Sample terms and conditions
I use the following terms and conditions in my daily business. They are based on a mix of what I have seen in cookie-cutter contracts and personal observations of what seems to matter to my customers. To put the terms in context:
- I usually work direct for private clients who I visit in their home and talk to in depth before submitting a quote.
- I approach all work on a room-by-room basis, which makes the format totally scalable. ie the terms for a single utility room apply to every room in a whole country mansion.
To those thinking that my approach is a bit weedy compared to a wordy contract presented in miniscule print – I included this set of terms in a quotation for work for a former lawyer. Apparently he ran one of the largest law firms in the North West, and he said he liked the thoroughness of the whole proposal – which was quite reassuring. (Cynics might say he liked it because he could have easily torn the terms to pieces in a court of law, had he so desired, but I have been using the same format for 12 months now, and so far, so good.)
Terms reflect a business philosophy
A good deal is where both parties feel comfortable. What is not acceptable is a one-sided deal where heads I win, tails you lose – or vice versa.
In the US, the standard terms from painting contractors are thorough, but as a client, you better hope the contractor is always fair-handed. (I have a background in professional estimating, and I have seen first-hand how sharp contractors operate, by leaving out details, and manipulating numbers so that they can hammer the customer with extras – and there it is madam, in black and white, you owe me a bunch of money.
In my experience, most US contractors would not dream of starting work without a substantial sum up front. I understand the cultural differences, and indeed, the money upfront idea isn’t exactly alien to the UK, but personally, I again look at it from the client’s point of view – hence I prefer to play it by ear, with the emphasis on a relaxed but business-like relationship.
With the quotes and terms I submit, I try to make it very obvious to clients that they will get a high quality job at the price they expect. And if problems arise, I don’t start by waving the terms around. If the oversight is mine, I accept responsibility, otherwise, I endeavour to work out a solution that is fair to both parties.
(If you are in the trade, feel free to use or adapt what I have posted – at your own risk, obviously!)
Add a comment
If you are in Cheshire looking to have your property decorated to a really high standard with minimal fuss and disruption, or...
Looking for ideas or costings to refurbish a tired kitchen or hand-paint a new one? Please contact me via the form below.
If I can't help, I'll know another specialist decorator in the UK who can.
Contact Andy Crichton
.