You provide / confirm
Send the location, current drawing revision, photographs, priorities, budget basis and timing. List any information you do not yet have.
ZINK /WORKING TOGETHER
A clear path. From brief to decision.
See what you provide, what ZINK does and what you receive at every stage of an early cost consultation.
Fictional walkthrough · one example service, not a client case or a fixed-price offer. The fee uses assumed work for this demonstration; customer willingness to pay it has not been validated.
EXAMPLE /A ground-floor refresh
60 m² · finishes & kitchen · early cost consultation
One room-and-work scope, one agreed alternative, one remote review and one consolidated revision. No measured survey, site visit, design drawings or construction supervision.
- The service fee
- £1,627.20including assumed VAT · example only
- The construction subtotal
- £40,560.00separate sample figure · not the full project budget
01 / 06Share the brief
A useful starting point
A 60 m² ground-floor refresh: finishes and a kitchen, with the existing layout retained.
ZINK prepares / checks
Check the question you need answered, identify missing information and confirm whether the work is within the agreed service scope.
You receive
A short brief and an information checklist. An enquiry alone does not start paid work.
Before the next step
The current documents and the client’s decision are clear enough to define a service.
02 / 06Agree the right service
Choose the work you actually need
This example assumes an early assessment plus one option comparison, one remote review and one consolidated revision.
You provide / confirm
Confirm the included rooms and works, the decision you want to make, one alternative to compare, and who will give consolidated feedback.
ZINK prepares / checks
Agree the assessment depth, available evidence, deliverables, one remote review and one consolidated revision. State the exclusions and start conditions.
You receive
A scope summary: what is included, what is excluded, what remains unknown and what would need a separate appointment.
Before the next step
Both sides understand the same deliverables. If only a short estimate is needed, reduce the scope and price it again.
03 / 06Review the written fee
A price with a clear scope
The example fee is £1,356 before assumed VAT, or £1,627.20 including assumed VAT. This fictional package price has not been validated against client acceptance or a closely matched market quote.
You provide / confirm
Review the service fee, tax treatment, expenses, outputs, exclusions, revision allowance, programme and payment triggers before deciding.
ZINK prepares / checks
Build the fee from the agreed work, then compare genuinely similar published services by scope, location, date and tax basis. Explain material differences.
You receive
A client fee proposal with a readable decision summary and a payment schedule. The construction budget is a separate figure.
Before the next step
The written proposal is accepted with its scope and terms. A sample or an enquiry is not an appointment.
04 / 06Confirm the start
One agreed starting point
Example split: 40% (£650.88) at appointment; 60% (£976.32) when the agreed final report is issued, payable by the agreed invoice date.
You provide / confirm
Confirm the appointment, supply the agreed current information and follow the stated first-payment arrangements.
ZINK prepares / checks
Confirm receipt of the appointment and information, record actual payments, agree the start and review dates, and identify anything still blocking progress.
You receive
A start confirmation, information register and agreed review timetable. Payment records distinguish due dates from the total uncollected balance.
Before the next step
Start only when the agreed information and appointment conditions are met. Dates and tax treatment are confirmed for the actual project.
05 / 06Understand the report
Turn the number into a decision
The linked sample shows a £40,560 construction subtotal including illustrative VAT. It excludes professional fees and other unpriced project costs.
You provide / confirm
Check that the scope matches your intention. Send one consolidated response and choose which uncertainties or options need further attention.
ZINK prepares / checks
Explain cost drivers, provisional and unpriced items, and the evidence behind the assessment. Compare a client budget only when scope and tax basis match.
You receive
A draft report, one agreed option comparison and a discussion record. Own corrections stay separate from additional client-requested work.
Before the next step
Agree any additional work, fee and time in writing before proceeding. An internal hours allowance running out does not itself authorise a charge.
06 / 06Receive the final package
Know which version to use
The final package answers the agreed cost question. It does not automatically include planning drawings, construction details or contractor appointment.
You provide / confirm
Check the issue reference and included files, confirm receipt, and retain the assumptions and next-action list with the report.
ZINK prepares / checks
Issue the agreed final report with version and scope references, note any superseded copy, explain remaining decisions and reconcile the agreed payments.
You receive
A clearly named report PDF, scope and assumptions within the report, decision summary and next steps. A spreadsheet is included only if expressly agreed.
Before the next step
Receipt is confirmed, outstanding actions and balances are recorded, and later work is scoped separately. Real project feedback informs future pricing.
PRICING /How a fee is checked
Compare the work, as well as the number.
- Define the deliverables, responsibilities, information quality, meetings and revision allowance.
- Estimate the resources needed, then check relevant published services on the same unit, scope, location, date and VAT basis. Starting prices are lower bounds, not complete quotations.
- Explain differences and confirm the project-specific fee in writing. If no close comparison exists, say so; a cost calculation alone does not prove market acceptance.
The price shown here demonstrates the process. For a shorter estimating-only service, agree a smaller scope and a new fee. Construction estimates and professional service fees are assessed separately.
Start with your own brief.
The example does not reserve dates, request payment or commission work. Your proposal will state the actual scope, fee and next step.