Terms and Conditions

General Guidelines for Domestic Building Works

Disruption: Building works can be very noisy, dusty and disruptive. Although care is taken to minimise this, residual dust is usually unavoidable.

Scaffold: You are advised to inform your home insurance company of works especially if scaffolding is be erected (either portable or rigid).

Furniture: Please remove all chattels from work areas. Large items will be covered up by arrangement. We would recommend where practical removing furniture to storage to facilitate access to works and for avoidance of damage. Protection of carpets and furniture is carried out by us throughout the works on a reasonable basis with the removal of debris only. If you require a professional cleaning contractors service after works we will pleased to arrange this at cost.

Flooring: If a carpet or floor covering is removed or lifted to facilitate works it will be if possible temporarily re-laid. If you require carpets to be stretched and refitted we will be pleased to arrange this at cost.

Health & Safety: All work areas are potentially dangerous and should be treated as such at all times. Please ensure animals and especially children are kept from them, and all persons on the premises are informed of the work.

Storage of Materials: Storage areas for skips and materials will be required throughout the works (unless otherwise specified) either in or on the premises.

Variations and extras to original contract: It should be noted that variations to the outline of works by clients is a common occurrence, this is likely to extend the contract period and will affect the costs. Quotes/ estimates for any variations will be issued as the works progress or upon request.

Fridges/freezers/other continuously running electrical goods: It may prove necessary to run a temporary trailing lead to maintain supply if these goods are affected by the works. Please check this supply on a regular basis as we cannot guarantee continuity.

Computers: Please inform us in advance of any special considerations, any building work can result in sudden loss of the power supply without notice.

Infrastructure: Previously supplied services ie phone, ariel, cable TV lines etc may have to be disconnected to facilitate works. If reconnection is not specifically mentioned in the quote/estimate they may not be reconnected.

Parking/Access:To help our tradesmen with access and for safe delivery of materials and avoidance of damage, we require as much space as possible adjacent to the main access points and customers vehicles to be parked elsewhere, away from unloading areas.

Tarmac Drives: Although reasonable precautions are taken it is often very difficult to fully protect a tarmac drive due to the nature of the material & especially in warm weather. Please inform us in advance should this be of any concern.

Heavy Vehicle Access: It is often necessary to drive heavy vehicles over driveways to gain access to sites & make deliveries. We will not take responsibility for damage to drives if they are not up to standard prior to works. This includes inadequate sub structure. The construction of the drive/access ways should be as detailed NHBC guidelines for domestic drives. If you have concerns over the durability of you drive/accessway which are not obvious this should be raised prior to works.

Structural Work: When walls are removed and steel beams or lintels are specified, cracking and settlement may well occur during and after the works. Rooms/walls above and around these areas may well be affected. Unless separately noted or a specific contingency sum is included within this contract, minor making good and decoration to the affected areas subsequant to completion is NOT included.

Roof Removal: Where a roof is removed over existing accommodation and residual minor decoration damage occurs we do not included in our general conditions to repair this unless specifically mentioned.

Access to Work Areas: Unrestricted access will be required to work areas at all times during the contract period during normal working hours. If there are particular problems such as dogs or no spare keys available, we must be notified prior to works. We operate a key management system on site to assist us with this, please discuss any particular concerns you may have.

Disposal of Customers Goods to our Skips: If you would like to place items in our skips, please inform us first. If the space is NOT needed there will be no charge, otherwise you will be charged as per the skip companies standard tariff. We do not dispose of unwanted carpets or other client goods unless by prior arrangement.

Drawing Errors: We will take no responsibility for errors in the plans supplied to us particularly in relation to overhangs or sitting errors made by architects. Please satisfy yourself that these are acceptable before works commence and that you have completed the paperwork relevant to the party wall act as required.

Specification Interpretation: Where we are installing certain goods either supplied by the customer or ourselves there may occasionally by variations to the fitting as described in the manufacturers instructions. Whilst every effort is made to fit goods correctly, localised conditions or fitters interpretations/past experience does occasionally mean design changes. These however should not affect the performance of the goods.

Minor settlement & shrinkage: This will occur on most if not all works & is normal. Provided the workmanship & material where free from defect on completion we do not return to do minor remedial work. This should be brought in on a normal room decoration cycle and not addressed for a minimum of 6 months after completion (longer with certain materials).

The above guidelines are printed to help point out potential problems which may occur and help with expectation. They form part of the contract relating to the quotation/estimate submitted and associated works (verbally instructed or otherwise). They may require amendment on certain works but any omissions or inclusions should therefore be agreed upon prior to commencement, otherwise terms remain as defined above.

Definitions of works & terms

The scope of works - Our quotations and /or estimates are supplied and available at the time of tender or commencement of works.

The basis of the quote/estimate is based on GS Walker Ltd interpretation of your requirements and is based on information provided. Please check the quote/estimate to ensure it meets your brief and requirements. Where quotes/estimates are based upon specification, drawings, quantities and other information provided by the client, they may be subject to re-measurement if change/inaccuracies are found. The Company reserves the right to adjust quoted prices in the event of significant variations to quantities or specification.

Working Hours - The quote/estimate is based on normal working hours Monday-Friday 7.45 -4.45 with weekend work by arrangement.

Environment - Many of our products are natural products and are sensitive to environmental temperature changes. It is the client’s responsibility to provide a suitable ongoing environment for them to perform adequately.

Attendances – Prices are based on assumptions in terms of standard attendances that are provided free of charge to allow GS Walker Ltd to undertake the works.

i) Suitable clear access to site and working areas from agreed commencement date.

Ii) Storage of materials and plant in safe and secured covered store.

iii) Use of welfare facilities and sanitary accommodation unless specified as us supplying.

iv) Use of plant for material movement to all areas, including hoisting where necessary, at a time to suit agreed programme.

v) Our erection of scaffolding and other equipment necessary for access and safety purposes to comply with current Health and Safety legislation. Scaffolding and the like to be suitable for the type of work and to be erected, moved, altered and re-erected as necessary.

vi) Supply of electricity for lighting and power to required voltage (110v 15amp unless otherwise advised).

vii) Cearance from workface of all rubbish arising from the works and subsequent disposal.

viii) Protection of all completed and uncompleted work from damage by preceding or following trades.

Variations – Where ever possible will be priced and agreed in advance on the basis of the estimate price, where it is reasonable & practical to do so. If this is not reasonable they will be priced against daywork charges calculated in accordance with the “Definition of Price Cost of Daywork carried out under a Building Contract” (current edition published by the R.I.C.S and B.E.C.) with percentage additions as follows:

Labour + 200%

Materials + 25%

Plant + 20%