[drive surgeon]

hi richy, yes i was thinking of around £1.50 a sq m, only tiny bit of oil but around 5 sq metres of cement welded to tarmac parking bay, i was going to put brick acid on to loosen it and then try blast it off but i might need something to break it off first??  its not easy putting quotes in, especially if you want the work quite bad, i worry about allsorts. i always to as good a job as possible and he will see some great before and after pics in my quote so im just hoping.  still got to work it all out over weekend.

[Richy L]

for removing cement, you will need the acid, but when removing it from walls i use a hammer to, to losen it up a bit. im not sure about using acid on tarmac though. id check that out if i was you to make sure it is ok.

[drive surgeon]

yes i know acid can do damage to tarmac but if i just leave it on for a small while im hoping it will be ok, its just on the tarmac i need to remove it from. the walls are just green in patches.  anyone else know whats best to remove cement from tarmac?

[ace jetwash]

Please consider asking for a fifty percent deposit, or staggered payment where you work for a set number of days and then get paid for the work completed before commencing more work.
Getting payment may prove to be harder than the work you do !

[drive surgeon]

does anyone else ask for 50% deposit?  wont they just say p off?

[Roger Oakley]

does anyone else ask for 50% deposit?  wont they just say p off?

No I don't think they will tell you to p**s-off, witha job of this size, what £5K and above, I think you should ask for somehing up-front once you both have dotted the "Is" and crossed the "T's" has to what you will do and when etc.
You will have outlay, fuel, staff, chemicals etc, so why should you front the job?
Just my view, others may differ.

[drive surgeon]

if i get offered the job i might ask them, still taking ages to sort the quotes out. :

[steve doyle]

I dont think it would be unreasonable to split the job into quarters and ask for 25% at the end of each quarter.

That way you will avoid a big hit if they went bump etc.

just my 2 penneth!

[drive surgeon]

might do that steve.

[drive surgeon]

quote gone in finally, now worrying time, i would not have a clue what the other 2 quotes were like, i dont know if im to dear or too cheap. i really could do with this job, im keeping my fingers and toes crossed. shall i ring them in a week to ask them if they have looked at it?

[Richy L]

i would.
like you said, leave it a week though, give them a bit of time.

[drive surgeon]

no resonse after a week now, ,  its always the same on commercial quotes.   out of the three quotes i would not a have the slightest clue if i was the dearest or cheapest, either way could put them off.  im only a one man band with occasional help but a big company could have charged twice the price, who knows. i will have to call them i suppose as usual chasing up the quote.

[totalclean]

what-ever happens,you have got some good input into pricing a big job so even if you dont get it dont be dis-hearted,great information and loads of good advise please let us know the out-come either way thanks to all the ppl on this site and good luck mate.

[drive surgeon]

will let you know then, thanks,  domestic jobs are far easier to win!

[drive surgeon]

phoned them up and he said he has been off and has not had chance to look at the quote,  should i take this as a positive after a week or is it just an excuse, i suppose he could be waiting for other quote to come in. hate waiting 

[Dave Graham]

Whatever happened to this jjob - did u get it?

[BDCS]

Where did you drag this old thread out from ? April 2008