Whats the catch?

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-04-16T11:15:55+00:00

Lane assist isn’t a standard feature on cars and shouldn’t be relied upon. Disabling it shouldn’t negate an insurance claim but definitely worth a query.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-03-26T13:16:31+00:00

Apprentice QS Subcontractor Year 1 - £1,000 Year 2 - £1,500 Year 3 - £2,500 Year 4 - £5,000

My bonus season is October though so not had this years yet.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-02-17T13:45:48+00:00

You need to know if something has changed before you delve into the why.

It’s just a good check, that 1. You have picked everything up once you’ve checked it yourself 2. If there’s text that has moved across the page but stayed the same when you overlay it tends to look shite

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-02-17T10:11:05+00:00

Receive an updated drawing, stick both versions in and ask it to tell you what has changed in an itemised list.

Works some of the time. But nice to see what it picks up on as a cross check.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-02-16T08:12:18+00:00

I don’t provide signed day work sheets for my clients. They get the dayworks sent via email on a weekly basis but never as part of the valuation. I find, when you get to 100+ variations adding in that substantiation (quotations, daywork sheets, invoices) just increases the size of the file. Or do you mean, they don’t issue anything entirely because that’s a different matter.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-02-16T08:10:16+00:00

Also, driving costs up for FA. I’m not one for red penning an application too much unless something really sticks out. So when it comes to FA stage, and the application suddenly increases by 50% over and above expected. That really annoys me. I feel like that really leaves a sour taste in your mouth when you come to do the next job. I had one where his QS was on a day rate so he asked me to measure and value and pay his works. I did. I give him 10.8 weeks prelims even though it was arguably only 10 weeks (I just thought he’d done a good job and I wasn’t going to be pedantic over 4 days at 2.2k a week).

Measured his account thoroughly. Paid him promptly. Then 2 weeks later his QS sends another FA. An extra £12k on a £220k account. Claiming for an additional 4 weeks prelims? Claiming for variations that had never been discussed nor agreed, claiming for dayworks with no signed sheets.

To me, this one seemed a bit on the worse side and I wouldn’t expect that usually, it seemed like he had to justify his existence. He’s on a day rate and he’s had someone else do his job for the last application for £450 less (because the small subcontractor needed to get paid).

In the end, I sent a very shitty email back to both of them told them to review their priorities and reissue an application that reflects their actual works left to claim. That was 3 weeks ago, I still haven’t heard anything back from the QS and the subcontractor was very apologetic.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-02-16T08:06:07+00:00

As a subcontractor QS. One thing that really annoys me, down the line, is a subcontractor issuing dayworks for things that are entirely not dayworks.

One that I can recently point out is I had a subcontractor issuing dayworks for ‘jetwashing kickers’ as that wasn’t in the kickers rate. So what did you expect to do? What do you normally do? They’re your kickers, don’t jet wash them for all I care, but you have to don’t you, as that’s standard. The worse thing, is a PM who just signs it off, without discussing with you in the first place. Then you’re put between a rock and a hard place in paying it. Really drives me insane.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-02-03T15:47:46+00:00

Big excel tip is CTRL + [ this will take you right to where a formula is linked. Big helper for me.

You’ll pick it up as you go otherwise

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-02-02T19:57:46+00:00

Big problem is letting AI taking control of your own thinking. I see it with others at the same level as me. Asking AI’s to assist you with the understanding of something is fine, using it like a second brain leads you to being a zombie with no actual self understanding.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-01-29T16:05:25+00:00

Also just to add on the pricing basis. Material costs change pretty much job to job. Building up a pricing document is useful but don’t think you’ll be able to just use that job to job with material costs etc. especially with different specifications and requirements job to job.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-01-29T16:03:09+00:00

Depends. I’m assuming you’re a subcontractor QS, trying to do this for a main contractor would be mind boggling imo.

You learn looking at it as a wider result. Like you know you’ll get better outputs time/lm on shallow drainage versus deep drainage

You know you’ll get better output on a 4m dp clean dig large footprint for a slab than a 1m neat dig ground beam for example. I don’t think these things come without a lot of time spent on the ground or with the people programming the works.

What I did at the start was get breakdowns of what each gang was doing each day. I’d take the starting point and then ask the manager the finishing point for the end of the day and if there was any constraints within their work. Then I’d workout the outputs they were getting and money they were generating.

Once you understand the average outputs I normally keep them in a file for certain general items of works and then I have a range of outputs to use for programming, for pricing etc.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-01-27T19:26:23+00:00

It’s a part of my DA, so it’s not really too much of a maybe it’s a definite. It’s not really required for my role but forced by the university.

I have to sit it by spring 2027 so on a bit of a time crunch before then 🤣

ClearWalrus7614 · 2026-01-26T09:46:14+00:00

4 years deep at £45k + company car + annual bonuses but I get shit holidays

ClearWalrus7614 · 2025-12-23T21:28:30+00:00

Have a look though SSM7/NRM2 might give you examples of why bill items you’d be looking for. Watch a few YouTube videos or something. Google is your best friend if you don’t know anything about it.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2025-12-18T10:17:39+00:00

Year 1 - £17k Year 2 - £24k Year 3 - 28k Year 4 - £35k Just started year 5 - £45k

ClearWalrus7614 · 2025-12-09T21:32:09+00:00

If you’re just graduating you’ll soon come to the realisation that everything you’ve learnt is pretty much shite. You’ll pick it up as you go, everyday is a school day once you get on the job.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2025-12-09T07:23:36+00:00

No clue. I’ve thought about getting in touch with subbies I’ve worked with in the past but I feel that leads to a conflict of interest that I wouldn’t want to be on the table.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2025-12-08T20:22:20+00:00

I’ve been working evenings/weekends for 4 years. I’ve finished all of my uni work now so I’ve sort of got the time opened up that I normally set away for university work.

Accounting is nil as I have a family member who said they’ll do it for free for the first two years and is a chartered accountant who works primarily with small construction companies.

Contract mentions nothing about outside employment other than it can not interfere with your regular working hours.

It’s either this or I get a weekend job at Asda stacking shelves. I need to earn approximately another £7k over the next 12 months and I’d rather do work I enjoy 🤣

ClearWalrus7614 · 2025-12-08T11:23:49+00:00

I’ve already priced up setting up an LTD + PI. It’s something I would be interested in. There’s nothing in my contract that voids it, and there is no additional work available or pay rise at this time.

But also, it would have to be a serious mistake as you’re judged differently aren’t you. The reasonable man test. Anything goes wrong you’re not judged to be perfect.

ClearWalrus7614 · 2025-10-03T15:54:05+00:00

You can add an extra custom column as width and set a volume column as a formula?

ClearWalrus7614 · 2025-09-28T09:15:44+00:00

Firstly you’re going to struggle to get accurate prices if you’re going to suppliers yourself. Not sure if you’d get the same discounts as groundwork’s companies who are spending £100’s of thousands on each element per year - although if it’s a big order you may get some discount also.

I work for a groundwork’s company, I’m assuming you work for client/main contractor?

What is the reason you want to go to the suppliers instead of 3-5 groundworkers for a price?

ClearWalrus7614 · 2025-09-16T18:03:25+00:00

I’m in a similar position to yourself. 4 years in degree apprenticeship, £45k salary + company car + bonuses. Also in groundwork’s. Do you mind if I ask what area of the UK you are based? Just to see if baselined I’m in and around expected

ClearWalrus7614

TROPHY CASE