PLAIN-ENGLISH PROJECT GUIDES
Are we ready to go out to tender?
Check whether contractors have enough consistent information to price the project meaningfully.
Define the decision you want from the tender
Are you seeking an early budget indication or an offer against a developed scope? Both can be useful, but they are not interchangeable. Explain the design stage and the level of certainty expected so an initial conversation is not treated as a firm construction commitment.
Make one coordinated information set
Assemble the current drawings, work schedule, specification, site information, programme requirements and pricing instructions. Confirm which revisions apply. Where specialist design is still needed, explain the responsibility and the assumptions tenderers should use.
Resolve the expensive questions first
Unclear structure, drainage, servicing or occupied-site constraints can undermine comparison. Not every finish must be chosen immediately, but unresolved items need a common allowance or a clear method for separate pricing. More pages are not a substitute for consistent information.
Allow time to ask and answer
Use a shared clarification record and a realistic return date. If an important change is issued, tell all affected tenderers and allow time to respond. A short delay to resolve a major gap can be better than appointing on an unclear price.
Your practical checklist
- Agree tender purpose and scope.
- Confirm document versions and responsibilities.
- List remaining assumptions.
- Use the same clarifications for all tenderers.
Useful independent guidance
RICS: home extensions and improvements · Planning Portal: finance and budget
General guidance, not a quotation or project-specific legal, design, valuation or financial advice. Services and professional responsibilities are agreed separately.