BankeSmalls:
No need to blame anybody highing their price. Better soup na money kill am. If you don't have money to build, use your money and buy a jeep

Stop looking for somebody that will work free for you and end up being accused of stealing and other things. No be by force to buuld

"Always pay the full price" Robert Green, 48 laws of power.

jayooh:
Normal way to settle price war.

*have an independent engineer/ consultant/ QS who can give you a detailed bill of quantities and estimate, to whom it is clear that his job is to do that and not actually to build or construct.

That's what is Don in a tender process. Before you are called to bid, the in-house engineers or procurement officer or whosoever must have had his/her own quantities and estimate which will be used as a benchmark.

The nearest bidder to this benchmark wins ideally, bit anything can happen in naija
Just saying

jayooh:
[/b]

You'd still need the 2 drawings mentioned earlier for a proper and accurate estimate.

Your bold statement was ambiguous in your sentence structure. At a good price could have been "the rate on the QS's bill" as that's what I interpreted it as.

N.B I'm a civil engineer but the task of estimating quantities "accurately" can't be strange to me, but pricing I'd have to call a QS for current specific rates.

I'm actually a fan of: let client source and buy their construction materials themselves where they can, while I come in to do the technical aspects which really is my profession. I prefer jobs with good bills of quantities as well, cause payments can easily be monitored for level of jobs completed. With a good bill all I have to do is negotiate my supervision charges and manual labour market rate: which won't be anything hidden as it can easily be verified.

Different people and their own styles. Me no like wahala work. People in general caN be difficult to deal with, client; contractors; engineers; consultants; workmen; etc.

CHEERS!!! Happy Sunday

earthrealm:


Yup..this is similar to what i intend to do.
Have given 1 builder the drawings to come up with a quote.
Intend to get quotes from 1 or 2 more builders...and then 1 QS...will then comsider the builder whos rates are closer to the QS....
Getting trusted/reliable/skilled people isnt easy....thus i still intend to cover any loose ends by having my own inhouse estimate/rule of thumb from folks here...hence my throwing the wuestion open to the house.
I appreciate all the input/advices...
Cheers

twinskenny:


Get a quote from three Or four builders..

Aventures:
Bros understand that getting a quote for a building at least to carcass level from four builders is like getting 4 people to do a professional work for free. too bad. Many people online will collect this quotes and won't even acknowledged the mail and that would be last time u hear from them no even thank you. If you have really for once do a quote for a build extensively you will understand that it is a great task that is really mentally involving, a times you will use your credit to make contacts in oder for you to know current material price at the site locations, spend hours typing on excellent and at the end send it with your purchased data, only for the person to receive it and kept quiet.
The best practice is to engage one QS to do you a bill of quantity if you want to give out your job as contract or a material and labour schedule if you want to be involved, then the QS will provide a copy call blank copy (he would remove his rates leaving only quantities) then d client can contact as many contractor he deems fit capable of doing this work and ask them to fill their rate and then he would check their rates against his QS rate and final sum as well then he is at liberty to choose any one that is in d range of +/-5% from QS rates and final sum also couple with competence and the contractor antecedent (you don't choose base on figure only). Yet it of good manner to communicate with the other contractor appreciating their effort to fill the blank boq ( though this less tasking for a contractor to do and so he has no reason to fill bad if he doesn't get the job) and possibly tell them why they were not chosen for them to be well positioned against another opportunity. Please note that boq help you project flow apart from costing because it would also outline the work process on which you can build your programs of work and proactive purchase and sound project planning.
I am not QS but I know the importance and the key role they play in project but most client want free quote and also and they are quick to comment on the free quote as rip off without any respect for your effort.

Aventures:
Bros understand that getting a quote for a building at least to carcass level from four builders is like getting 4 people to do a professional work for free. too bad. Many people online will collect this quotes and won't even acknowledged the mail and that would be last time u hear from them no even thank you. If you have really for once do a quote for a build extensively you will understand that it is a great task that is really mentally involving, a times you will use your credit to make contacts in oder for you to know current material price at the site locations, spend hours typing on excellent and at the end send it with your purchased data, only for the person to receive it and kept quiet.
The best practice is to engage one QS to do you a bill of quantity if you want to give out your job as contract or a material and labour schedule if you want to be involved, then the QS will provide a copy call blank copy (he would remove his rates leaving only quantities) then d client can contact as many contractor he deems fit capable of doing this work and ask them to fill their rate and then he would check their rates against his QS rate and final sum as well then he is at liberty to choose any one that is in d range of +/-5% from QS rates and final sum also couple with competence and the contractor antecedent (you don't choose base on figure only). Yet it of good manner to communicate with the other contractor appreciating their effort to fill the blank boq ( though this less tasking for a contractor to do and so he has no reason to fill bad if he doesn't get the job) and possibly tell them why they were not chosen for them to be well positioned against another opportunity. Please note that boq help you project flow apart from costing because it would also outline the work process on which you can build your programs of work and proactive purchase and sound project planning.
I am not QS but I know the importance and the key role they play in project but most client want free quote and also and they are quick to comment on the free quote as rip off without any respect for your effort.

twinskenny:


baba you have said it all..

or you have discussed with the client to advance stage all of a sudden went mute.. nothing can be more frustrated my brother its welll


there was a time that i have to go to many places in ikeja even alaba just to get real prices at the end of the job didnt come our way... count my loses and move on.

topsy23:


My brother not only you ooo... i visited abeokuta 3timed for a particular project not knowing that the client needed my quote to buy all the materials.. He has somebody on ground to do the job and he didn't tell me. i wasted money to Abeokuta to the extent that i help him carry submersible pump from his brother house in Lagos.

QS will surely collect money for their services.

topsy23:


My brother not only you ooo... i visited abeokuta 3timed for a particular project not knowing that the client needed my quote to buy all the materials.. He has somebody on ground to do the job and he didn't tell me. i wasted money to Abeokuta to the extent that i help him carry submersible pump from his brother house in Lagos.

QS will surely collect money for their services.

Aventures:
waoh! This is unfair just imagine the risk of travelling alone, your time, cost of fuelling your car or transportation etc. It is well

topsy23:


My brother not only you ooo... i visited abeokuta 3timed for a particular project not knowing that the client needed my quote to buy all the materials.. He has somebody on ground to do the job and he didn't tell me. i wasted money to Abeokuta to the extent that i help him carry submersible pump from his brother house in Lagos.

QS will surely collect money for their services.

Aventures:
Bros understand that getting a quote for a building at least to carcass level from four builders is like getting 4 people to do a professional work for free. too bad. Many people online will collect this quotes and won't even acknowledged the mail and that would be last time u hear from them no even thank you. If you have really for once do a quote for a build extensively you will understand that it is a great task that is really mentally involving, a times you will use your credit to make contacts in oder for you to know current material price at the site locations, spend hours typing on excellent and at the end send it with your purchased data, only for the person to receive it and kept quiet.
The best practice is to engage one QS to do you a bill of quantity if you want to give out your job as contract or a material and labour schedule if you want to be involved, then the QS will provide a copy call blank copy (he would remove his rates leaving only quantities) then d client can contact as many contractor he deems fit capable of doing this work and ask them to fill their rate and then he would check their rates against his QS rate and final sum as well then he is at liberty to choose any one that is in d range of +/-5% from QS rates and final sum also couple with competence and the contractor antecedent (you don't choose base on figure only). Yet it of good manner to communicate with the other contractor appreciating their effort to fill the blank boq ( though this less tasking for a contractor to do and so he has no reason to fill bad if he doesn't get the job) and possibly tell them why they were not chosen for them to be well positioned against another opportunity. Please note that boq help you project flow apart from costing because it would also outline the work process on which you can build your programs of work and proactive purchase and sound project planning.
I am not QS but I know the importance and the key role they play in project but most client want free quote and also and they are quick to comment on the free quote as rip off without any respect for your effort.

shammer:
good evening my ogas @ the top... I have been following this thread and it has open my eye to many things I don't know before.... I have a bungalow of 4 unit of mini-flat I want convert to 2unit of 2bedroom flat..... Any engineer recommend is welcomed

bixton:
. Where is your bungalow located to be specific?

diordaves:


This is sad. This is expected in an environment without "standard". This is what you get when there's no standard. You are experiencing first hand as a seasoned contractor what real clients​ suffer because you contractors refused to accept the notion that there should be a standard charge in the building industry. With a standard charge, clients can plan. So if any contractor quote to deliver below the the standard charge, fine and if you quote to above standard charge and the client is aware this is above the standard charge and happy to go ahead, fine. Everyone is happy and the contractor is mobilised and the kurukere to steal from the client starts. This is what is getting us mad.

Now to your professional take with this whole debate will be taken on board. Now we clients will shout to high heaven if small thing go wrong for site and will rush to Nairaland. I don't believe in customer is always right. Na lie. So if as a contractor, you've done all that is professionally expected of you and the client is taken undue advantage of your prospecting for business, come to Nairaland and shout as well. Client and contractor should respect each other.

In terms of quote, what is usually done here is the quote is free only if you get the job. So you advertise your quote fee and the customer pays upfront if you get the job, the quote fee is deducted from your
Professional charge. This eliminates freeloaders.

shammer:
ikorodu

topsy23:


My brother not only you ooo... i visited abeokuta 3timed for a particular project not knowing that the client needed my quote to buy all the materials.. He has somebody on ground to do the job and he didn't tell me. i wasted money to Abeokuta to the extent that i help him carry submersible pump from his brother house in Lagos.

QS will surely collect money for their services.

InvertedHammer:
Why not build your house?
1 week to learn masonry
2 weeks to learn carpentry
2 weeks to become iron bender
1 month in the gym for all the lifting and digging (foundation, concrete, cement,rods,etc)

2 weeks to be an electrician
2 weeks for plumbing.

All added together will be 3 months of preparation.
Then give the middle finger to contractors and artisans.

InvertedHammer:
Why not build your house?
1 week to learn masonry
2 weeks to learn carpentry
2 weeks to become iron bender
1 month in the gym for all the lifting and digging (foundation, concrete, cement,rods,etc)

2 weeks to be an electrician
2 weeks for plumbing.

All added together will be 3 months of preparation.
Then give the middle finger to contractors and artisans.

bixton:
. Call this number 0803 794 9532(Remmy) tell him Ben Avoh gave you his phone number and discuss your issue with him. He's resident in Lagos. He can assist how to go about it.

twinskenny:


Lo

InvertedHammer:
Why not build your house?
1 week to learn masonry
2 weeks to learn carpentry
2 weeks to become iron bender
1 month in the gym for all the lifting and digging (foundation, concrete, cement,rods,etc)

2 weeks to be an electrician
2 weeks for plumbing.

All added together will be 3 months of preparation.
Then give the middle finger to contractors and artisans.

set2build:
View current prices pf building materials in the open market updated daily:

visit www.set2build.com/market prices