Monsoon said:Dingbat dont take this the wrong way but that seems much more than I budgeted for. Maybe I need modify my design to get it within my budget
Maybe you do. But on what did you base your budget? It seems to me that far too many clients start out with an idea of costs without any actual trade input.
The biggest modification you could make woukd be to get rid of those ridiculous downlights - there's the best part of a £grand per flat, right there.
Lets look at the facts:-
blah, blah, blah...
The fact you consistently overlook is that no tradesman will commit himself to a price without actually seeing the job. Despite your detailed drawings, this only tells part of the story. It is only natural that estimates elicited via a forum will err on the side of caution. Get some real-world quotes.
Personally it's hard for me to imagine a more attractive contract for a domestic installer.
Oh, I can think of much more attractive contracts. Especially ones where the client trusts the tradesman to quote fairly, then get on and do the job. I know you are trying to keep down costs and I understand why you are interested in what is involved. But you have to realise that there are two parties to this contract... and they both have to get on with each other.
The more questions a client asks, the more the tradesman will feel he is not being trusted and become defensive in his responses.
So for the benefit of us DIYers could you breakdown how you arrived at £5500 for my job. Cheers
I feel I have already broken down the costs as far as is reasonable. By this stage I fear that, in real life, I would have written you off as an unreasonable client and I would be tempted not to take your calls. I hope you're not offended by that, but we often fail to understand our interpersonal relationships. In my experience the client who asks the most questions, especially regarding costs, is the most likely not to award the contract... often with a sigh of relief fromn the tradesman involved.
I hope that answers your queries and I wish you well in your further enquiries.