HOW TO BRIEF YOUR DREAM TEAM
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MODULE TWO : PDF THREE
2 — THE RENO SCHOOL BRIEFING YOUR DREAM TEAM— 3M
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HOW TO BRIEF YOUR DREAM TEAM The people physically bringing your reno to life
are the lifeblood of your project so you need
to brief them properly. This is about having the
right process in place, not just verbalising the
job or handing them a piece of paper. When
you don’t follow good briefing processes,
things can go wrong and the job may take
longer and cost you more when things need to
be reworked. Following the right process
takes… time.
Believe me, I know that ‘time’ feels like a
hot commodity when you are in the midst of
a reno with a to-do list as long as your arm. A
verbal brief might seem like a shortcut worth
taking in the moment, but it’s never a good
idea to shortcut a proper briefing process.
DO NOT DO IT!
On Lana’s reno she briefed a few tradies
without me (which is fine) but without following
the proper process (which is not fine). The
result? She literally paid for that mistake in the
end when her glazier bill came in much more
expensive than she’d planned for. I’ll explain
why that happened later.
By Erin
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Create a brief, also known as ‘scope of work’
for each trade then spend time making sure
you have included ALL the things that need
to go into it. Most of you will hire a builder to
manage your reno. Your builder will be the one
who hires the plumber, electrician and other
trades required to complete the job. If this is the
case, you still need to make sure your scope
of work document you give the builder has all
the details for each trade he will manage. Don’t
forget to specify everything! The last thing you
want is to realise that gorgeous paneled ceiling
you wanted wasn’t in your builders quote or
your electrician hasn’t planned for your feature
pendants! our example of a builder scope of
works in our bonus section. Check out our
example of a builder scope of works in our
bonus section.
You may not feel you know the answers
to everything. If you don’t know the answer
to something, go and find out! And take your
time... You need to get into the detail at this
stage. The last thing you want is someone
guessing what they think you want.
If your reno is on a strict timeline YOU MUST be
very clear about that and include those dates
in the brief. Everyone who works on your reno
should be aware of any time pressures right
from the start. That way they’ll be able to plan
their other jobs.
WRITE. IT. DOWN!
Pros don’t have time to waste on people
who are sloppy, confused, or both! They
also don’t have time to sift through quotes or
‘guesstimates’ that are way off the mark. That’s
why taking the time to brief someone clearly
and comprehensively is so important: not only
will your trades understand exactly what you
are trying to achieve, they will also have
all the information they need to provide you
with an accurate quote for their services.
Communicate clearly and you’ll get that time
back down the track.
HOW TO BRIEF LIKE A PRO o
ELECTRICAL SCOPE OF WORK
2nd April 2018
Thank you for meeting me onsite today. Please provide a quote for the following scope of work including materials and labour for all tasks EXCEPT the cost of actual light fittings (we will supply them).
Specific Tasks
· REMOVE AND DISPOSE of all existing lighting, as identified during our site tour.
· KEEP existing power points as identified on attached electrical plan.
· INSTALL the following items as per the attached electrical plan:
o 25 x downlights on the ground floor
o 22 x downlights on the lower ground floor
o 7 x feature lights on the ground floor
o 2 x feature lights on the lower ground floor
o 1 x external feature light
o 2 x new light switches on the lower floor
o 17 x new power points
o 2 x smoke alarms
o 1 x electric cooktop and oven
Variations: With your quote, please itemise any specific tasks or costs which you feel are necessary to complete the job but are not currently included in the scope of work. Any items not included in your quote will be considered variations and will need my prior written approval.
Dates required for work: Work must commence on Monday 7th May 2018 and be completed by Friday 1st June 2018. We will confirm the exact days you’re required onsite once work has commenced.
Payment: Weekly progress payments will be made by Three Birds Renovations, pro-rated to the final agreed sum.
Building codes and standards: All work must be completed in accordance with Australian Standards and the Building Code of Australia (BCA).
Waste removal: Please ensure you clean up after yourself and dispose of all waste in either the bins provided, or take it with you.
Documentation: Work is only permitted onsite by fully licenced and insured contractors. Please provide copies of these documents with your written quote.
Thank you.
Erin Cayless | Director | Three Birds Renovations 2nd April 2018
HERE’S AN EXAMPLE OF A BRIEF WE GAVE TO OUR ELECTRICIAN, RYAN.
6 — THE RENO SCHOOL BRIEFING YOUR DREAM TEAM— 7M
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We aren’t talking a crazy long time, like weeks,
but don’t expect a quote on the spot. Most
people need a bit of time to evaluate a job
properly. I’m always a bit wary when a tradie
can quote on the spot without looking at plans
and a written brief.
Don’t just email your brief through to
the tradie. Set a time to meet onsite and have a
conversation about the documents you’ve sent
them to make sure they are on the journey with
you. Share your big-picture vision with them
so they can see how their work fits into your
overall reno. Use your vision board, show them
inspo pics on your phone, whatever it takes.
You want them to feel inspired and this is
a great way to start. Bon is always shoving her
phone in our tradies’ faces (in a nice way) and it
honestly helps them understand what we want
and provide a more accurate quote.
Have print outs of the brief with you and a copy
of your house plans. It’s too easy for both of
you to forget what was said on the day, so take
notes and make a copy, or take a quick photo
on your phone and then send that to the
tradie. It might feel unnecessary at the time
but you’ll be so grateful when the question is
raised down the track and you can pull up your
notes and confirm what was agreed.
Once you receive the quote, review it to see
if anything is missing then call your tradie to
make sure you have understood everything
properly. It’s so easy for your tradie to
leave something out of their quote that you
think is included. For example, when Lana
briefed her glazier on the frameless glass
balustrade she wanted in her Forever Home,
she did this verbally and without a written
scope of work (this was her first mistake). His
quote came back but it didn’t include the cost
of the spigots (which are those metal anchors
in the floor that hold the glass in place).
This was an honest oversight on his behalf,
but Lana didn’t check the quote carefully (this
was her second mistake), so she didn’t realise it
didn’t include those expensive components. If
Lana had given a written scope of work to
the glazier and checked his quote carefully, this
little budget blow-out wouldn’t have happened.
Tip: CHECK THE FIGURE QUOTED
INCLUDES GST. SO OFTEN YOU
AGREE TO A QUOTE BUT MISS
THE FINE PRINT WHERE IT
SAYS ‘EXCLUDING GST’. IF YOU
MISS THAT DETAIL, YOU WON’T
BUDGET FOR IT AND WHEN THE
INVOICE COMES THROUGH AT
$11,000 INSTEAD OF $10,000
IT’S NOT FUN. THIS ALSO
REITERATES THE IMPORTANCE
OF GETTING WRITTEN QUOTES
BECAUSE VERBAL QUOTES
RARELY SPECIFY WHETHER
GST IS INCLUDED OR NOT.
MEET ON SITE
GIVE THEM TIME TO RESPOND
CHECK THE QUOTE CAREFULLY
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AND HERE’S AN EXAMPLE OF A BRIEF WE GAVE TO OUR PLUMBER, SHAUN.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE WERE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT INCLUDING THE WASHING
MACHINE IN THIS ONE BUT WE DIDN’T WANT HIM TO CONNECT IT. CAN YOU
THINK OF THE REASON WHY?
PLUMBING SCOPE OF WORK
Thank you for meeting me onsite today. Please provide a quote for the following scope of work including materials and labour for all tasks.
SPECIFIC TASKS
Kitchen
· DISCONNECT and cover off hot and cold water for existing kitchen.
· ROUGH-IN new kitchen hot and cold water supply and waste, and client supplied tapware and sinks.
· FIT OUT client supplied tapware, drainage to sink and dishwasher.
Laundry
· DISCONNECT and cover off hot and cold water for existing laundry. Fill holes where required in preparation for new flooring.
· ROUGH-IN new laundry under the stairs requiring hot and cold water for tapware, sink, washing machine, drainage.
· INSTALL client supplied tapware, sink, – note – do NOT connect the washing machine.
Main bathroom
· DISCONNECT and cover off hot and cold water and toilet connection for existing main bathroom. Fill holes where required in preparation for new flooring
· ROUGH-IN for shower, vanity, bath and toilet - as per floor plan supplied by Three Birds Renovations.
· INSTALL client supplied tapware, bath, toilet - note carpenter will install the wall hung vanity.
WE WERE SELLING THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY! WE DIDN’T NEED THE WASHING
MACHINE CONNECTED BECAUSE IT WAS JUST FOR SHOW, AND WE WERE TAKING IT
WITH US AFTER THE SALE. MOST HOUSES AREN’T SOLD WITH WASHING MACHINES
IN THEM – PEOPLE LIKE TO BRING THEIR OWN. SO WITH THIS IN MIND, THERE WAS
NO NEED TO SPEND EXTRA MONEY INSTALLING IT WHEN IT WOULD JUST REQUIRE A
DISCONNECTION AFTER WE SOLD THE HOUSE.
Ensuite
· DISCONNECT and cover off hot and cold water and toilet connection for existing ensuite. Fill holes where required in preparation for new flooring
· ROUGH-IN for shower, vanity, and toilet - as per floor plan supplied by Three Birds Renovations.
· REDIRECT waste as per new floor plan, fill holes from existing fixture and fitting in preparation for new flooring.
· INSTALL client supplied tapware, toilet - note carpenter will install the wall hung vanity.
Variations: With your quote, please itemise any specific tasks or costs which you feel are necessary to complete the job but are not currently included in the scope of work. Any items not included in your quote will be considered variations and will need my prior written approval.
Dates required for work: Work must commence on Monday 19th October 2015 and be completed by Friday 4th December 2015. We will confirm the exact days you’re re-quired onsite once work has commenced.
Payment: Weekly progress payments will be made by Three Birds Renovations, pro-rat-ed to the final agreed sum.
Building codes and standards: All work must be completed in accordance with Austra-lian Standards and the Building Code of Australia (BCA). We will require a Certificate of Compliance upon completion of the job.
Waste removal: Please ensure you clean up after yourself and dispose of all waste in either the bins provided, or take it with you.
Documentation: Work is only permitted onsite by fully licenced and insurance contrac-tors. Please provide copies of these documents with your written quote.
Thank you. Erin Cayless | Director | Three Birds Renovations 15th September 2015
Answer:Question:
15th September 2015
10 — THE RENO SCHOOL BRIEFING YOUR DREAM TEAM— 11M
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22/9/15
Quote AS2015/882
TO: Three Birds Renovations
SITE ADDRESS: 35 Sherwood St Northmead
VALID: 30 Days
Kitchen
Disconnect and cover off hot and cold water for existing kitchen.
Fit out client supplied tapware, drainage to sink and dishwasher.
Laundry
Disconnect and cover off hot and cold water and toilet connection for existing laundry. Fill holes where required and preparation for new flooring.
Rough in new laundry under the stairs requiring hot and cold water for tapware, sink, washing machine, drainage.
Install client supplied tapware, sink, and toilet – note no washing machine to be connected.
Main bathroom
HERE’S THE QUOTE THAT SHAUN THE PLUMBER PROVIDED US
THE ONLY THING MISSING FROM THIS QUOTE IS
LISTING THE DATES WE REQUIRE THE WORK TO BE
DONE (AS PROVIDED TO HIM IN OUR SCOPE OF WORK).
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HERE’S A SHORTENED VERSION OF A SCOPE OF WORK WE HAVE GIVEN TO OUR BUILDER
In any Scope of Work try to SPECIFY what products you want as much as possible. This will ensure you receive
a more accurate quote. If you don’t know what you want, that’s ok, but make sure your builder SPECIFIES what
assumptions he has made when he returns with his quote. You can then have a robust discussion about the
product inclusions he has assumed and if you’re happy with them.
14 — THE RENO SCHOOL BRIEFING YOUR DREAM TEAM— 15M
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COMPARE THE QUOTESONCE YOU’VE BRIEFED SOMEONE PROPERLY AND HAVE A QUOTE
BACK FROM THEM, IT’S IMPORTANT TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
1.
4.3.
2.
5.
Compare their quote to your scope of work (the brief), to ensure the
tradie has captured everything, including any important deadlines
you talked about. Our 6-week renos move fast so we need trades
who can keep up with that pace.
Check that your quotes are comparing apples with apples. If you
have multiple quotes from different people, the things you are
looking to be consistent across them are:
The detailed tasks they will do
The time they’ve allocated to the job
Any materials they’ve allocated
When they are able to do it
If the price includes GST
If there are big differences between quotes and you don’t know why,
call to ask. There may have been a misunderstanding somewhere,
and it’s up to you to find out what it is NOW rather than later.
Refer back to how you rated them on the ‘Score my Tradie’ table.
Select your dream tradie then reconfirm the details of the job with
them in writing.
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AS THE SAYING GOES ‘TIME IS MONEY’ AND WHEN YOU’RE
RENOVATING-FOR-PROFIT, EVERY DAY MATTERS, COSTING YOU INTEREST
AND ULTIMATELY PROFIT. THROUGH THIS LENS, DON’T UNDERESTIMATE
THE IMPORTANCE OF A TRADIE’S COMMITMENT TO YOUR TIMINGS. IN
SOME CASES IT’S WORTH PAYING MORE TO SOME TRADES IF THEY WILL
DELIVER ON TIME, IN FULL.
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BEWARE THE PC AND PS PITFALLSA typical builder’s quote will include a bunch of items labeled Prime Cost (PC) or Provisional
Sum (PS). Gloss over these lines at your peril ... they’re often the cause of budget blow-outs and
misunderstandings.
WHAT IS A PC ITEM?
Contrary to what comes to mind we hear the term PC, in this context it is not referring to a
female-friendly, gender-neutral, vegan building product. No, you’ll find these two letters on your
builder’s quote next to Prime Cost items that need to be purchased for your renovation or
building project .... and often you are expected to choose these yourself. Examples include
taps, toilets, tiles, sinks and sometimes even cabinets. Flooring, internal and external doors and
handles can also be PC. Next to these items in the quote, there will be an estimated cost – the
key word here is ‘estimate’! So the price they’ve quoted is not fixed - it can go up or down. If
you end up selecting a cheaper item than in their quote, the overall cost will come down (yay),
but if you end up selecting something more fancy (and more expensive) the overall cost could
end up significantly higher (boo)! This is why it’s ideal to choose your PC items before you sign
a contract with your builder. That way he can ensure his quote reflects reality. There’s nothing
worse than appointing a builder thinking he can deliver the job within your budget, but then
finding out later that he had assumed basic, boring cornice when you had your heart set on
something more special. Get your PC game on gang!
WHAT IS A PROVISIONAL SUM (PS)?
No this isn’t what you write at the bottom of an email to your bestie “PS - I’m feeling really bloated
today.” In the building world, PS stands for Provisional Sum and provides an estimated cost for
things that are difficult to specifically cost out before work begins, like excavation (where you
might hit rock or or hidden tree roots). You will end up getting charged exactly what it cost. You
will be charged more (if the PS estimate was too low) or less (if the PS estimate was too high).
Ideally the estimates are generous so that the final cost is less rather than more.
TRUE STORYIn Lana’s renovation there was a PS amount in her builder’s quote to cover
a staircase. Lana didn’t know exactly what type of staircase she wanted
and this was still early days of Three Birds so we weren’t on top of that
detail either. So, her builder made an estimate based on his experience. In
the end, we all know how that story ended with the most exquisite staircase
we’ve ever laid eyes on. As you can imagine, the actual cost of the staircase
came in above the Provisional Sum quoted, so Lana had to fork out some
extra cash. She still claims her staircase makes her smile everyday so it
sounds like it was money well spent. But the point is, it put strain on her
budget. The only way she could have avoided this was to have received a
quote for that show-stopping staircase before signing a contract with her
builder so that the PS sum allocated was more accurate.
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For small, straight-forward jobs, a contract may not be
necessary. However, if it is over A$5,000, they should
give you a written contract. If you’ve given your
tradesman a detailed scope of work and in return he’s
provided a detailed written quote – that should suffice.
For complex or expensive jobs that involve large
sums of money and staged payments you must have
a detailed contract. It needs to cover:
• What the work is (in as much detail as possible)
• When the job should start and finish
• The price, and when staged payments will
be due
• What happens if there are delays
• How ‘variations’ will be managed
Don’t worry, you shouldn’t need to prepare this
document yourself – the person you’re engaging
will likely already have it. For example, the builder,
architect, kitchen company or pool guy should have
a contract, which will often be a standard template
already used in the industry. And remember, a
contract protects both parties should either one of
you not want to continue with the job. Want to know
more? Have a look at your state government website
for home building contracts.
DO I NEED A CONTRACT?
NSW ACT VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT
Outside Australia? Ask your local governing body
where to go for this information.
o
[INSERT TRADE NAME] SCOPE OF WORK
[Insert Address]
[Insert Date]
Thank you for meeting me onsite today. Please provide a quote for the following scope of work including materials and labour for all tasks.
SPECIFIC TASKS
· [list out all the tasks you think are needed - you can rewrite this list with your tradie when onsite and he/she can help fill in any gaps]
·
·
·
·
Variations: With your quote, please itemise any specific tasks or costs which you feel are necessary to complete the job but are not currently included in the scope of work. Any items not included in your quote will be considered variations and will need my prior written approval.
Dates required for work: Work must commence on [insert date] and be completed by [insert date] Payment: [insert agreed payment terms]
Building codes and standards: All work must be completed in accordance with Australian Standards and the Building Code of Australia (BCA). We will require a Certificate of Compliance upon completion of the job (not all works require compliance certifi-cates - ask your tradie). Waste removal: Please ensure you clean up after yourself and dispose of all waste in either the bins provided, or take it with you.
Documentation: Work is only permitted onsite by fully licenced and insurance con-tractors. Please provide copies of these documents with your written quote.
Thank you.
[insert your name and contact details] [insert date]
READY TO START BRIEFING YOUR TEAM? WE CAN HELP!
Tip: THIS SECTION ON “VARIATIONS” IS KINDA LIKE A SAFETY NET FOR YOU IN CASE YOU
HAVE LEFT SOME THINGS OUT OF THE SCOPE OF WORK. I WOULD ALSO VERBALISE
THIS WITH MY TRADIE TO ENSURE THEY POINT OUT ANYTHING I’VE MISSED.
C L I C K H E R E F O R O U R B R I E F I N G T E M P L AT E .
20 — THE RENO SCHOOL BRIEFING YOUR DREAM TEAM— 21M
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WHAT TYPE OF CONTRACT DO I WANT? FIXED PRICE OR COST-PLUS?This is a really important question to get your head around if your reno is going to cost
over A$500,000 because then your builder is legally allowed to suggest a ‘cost-plus’ contract
instead of the traditional ‘fixed price’ contract.
A FIXED PRICE CONTRACT
This is the most common type of building contract and it gives you the most certainty
about how much your reno’s going to cost you. As the name suggests, a
fixed price contract locks in a single fixed price for the whole job. The only
way that price can change is through formal variations, which you need to approve
each time. The main ‘watch out’ with this type of contract is that your builder may
build in ‘fat’ (i.e. overprice) upfront to cover possible variables during the reno. This
is where you need to have an open conversation with your builder and discuss this
possibility. Your builder may be happy to say that if the costs come in under what
he’s budgeted for then he will provide you with a ‘credit’. We like to use fixed price
contracts on all our renovations because we like the certainty of the cost and the
rigour of managing any changes to that. Having said that, I’m not aware of many
renos that come in under budget anyway so you should always set aside at least
10% of your budget as ‘contingency’ to manage variations – for big, long renos, set
aside 30% if you can (especially if you’re risk averse and don’t like surprises).
A COST-PLUS CONTRACT
There is no limit on the final price (sounds a bit scary ... and it can be if costs spiral
out of control). Basically, a cost-plus contract requires that the owner (that means
YOU) cover all the actual ‘costs’ for the materials, services and labour your builder
has sourced or provided and then you pay a ‘plus’ component on top to cover his
overheads and profit margin – hence the name, cost-plus. Usually the ‘plus’
is calculated as a percentage of the total bill (e.g. 20% on top). So, if your job ends
up costing A$600,000 for the ‘costs’ component, your builder will then charge you
A$120,000 additional as the ‘plus’ component – that’s the money he walks away
with. The issue with this method is that there’s no incentive for the builder to keep
your costs down. In fact, it’s the reverse: the higher your costs, the more his ‘plus’
payment (A.K.A. profit) will be in the end because it’s calculated as a percentage of
the costs. You would need to have a very strong and trusting relationship with your
builder to agree to this type of contract.
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Does that make sense? I hope so. If not, jump on our
Facebook group and start a conversation! I’m sure
your fellow students have lots of different experiences
to share.
Tip: YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO STEER CLEAR OF A COST-PLUS CONTRACT IF YOU HAVE
EXPENSIVE TASTE. CHOOSING PREMIUM PRICED BENCHTOPS, TAPWARE, TILES,
PAINT, CARPET, FLOORING ETC. WILL ALL ADD UP TO A BIGGER ‘PLUS’ PAYMENT AT
THE END OF THE JOB.
WITH FLIPPING YOU MUST HAVE A VERY
TIGHT GRIP ON YOUR BUDGET SO A FIXED-
PRICE CONTRACT IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO.
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Let’s recap! BY NOW YOU SHOULD HAVE...
WORKED OUT WHICH TRADIES AND EXPERTS YOU NEED FROM TOPIC 1
SOME IDEAS ON HOW YOU’RE GOING TO FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR YOUR JOB FROM TOPIC 2
A PROCESS YOU CAN FOLLOW FOR BRIEFING TRADIES AND COMPARING QUOTES FROM TOPIC 3
TIPS AND TRICKS ON HOW TO KEEP YOUR RENO ON TRACK BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH YOUR TRADIES (AND YOUR TIMELINE) FROM TOPIC 4
AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR TRADIES AND ALSO WHAT THEY SHOULD EXPECT FROM YOU FROM TOPIC 5
NUMBERS IN YOUR BUDGET SPREADSHEET
How to keep things on track!
Renos are notorious for running late. In this next topic we’ll
tell you how we keep our team focused and on track to meet
those tight deadlines. We’ll also share our tips for how to have
tough conversations with your team and how to hold them
accountable. We don’t want you to be backward in coming
forward!
What’s Next ?MODULE 2 - TOPIC 4
Bonnie, Erin + Lana x
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