When planning an industrial construction, refurbishment, roofing or cladding project, it’s completely understandable that cost is going to be one of the biggest considerations.
Whether you’re replacing an industrial roof, refurbishing an old warehouse, extending an existing building or constructing a completely new industrial unit, you’re likely to receive several quotes from different contractors and naturally, your eyes are going to be drawn to the cheapest one but the lowest initial quote doesn’t always result in the lowest final cost.
What Should an Industrial Construction Quote Include?
A good commercial or industrial construction quote should give you a clear understanding of exactly what is included within the price. Depending on the project, this could cover site preparation, demolition, groundworks and civils, structural steelwork, roofing and cladding, drainage, internal refurbishment, mechanical and electrical works, asbestos removal, access equipment and waste disposal.
Problems often arise when quotes are compared purely on their final figure without looking closely at the scope behind them. One contractor might appear considerably cheaper simply because certain elements haven’t been included. Those costs haven’t disappeared. They’ll usually come back later.
Cheap Construction Can Become Expensive
There are plenty of reasons an industrial construction project can increase in cost once work begins. Poor initial surveys, unrealistic allowances, missing elements of the specification, inadequate planning or simply pricing a project aggressively to secure the work can all result in variations and additional costs later. That can be particularly problematic on commercial and industrial projects where keeping a facility operational is important.
Saving money on the original quotation doesn’t mean much if unexpected works, delays or disruption end up costing the business considerably more.
Look at Value, Not Just Price. At ACT Industrial, we believe the better question isn’t simply “Who is the cheapest industrial contractor?”
It should be:
“Who offers the best overall value and can actually deliver the project properly?”
Experience, health and safety, quality of workmanship, communication, programme management and the ability to deal with unexpected problems all have a value. Using a contractor capable of managing multiple elements of a project can also make a significant difference. Rather than coordinating separate companies for roofing, cladding, asbestos removal, groundworks, steelwork and refurbishment, working with a turnkey industrial contractor can provide one point of responsibility throughout the project.
Industrial Roofing and Cladding Is a Good Example
Commercial roofing projects demonstrate perfectly why comparing quotes isn’t always straightforward. A cheaper industrial roofing quote may initially look attractive, but does it include everything required? Has the existing roof been properly assessed? Have access requirements been considered? What condition are the gutters and roof lights in? Is asbestos present? Does insulation need upgrading? Can the work be completed while the building remains operational? These details can completely change the scope and cost of an industrial roofing or cladding project.
Identifying them before work begins provides the client with a much clearer picture of what the project is actually going to cost.
Experience Matters
ACT Industrial has more than 50 years of combined industry experience across our team, working on commercial and industrial buildings throughout Leicestershire and across the UK. Our capabilities include industrial roofing and cladding, commercial refurbishment, asbestos removal, civils and groundworks, structural steelwork, building extensions and complete new industrial buildings. That wider experience means we can look at a building as a whole rather than concentrating on one isolated element.
Sometimes replacing a roof is the right answer. Sometimes refurbishment makes more commercial sense. Sometimes an ageing industrial building requires a much wider programme of works. Our job is to help clients understand those options before committing to unnecessary expenditure.
Choosing an Industrial Contractor in Leicester, Leicestershire and Across the UK
ACT Industrial is based in Leicestershire and works with businesses, landlords, property managers and industrial property owners locally and throughout the UK. If you’re comparing quotes for an industrial refurbishment, commercial roofing and cladding project, warehouse extension or new industrial building, we’d always recommend looking beyond the figure at the bottom.
Compare the scope.
Ask what’s included.
Ask what’s excluded.
Look at previous projects.
Check the contractor understands your building, your business and the practical challenges involved in completing the work. Because ultimately, the cheapest quote is only cheap if the final job costs what you expected it to. At ACT Industrial, we’d rather price a project properly, explain exactly what we’re proposing and give our clients a realistic understanding of the job from the beginning.
Clear scope. Proper planning. No race to the bottom.
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