How to Quote a Guttering Job Without Eating Into Your Profit

Working with builders and contractors, we know managing a job isn’t easy.

You’re organising materials, keeping the customer updated, sorting labour and trying to get the next job priced. Often you’re doing the paperwork after everyone else has gone home.

Guttering is one part of that job. But get the quantities or details wrong and it can take up far more time than you allowed for.

My view is that getting a good material price matters, but you also need to know you’ve priced everything required to finish the work.

Check the metres. Then check the elevations.

This has happened many times: a builder sends us quantities they’ve worked out from drawings, confident they’ve got everything covered. We double-check and notice a difference.

Sometimes it’s the total metres. Sometimes it’s something on another elevation that hasn’t made it onto the list.

It’s easily done when you’re pricing several parts of a build at once.

Check each elevation against your quantities. Make sure you’ve picked up every gutter run, corner, outlet and downpipe. Look at how the runs meet and where the water needs to go.

If you’re working from revised drawings, make sure your measurements and quantities relate to the same version.

And if something doesn’t add up, ask us. That’s a much better time to sort it out than when you’re ready to fit.

Send us photos as well as measurements

Drawings are useful, but they don’t always show the detail you need on an existing building.

A pipe might need to pass around a projection. A corner might be an unusual angle. You might be trying to connect to a system you haven’t identified yet.

Send us an overall photograph, a close-up of the detail and any measurements you have. A tape measure in the picture can help, provided it’s clear what you’re measuring.

 

 

 

Photos like this help show the site detail alongside a measurement. Include the measurement in your message too, so we’re clear about what it refers to.

You don’t have to arrive with every answer. Tell us what you’re trying to achieve and where you’re unsure. We can help you work through what’s needed.

Price the complete system

The gutter lengths are only the starting point.

Depending on the system, you’ll also need brackets, joints, angles, stop ends, outlets, downpipe fittings, fixings and the specified jointing materials.

Check the supplied lengths against your individual runs as well. Twelve metres of guttering split across several elevations won’t necessarily work out as four three-metre lengths once you allow for the cuts.

At AGD, we offer free take-offs and help putting together the materials list. You can send us drawings, photographs or measurements while you’re pricing the job.

We’ll help check the order and flag details that need clarifying before you commit.

Be clear about what your price includes

“Replace the guttering” can mean different things to different people.

Are the downpipes being replaced too? Are you removing and disposing of the old system? What happens if the fascia needs attention once the gutter is off?

Put those points in the quote.

If you can’t assess something until the work starts, explain that and how any additional work will be agreed. It saves an awkward conversation later.

Allow for your own time

You might have allowed for someone to spend a day fitting. But what about the time you’ve spent measuring, ordering, checking deliveries and organising the work?

Your business needs to cover that too.

Think through the job from arriving on site to clearing up. Include removal, access, disposal and the time spent handling the materials.

A competitive materials order helps your margin. Leaving half the work out of the quote doesn’t.

Confirm the order before booking the fitting

Get the customer’s agreement on the profile, size, colour and finish before ordering.

Then confirm availability and expected delivery with the supplier, particularly for bespoke components.

When the materials arrive, check them against the order while there’s time to resolve any questions. It’s a simple check that can save a lot of rearranging.

Need help with installation?

If you want a specialist to handle the installation, speak to us about our partnered installers, Stafford Rainwater Systems.

They supply and install aluminium rainwater systems. Discuss the location, scope and timing early so you can establish the installation cost before finalising your customer’s quote.

Get the details checked before you commit

We work hard to keep AGD’s prices competitive. We also want you to feel confident that you’re ordering the right system and the parts needed to complete it.

Check the metres. Check every elevation. Allow for the whole job.

If you’re unsure, send us your drawings, photographs or measurements. We’d much rather help you work through a question at the quoting stage than have you trying to resolve it on the fitting day