Job review
Customer recording & your commentary
All right. So we need to redo this paving. We want to have wider paving slabs. So that all needs to be redone. And then in terms of the lawn, I'd like that to be refuted, re-turfed, whatever you think. And the other thing was to remove this tree and actually put in something bigger, maybe like a 4-meter birch tree, as we have back here, something like that. Think about access, because there's no easy access now. Maybe we might have to think about a crane for that. So yeah, we'd love to get your initial thoughts on cost and timescale. Really would like this done next month, if possible. Happy to pay a premium, if that's feasible. Let me know. Thanks.
Okay, so this one is a bit like the Bennett Residence that we did, I think, last year, but clearly it's a more premium build. So I want you to quote something that ends up at least twice the price of whatever that was. Also take into account some of the increased labour costs that we've seen since then, and the fact that this needs to be done on a really tight timescale. We probably need to use Harry on this one. So a quote for that.
Draft quote
Clarify before sending
- Confirm total paving area assumed at 50 sqm based on similar past jobs
- Clarify tree type and supplier for birch tree
- Verify labour allocation aligns with customer preference for premium turn-around — assumed completion by 2026-07-20
Confirm before sending
- Person-days16
- Start date2026-07-13
- Total£21,300
Customer scope
The scope of work includes the removal and replacement of the existing paving with larger slabs, re-turfing of the lawn, and the removal of an existing tree to be replaced with a 4-metre birch tree. Due to limited access, a crane may be required for tree installation. Aim to complete within the next month is noted, with an adjusted priority for scheduling.
Line items
- Remove existing paving and dispose£1,250
- Supply and install larger paving slabs£6,500
- Strip existing lawn and prepare soil£400
- Supply and lay new turf£2,500
- Tree removal (including stump) and disposal£550
- Supply and plant 4-metre birch tree£880
- Crane hire for tree installation£950
- Crew labour (16 person-days)£4,720
Subtotal£17,750
VAT (20%)£3,550
Total£21,300
Assumptions
- Access to the site is sufficient for crane operation and delivery vehicles.
- No existing services or obstacles such as power lines will interfere with the crane operation.
- Customer will provide welfare facilities for crew use.
Exclusions
- Does not include the replacement or repairing of any existing landscape lighting.
- Does not include any irrigation system installation or maintenance.
- Any additional crane operations beyond the removal and planting specified.
Internal · Never sent to customer
Crew: Harry, Jude, Bukayo, Declan
Risks:
- Access will likely require crane due to tight site conditions.
- Tight timeline due to customer preference — potential premium request noted.
Rationale: This quote is anchored on the Bennett-RJB job but adjusted upwards for the customer's premium timeline preference as instructed. Material and labour costs have been increased since that anchor job due to market changes. Paving and birch sizes assumed based on customer commentary; crew requirements aligned with past similar job sizes.
Anchored to: lj-2025-07-bennett-front-garden-makeover
Questions to follow up:
- Confirm use of crane for tree installation based on access constraints
- Confirm paving slab size preference and material selection
- Clarify if any existing garden features need to be preserved during work
Rationale by dimension:
- Pricing anchor: Anchor based on lj-2025-07-bennett-front-garden-makeover and applied upward adjustment for more complex access and premium timeline.
- Crew: Selected week of 2026-07-13 based on full crew availability including Harry.
- Customer history: First-time customer, no prior history.
- Trade reference: Adjusted pricing to include crane hire cost due to access constraints and sites check.