Morning chaps,
We've been asked to quote on a large insurance job by the homeowner and as we don't do much work direct for insurance companies I thought I'd check with you guys to see if there is anything I should be checking/putting in my terms prior to tendering. I don't want to get caught out on this!
The project is aprox 200mts (120 ground/80 basement) of existing 800x800 porc. Tiled onto a anhydrite screed and the tiling has failed. We have to assume no prep was completed and it's an adhesive/bonding issue.
The job is to remove existing floor tiles and dispose, prep floor as needed and then re-tile. Insurance contractors will take care of skirting/architrave removal and replacement and final decoration so the job sounds simple but...
- Client is still going to be living in the house on the top floor with wife and 3 kids throughout the whole process!
- Clients expensive furniture will be in the house and moved to a room on G/F for storage. Basement will be empty so can be completed in 1 hit but G/F will be room to room (4 rooms) with moving furniture about as needed
- £100k kitchen is staying in place and needs to be cut around for tile removal/replacement
- No dust is allowed in the upper living areas. None!! Not 1 bit. And suitable dust extraction needed for the working areas
- No expansion joints in the floor. None at present either
- Start/completion dates have to be given for each floor and we cannot go past it (£2k a week late fines!)
So....
- How the hell do I stop the dust from going everywhere? Industrial hoovers are good but there has to be some dust in the air. Grinding the floor laitance off is a messy job! Even if I tape all the doors shut and sheet up the stair opening to the 2nd floor, there is a chance some will get through when they come home at 5pm and want to go upstairs.
- How can I cut in tight to the fitted kitchen side panels without damage? Also make a cut under the unit's first feet to get the tile out?
- No expansion joints. So normally I'd want doorway expansion joints at the very least but the client doesn't want the "look" ruined. If no expansion joints would the insurance company say it's not up to BS and not pay me?
- Any terms or I should include in my tender to push it in my favour? Have any of you worked on insurance projects like this and half way through thought "I should have stated I wanted........... in my terms" or is there anything you think I should push back to them as their responsibility? I have already kicked back the moving of furniture and protection of electrical items. I don't want to be responsible for dust killing his £10k telly!
- Being an insurance job with all the aggro involved, how much of a premium would you be adding to the quote? 50% above normal? 100%? New car? Villa in the Algarve?
- I'm tempted to insist on a materials stage payment on day of starting works. They want full outlay by me (£25k just on tiles) with 60 days terms from date of completion. Is this acceptable?
And how long do you reckon? Mon/Sat 8-5 working hours. In my head I've allowed 2 weeks for the basement and 3 weeks for the ground floor. With all the aggro am I kidding myself?
Lots to think about. TIA. Happy Monday!!!
We've been asked to quote on a large insurance job by the homeowner and as we don't do much work direct for insurance companies I thought I'd check with you guys to see if there is anything I should be checking/putting in my terms prior to tendering. I don't want to get caught out on this!
The project is aprox 200mts (120 ground/80 basement) of existing 800x800 porc. Tiled onto a anhydrite screed and the tiling has failed. We have to assume no prep was completed and it's an adhesive/bonding issue.
The job is to remove existing floor tiles and dispose, prep floor as needed and then re-tile. Insurance contractors will take care of skirting/architrave removal and replacement and final decoration so the job sounds simple but...
- Client is still going to be living in the house on the top floor with wife and 3 kids throughout the whole process!
- Clients expensive furniture will be in the house and moved to a room on G/F for storage. Basement will be empty so can be completed in 1 hit but G/F will be room to room (4 rooms) with moving furniture about as needed
- £100k kitchen is staying in place and needs to be cut around for tile removal/replacement
- No dust is allowed in the upper living areas. None!! Not 1 bit. And suitable dust extraction needed for the working areas
- No expansion joints in the floor. None at present either
- Start/completion dates have to be given for each floor and we cannot go past it (£2k a week late fines!)
So....
- How the hell do I stop the dust from going everywhere? Industrial hoovers are good but there has to be some dust in the air. Grinding the floor laitance off is a messy job! Even if I tape all the doors shut and sheet up the stair opening to the 2nd floor, there is a chance some will get through when they come home at 5pm and want to go upstairs.
- How can I cut in tight to the fitted kitchen side panels without damage? Also make a cut under the unit's first feet to get the tile out?
- No expansion joints. So normally I'd want doorway expansion joints at the very least but the client doesn't want the "look" ruined. If no expansion joints would the insurance company say it's not up to BS and not pay me?
- Any terms or I should include in my tender to push it in my favour? Have any of you worked on insurance projects like this and half way through thought "I should have stated I wanted........... in my terms" or is there anything you think I should push back to them as their responsibility? I have already kicked back the moving of furniture and protection of electrical items. I don't want to be responsible for dust killing his £10k telly!
- Being an insurance job with all the aggro involved, how much of a premium would you be adding to the quote? 50% above normal? 100%? New car? Villa in the Algarve?
- I'm tempted to insist on a materials stage payment on day of starting works. They want full outlay by me (£25k just on tiles) with 60 days terms from date of completion. Is this acceptable?
And how long do you reckon? Mon/Sat 8-5 working hours. In my head I've allowed 2 weeks for the basement and 3 weeks for the ground floor. With all the aggro am I kidding myself?
Lots to think about. TIA. Happy Monday!!!
