how to brief your dream team - therenoschool.com

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.

https://therenoschool.com/module-2-bonus/



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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.


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


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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.


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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]

·

·

·

·


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 .

https://fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/ftw/Tradespeople/Building_industry_essentials/Home_building_contracts.page

https://www.planning.act.gov.au/build-buy-renovate/build-buy-or-renovate/building-101/building-contracts

https://consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/building-and-renovating/plan-and-manage-your-building-project/contracts

https://qbcc.qld.gov.au/contracts-payments/contracts

https://sa.gov.au/topics/planning-and-property/land-and-property-development/planning-professionals/builder-responsibilities

https://commerce.wa.gov.au/consumer-protection/building-contracts

https://cbos.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/405038/Residential_Consumer_Guide_Digital_Final.PDF

https://nt.gov.au/property/building-and-development/building-and-renovating-a-home/signing-a-residential-building-contract



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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.

FLIP

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E 1.2.3.4.5.6.

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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T H E R E N O S C H O O L . C O M

# T H E R E N O S C H O O L

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