WOODWORKING QUIZ for 8 Oct 04

[Ralph Jones]

Good Evening Friends,
You have been awarded the contract to build wall to wall and floor to ceiling book cases with base cabinets that will be 24" deep and 36" high.

There are several things that must be considered before you start the job.

Can you name some?

Respectfully,

[echnidna]

Are we going to get paid.
How much profit is in it.

[E. maculata]

Structural integrity of sub-floor construction.

[journeyman Mick]

1) how do I tell the client that I've got a bit of a backlog of work and that I won't actually start this job for about 3 months?
2)I'm running out of room (again), should I start the next stage of my shed expansion before this job?
3)Where's my bloody imperial tape measure? :p
4)How far out of plumb are the walls?
5)How far out of level is the floor?
6)How far out from the job to the nearest pub? :D
7)What's the biggest unit I can get into the room through the door(s)/window(s)?
8)How will I detail the skirting,cornice and wall junctions?
9)They accepted my quote, could I have quoted higher? :D

Mick

[echnidna]

"They accepted my quote, could I have quoted higher?"
Oh Hell I must be too cheap, did I put a rise and fall clause in the contract?

[Ralph Jones]

Good Evening Friends,
You all have some good input and remedies but, the most important one you all left out. The first thing you should do is to make a sketch and or a formal drawing and go over it with the client to make sure that is is what they want and always get it in writing as insurance for both you and them, so when you build it they can't come back and say, "that is not what I was wanting."

It is a lot easier to make any changes on paper than after the cabinet is built.

Thank you for your support.

Respectfully,

[journeyman Mick]

Ralph,
as the contract had already been awarded I had assumed the client had read my three page quote (with opt out disclaimer) and detailed sketches. Actually my Q's 4,5,7 & 8 I would've covered before quoting as well.

Mick

[echnidna]

Mick, how do you word an opt out disclaimer?

[journeyman Mick]

Mick, how do you word an opt out disclaimer?

Something along the lines of "Acceptance of this quote does not constitute a contract"
Added that after reading an article in the QMBA magazine, apparently if you quote on a job and it's accepted but your'e too busy and decline and then the client gets someone else to do it, they could conceivably sue you for any difference in the prices.

Mick

[echnidna]

Thanks Mick.