Price Itemized Design Proposal?

[tedujam]

Right now I have four different PBs working on designs for my pool. I've received two of the proposals so far. One PB listed all the various elements of the pool/construction, with a final price at the end. The 2nd PBs proposal had every part of the build itemized by price. I assumed that all the proposals would be price itemized...am I expecting too much? Did anyone else have similar experiences?

I want a price itemized proposal from every PB I'm working with, I just don't know how hard to push for it, especially if it isn't something most PBs provide.

 

[jblizzle]

If you want an itemized list ... then ask for them. If they will not provide one, well, maybe you just weeded them out of the bid process.

 

[sharper4]

You should certainly ask during your consultation that everything be itemized, whether it's something you're paying for or not. I paid for a customization, dual digital timer for my last pool, which I even had delivered, only to find the electricians swapped it out for a cheap analog timer. My PB just said he ordered the wrong thing and that the electricians installed the right item but he absolutely refused to ever show me the itemized purchase of the initial items for my pool. In fact, the contract just said "customization timer", which technically he gave me because you can put those little pegs anywhere on the clock!

 

[tedujam]

If you want an itemized list ... then ask for them. If they will not provide one, well, maybe you just weeded them out of the bid process.

I don't have a problem weeding out someone that doesn't itemize for me, but I'm trying to gauge how prevalent this is among pool builders everyone here has dealt with.

Did most PBs provide itemized proposals or did you have to push for one?

 

[Divin Dave]

There is no set rule for how PBs do quotes. Some itemize, some dont. Its a matter of if the PB wants the job or not. If he does, he shouldnt have a problem itemizing everything for you.

IMO, i agree with you. If you dont have an itemized list, how will you know what you are getting and are supposed to pay for, and if their price is comparable to other quotes?
If you like the PB, then ask him nicely for an itemized list. Make it clear however, that providing an itemized list will greatly improve his chances of winning the bid.

If you dont like the PB and he has no chance of winning anyhow, then spare him the waste of time that he would put into something that isnt going to happen.

 

[bmoreswim]

4 out of 4 itemized fully for us without asking. Though I had given them a multi-page spec list to prepare their quotes from. Not that they followed the format but it did get them to address most of my items on the first try.

My best contract advice is to get model numbers documented on EVERY piece of equipment that has one. Can't count how many issues I've read about on here that could have been avoided if that had been done.

 

[tedujam]

There is no set rule for how PBs do quotes. Some itemize, some dont. Its a matter of if the PB wants the job or not. If he does, he shouldnt have a problem itemizing everything for you.

IMO, i agree with you. If you dont have an itemized list, how will you know what you are getting and are supposed to pay for, and if their price is comparable to other quotes?
If you like the PB, then ask him nicely for an itemized list. Make it clear however, that providing an itemized list will greatly improve his chances of winning the bid.

If you dont like the PB and he has no chance of winning anyhow, then spare him the waste of time that he would put into something that isnt going to happen.

Thanks. I like the PB that didn't give me an itemized quote. Her design is completely unique. I can tell this PB is pretty busy and I'm concerned that pushing for an itemized list will make them think I'm more trouble than I'm worth, and they'll just move on to their other projects, since I've already been going back and forth with her via email every day for a week.

It's hard to delicately say "I need an itemized list to compare to my other bids and make sure you're not ripping me off". She hasn't responded since I asked for an itemized bid and she had been emailing me every day prior to that request.

Not much I can do, she'll either respond or move on.

 

[jblizzle]

Seems like that is exactly how you should say it

 

[grottoguy]

Each of my PBs gave me an itemized list without even asking. All you have to say is that you need the itemized list so that if you want to forgo any particular item you will know what you will save and if you want to upgrade an item you will have a rough idea of what to expect (based on the price of the item before the upgrade). It seems to me that if you are hesitant now to ask questions because it may offend your builder, you will end up being disappointed and upset later.

 

[sharper4]

In my opinion - you NEED an itemized list. And if a PB is too busy to help during the purchase process, they will be WAY to busy to help during the build.

 

[grottoguy]

I can understand a builder giving you one price, as it is easier for them. Suppose they quote you $45,000 and throw in three extra lights at their estiamted cost (electric and unit price, etc) of $1500 to get the deal done. If you then decide you dont want an item for which they were earnign a lot of profit, they may no longer want to charge you only $1500 for those lights.

And as long as you get quotes from other builders on the exact same materials (including amount of REBAR, width of pipes, etc), it wont necessary haunt you that you don't have itemized costs. But it does make it more difficult when you want to change things (AND YOU WILL!) after you have signed the contract because you will not have any frame of reference to compare the upgraded costs. But if the Builder prefers not to itemize, you can protect yourself by trying to anticipate what you might want to change (an extra light, more REBAR, variable speed pump), and you can put in the price of any such upgrade into the contract. You invariably will not anticipate all things, but you can protect yourself somewhat and you will ensure yourself a better price than if you wait until after you have contracted with the PB. But don't be scared to ask the builder for what you would prefer -explain why you want it and she may be accomodating. If she says no, decide if you think her answer is logical and make your decision accordingly.

 

[JasonLion]

Price itemized proposals are far from universal. Frequently a whole bunch of stuff is standard for a base price, and then various options are itemized.

For me, getting a reasonably detailed list of what is included is important, but requiring a price itemized breakdown of everything is just asking the builder to do extra work that I will end up paying them to prepare.

 

[jojoman]

None of the 4 builders i asked for quotes came back with an itemized proposal like i have seen on here. You know the ones that have where 100 ft of 2 inch pipe is included in price but anything over will be $ XXX more. Everyone of them did spell out exactly what quipment is being installed,how much decking is in the buget, overall size of pool,ect. It really came down to who's going to give me the most bang for my buck.