Ever Wonder What Goes Into A Quote?
6 June 2022
When we’re quoting a job for you, we’re focussing on getting you the most accurate indication of where we think the job will sit price-wise. We receive quote requests in different formats all the time, and we place a high value on our accuracy for quoting and preparing for our jobs, to make the process as seamless as possible for you.
Some examples of quote requests that we receive:
A list of works to be done (ie. Scope of Works): These are often just indicative but will give us a good idea of an approximate price and timeframe.
Full Plans: If we do get the complete set of plans, we have a great understanding of what is needed, and the likelihood of the quote accuracy is very high.
Site visit with Plans: This is the most accurate way that we can quote. We’ll often find things that haven’t been considered like: mounting lights on an exposed ceiling, ducting with concrete floors or walls, the switchboard needs an upgrade, etc. We’ll never quote something you don’t need. Our best interests are keeping the costs down for you, complying with standards, and having the most high quality outcome.
How we quote
We dedicate a lot of time to getting our quoting correct. So we use multiple methods and steps to ensure we have everything covered:
The Take-Off: We use Groundplan, a professional estimating program to help us with our takeoffs. Someone else in our team will always double-check the count to make sure we have absolutely everything included that is required. Good communication goes a long way, so if we have anything that we’re not sure about, we’ll contact you to have a chat.
Bespoke items: We have great relationships with our suppliers, and can get quotes back pretty quickly from them. They also have great stock levels most of the time. If you would like a specific item from a supplier we haven’t worked with before, we can usually get a quote from them, but it can take some time. If they need a bit more time to get a quote to us, we can give it our best guess. That’s where…
PC Sums come in!: We’ve got a pretty good idea about how much something is going to cost, so if we can’t get a quick price on an item, we’ll add a ‘Provisional Cost’ in. That way, we can include it in the quote as an indication, and you won’t be stung later when the actual cost comes in.
Alternatives: If timeframe and costs are an issue with custom or premium items (eg. Pendants, fancy Comms cabinets, etc), we have a wealth of options for you from our current suppliers. Generally we’ve been able to replace spec'd items with something very similar for an acceptable price point.
Safety: Before arriving on site, we ensure all our safety requirements are met. We provide SWMS and Insurances for every job.
How we kick it off!
Accurately quoting is just the first step in pre-planning a job, once we get to site, it’s a whole other ball game, and we have our procedure for that as well!
Pre-Job Briefing: Our pre-job briefing procedure ensures that the quote reflects the conditions on site (if that’s not done already), and assesses any safety concerns.
Stock: We can avoid stock supply issues by getting our suppliers onto it the moment we start the job. That way, our team have the stock they need to finish the job from the start!
Variations: Things happen, plans get changed, and we know how to keep up with it so you’re not stung at invoice time. Since our sparky team are already familiar with the quote, they know when things are going to go beyond it on site. We keep track of your expenses on the job, and you’ll always be made aware if there’s been a request on site that hasn’t been quoted yet.
- Utilising our job management system: simPRO is our software of choice. An incredibly customisable tool in our belt that allows us to quote clearly, and carry on that good communication to the job conversion, and then into invoicing. We keep our quoted scope aligned as much as possible to what’s happening on site, and get updates from our team daily.
So next time you send us a quote, you know that it’s in good hands. You can rest assured that we’ve poured our blood, sweat and tears into providing you with the most accurate quote possible, and that we’re more than prepared to begin when you give us the word.