QS for replacing windows?

kirving

Would appreciate some advice on the below. Looking to have windows replaced on a standard enough 4 bed house, and thinking that having the advice of a Quantity Surveyor may be well worth the money.

I'm well able to provide drawings, layout and specs to window suppliers for a RFQ in a standardised format (and aware they rightfully will want to do their own measurements before manufacturing), but I'm stuck on a few bits.

1. As a private buyer I fully expect some suppliers to chance their arm price wise as they know I won't be familiar with the market.

2. I'm unsure of who is actually reliable in my area (South Dublin).

3. I don't know how payment structures work for building/windows. If I apply how I do it in work (with huge buying power), I'll probably just offend legitimate small Irish businesses, but I also know I need to hold some payment back until I'm confident they're installed correctly (eg: X amount of time + a rainy day). I'd like to keep this as professional as possible and avoid argument.

4. What's normally included, what's not?

If a QS was to issue the RFQs, negotiate a price with a reliable supplier, and keep everything 100% professional, I'd be happy to pay for that.

Would anyone know if QS's tend to do this kind of thing, as it's a relatively small project? How much might they charge for such work?

colm_c

After going through getting costs for new windows recently myself, I think a QS is overkill, and probably wouldn't take it on as such a small job for them.

What we did, was see what companies were putting windows in locally in the last few months, then call and get them to come out and measure/quote.

Rang 4 companies, 1 never returned my call, the other 3 came out within a week.

There was 6k in the difference between cheapest and most expensive.

What I learned...

Some will high ball you, and then come way down, others have almost zero they can take off, others have a little.

So always ask for a discount, worst they can say is no.

I personally hate the high ball approach, so that ruled them out for me.

Always compare like with like - triple vs triple etc.

I paid 50% deposit, currently waiting for my windows to be installed, should be next couple of weeks.

I have to pay the remainder on the install day.

Everything is included, install, cleanup, making good etc.

12 weeks is the lead time I was quoted by all the companies I got quotes from.

kirving

Thanks for the insight, very helpful and will keep it in mind.

abbey

Do the installers seal joints around the reveals or is that up to you yourself?

dazzler101

I worked as a QS for a number of years. QS would not be much benefit to you tbh.

Once your happy with what type/spec of windows you want, measure up the openings yourself and contact/ring a couple of suppliers and see what price range they are in, question what's included in the price removing existing windows, builders work, seals etc. they should be able to tell you the full scope what's needed vs the scope that they are pricing.

payment will probably 50/50, deposit and installation. I would imagine a goof few weeks lead time etc.

Quango Unchained

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118880616#Comment_118880616

The window companies that we got quotes from didn't include air tightness tape as standard in the price. For our windows, I bought the tape myself and just gave it to the installers to use.