ve spoken to many people who have been given initial quotes for sewer connection works, only to find that the job cost them a lot more money in the end, because the original quotation didn’t take everything into account.
Dependable quotations for budget planning
This is why we have always operated a free advice and quotation service. As a business we won’t satisfy our customers unless we can give them dependable drainage cost figures to work with when planning their build budget – it doesn’t matter how excellent the standard of our work, if we were to quote one figure, then present the client with a higher bill once works had been completed, they would understandably be disgruntled.
So what details do our quotes for sewer connection works contain?
Firstly, our quote documentation sets out clearly the project’s basic information, including the site address, highway authority and client details (business and contact name, plus phone and email details), as well as compliance-related details such as the Section 106 reference (if available), asset owner, asset search reference and drawing reference.
It’s important to have all these key pieces of information confirmed, along with details about the foul water and surface water sewers that have been identified in the assets searches – including the pipe diameter and sewer depth. We also confirm the connection method to be used, the diameter of the new lateral connection, and the lateral length to the existing sewer.
Detailed cost breakdowns of sewer connection works
Unlike some contractors, who just provide a single figure, we break down the cost element of our quotes for sewer connections into the different aspects of the job. There’s a section for preliminaries – risk assessments and method statements, the cost of administrating the section 50 license application, NRSW fees, mobilisation costs such as specialist equipment delivery and collection, and finally works protection costs including barriers, signage, lighting, guarding and fencing.
The traffic management costs are also broken down into constituent parts, such as the cost of preparing traffic and pedestrian management drawings and submitting them for approval, the cost of the traffic management system itself, and any fees that might be incurred through closures, such as bus stop suspension or TFL rental scheme charges. There’s also a section for highway authority fees for Section 50.
Separate quotations for foul water and surface water connections
We then detail the works to take place, separately quoting for the foul water connection and the surface water connection. The methods and materials are all set out clearly, and the costs for each element stated separately, so you can see how the final figure of the quotation has been arrived at – wherever a length or area applies to the works (for example, the length of a cut through hard surfacing, or the area of trench excavation) it’s stated next to the rate and the total value for that part of the works.
Finally, we separate out the reinstatement costs – that is the works required to put the carriageway and pavement back to its previous condition, in a way that is complaint and will pass inspection first time.
Detailed quotations: no hidden costs
As you might imagine, our quotations often run to four or five pages, offering a detailed picture of the scope of works and how the final quotation sum has been tallied up. Naturally, this transparent approach can mean that on the surface we appear more expensive that some other contractors out there, but in actual fact if like were being compared with like, we’re very competitive.
We would advise that a detailed quotation document is the only way to ensure that you get the information you need to budget for your works, and avoid a nasty shock after completion – caused by hidden costs that weren’t covered by a vague initial quote for sewer connection works.
To find out more about how we quote for a sewer connection – or for some free advice on your upcoming project – call 01268 950050 or send an email to [email protected].