Four steps. No surprises.
Every UABS project follows the same protocol, whatever the size. Free site visit, written quote, fixed-price build, signed-off handover with a written guarantee. Here is what each stage looks like in practice.
The free site visit
A 30 to 45 minute visit at your address. We listen first, then walk through the property to scope the work and flag anything that affects the price or the programme. There is no hard sell and no obligation afterwards.
What to expect
A two-way conversation, not a presentation. We ask what you want, what your priorities are, and what is non-negotiable. We will tell you straight if a job is outside our scope or our radius.
How long it takes
Usually 30 to 45 minutes for a typical domestic project. Larger refurbishments or new builds can take an hour and a half. We agree the slot in advance so you are not waiting around.
What we bring
Tape measure, laser, camera, notebook. Photographs and dimensions go into our quote system at the end of the visit so the written quote ties back to what we actually saw.
What you should have ready
Any drawings or planning history, the brief in your own words (rough is fine), and a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves. If you are between properties, photographs of the existing space help.
The written quote
A fixed price for a defined scope, written down, with materials and labour itemised line by line. It is not an estimate. We do not move the price after you sign unless you change the scope, and any change goes through a written variation first.
What is included
Itemised materials, itemised labour, prime cost sums for items chosen later (kitchens, sanitaryware, finishes), preliminaries, waste removal, building control fees, and a payment schedule tied to delivery stages.
Format
PDF, sent by email, with a covering note that explains the scope assumptions and any items deliberately left as provisional sums. You can read it without needing a glossary.
Turnaround
Within 7 to 10 working days of the site visit. We will tell you if a complex scope needs longer, and we never go back to the drawing board without warning you.
Why a quote, not an estimate
An estimate is a rough figure that grows once the detail is known. A quote is a commitment. SPEC §1: vague quotes that grow on site are exactly what we do not do.
The build
A named site lead is on the project from day one to handover. The same person who quoted the work runs it. Daily site clean-down, weekly progress photos, and a single point of contact for variations or questions.
Site protocols
Floor protection on circulation routes, dust screens at any internal junction, dust extraction on cutting work, waste removed on schedule under our waste-carrier registration. Site is left tidy at the end of every working day.
Communication
Weekly progress photos by message, a brief written update at the end of each working week, and same-day response to any question raised while we are on site. WhatsApp, phone or email — whichever suits you.
When something changes
Older properties throw up surprises. If we find one, we stop, photograph it, and write a variation with a price before any extra work goes ahead. Nothing is added to the bill without your written sign-off.
Working hours
Monday to Friday 07:30 to 18:00 as standard. Saturday morning by agreement. We respect quiet hours for tasks that affect neighbours and flag noisy stages in advance.
Sign off and guarantee
A written walk-around with you on the final day. We agree a snagging list together, fix everything on it before the final invoice is due, and hand over a written workmanship guarantee plus the manufacturer warranties for the products we have installed.
The walk-around
Room by room, checking finishes, services, fixtures and the fit between the new build and any existing structure. Any item raised goes onto a written snagging list, signed by both sides.
Snag list
Items on the snagging list are fixed before the final invoice is raised. We do not chase the final payment with snags outstanding.
Written guarantee
A written workmanship guarantee on completion, with the exact term set out in your quote before you sign. Manufacturer warranties for materials and appliances are passed across to you with the handover pack.
Aftercare
Anything that emerges within the guarantee period is covered. We respond in writing within one working week and arrange the fix without you chasing.
What you can expect from us.
Same-day reply
We answer the phone or come back within the working day. No silent stretches between site visits.
Set working hours
Mon-Fri 07:30 to 18:00 as standard, Sat morning by agreement. Quiet hours respected for noisy work.
Site clean every day
Floors swept, off-cuts removed, materials staged tidy. Site is handed back to you at the end of each day.
Photos and updates
Weekly progress photos and a brief written update so you can keep up without standing on site.
Lead time from quote to start.
Depends on current bookings. We give you a realistic start window in writing before you sign anything, and we will not promise a date we cannot hold.
In every quote.
Skips included in every quote
Waste removal under our waste-carrier registration is part of the price, not an add-on at the end.
Scaffolding included in every quote
Where the job needs scaffold, it is hired, erected, struck and removed within the quoted figure.
Written fixed-price quotes, no surprises
Itemised materials and labour, prime-cost sums for finishes chosen later, and any variation written down before extra work goes ahead.
Standard staged payment structure
A staged payment schedule tied to defined delivery stages, agreed in writing before work starts.
What we ask from you.
Site access
A spare key or a reliable way for the team to enter on working days. Where access is shared (flats, terraces with rear gardens), let the relevant neighbours know in advance.
Parking
Somewhere reasonable to park the van and unload materials. If parking is restricted, a permit or a friendly neighbour lined up before day one saves a lot of friction.
Decision deadlines for finishes
Tile, paint and fixture choices get a deadline early on so the order can land before the trade slot. We tell you the cut-off date with the quote so nothing is a surprise.
Honest brief
Tell us what matters and what does not. The fewer hidden priorities, the better the quote and the smoother the build. We would rather hear "I do not care about the grout colour" than guess.