Time And Materials Contract

tmccafferty

Does anybody out there have a decent boiler plate T & M contract. I keep looking and finding junk. I am in apartment renovations in NYC. Any toughts will help.

dirt diggler

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Magnettica

Time and Material is only good for either A) milking the job, or B) unskilled workers doing the work. You're better off doing flat rate. I'm sure the majority will agree.

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send_it_all

Try Uniteddesign.com, or buildersbook

Chris Johnson

Ain't this the truth

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Chris

talos4

Sorry, not this guy.

In any given week I can write dozens of T&M work orders for our guy's to perform roof repairs. Customers are told that's how we respond, We have a set per hour labor rate, and truck charge.

Materials, total hours and GP are added after the job is completed

Flat Rate? How? do you guy's visit each and every customer and provide a contract for every job?

If I have 30 customers call me in 2 days with leaks (which is not unheard of by any means) would you suggest that I'm a slacker if I don't visit and provide each customer with a contract amount to complete the repairs?

Those are just my customers, what about the other 8 guy's in the office taking phone calls?

Sorry but T&M's are a necessary tool for how we operate, without them everything else comes to a screeching halt.

T&M's are performed by highly skilled mechanics and their helpers no unskilled labor or slackers on our crews.

The company I work for has been in business for 130 years, T&M's are part of the reason we're still around.

Richard

Strongly disagree-

What about a painter who has to touch up a home to get ready to sell? The home owner keeps adding as you go over a period of 3 months.

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Rich

jack75

t&m like m&m yummy for slower periods..
t&m stand for time & milking..
t&m where contractor doesn't make more, or less, $$
t&m where customer looks at you admirably when you take a coffee break and play w/ their dogs and cats..
t&m where all of your endeavored output is for free..

Agree w/ paintguy26.. in a few cases I work t&m:
- When the time and scope of work is uncertain..
- When while-you're-here/extra work is added..
- When some nice, repeated customers say 'please do it...', and do not mention about costs..

mdshunk

I'm surprised to hear you say this. Since you're an electrician, surely you know that the bulk of service work, and many small jobs are T&M.

tmccafferty

To say that T&M is for those who are milking or unskilled is a small minded comment from someone who thinks in a shady way. A T&M is absolutely necessary when the scope of work is not absolutely clear. I guess you would rather bid without all the information and lose your shirt or maybe bid low so you can hit up for change order after change order. We work T&M generally with a fixed fee so if it goes over the projected budget within a certain amount without a major scope change, we don't make any more.

Your comments are exactly what is wrong with this business. if there are any other reasonable people out there who know of a decent contract outline I would really appreciate it.

I have read many of the topics on this board and will only post if I can be helpful. Thanks for the courtesy.

Chris Johnson

Service calls being billed @ T&M is understandable, generally you would get a call that the toilet leaks and needs repair, some electrical items are not working, etc, this is the only way to bill for these jobs, however, when a new construction or renovation job is being started PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS are provided and any tradesman should be able to provide a bid based on a site visit and the PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS. now I know the argument will start that there are hidden variables in a renovation and you are right, but there should be allowances in the bid based on the tradesmans experience for these types of situtations and it should be spelled out in your bid, if you open the walls of the house and there is something there you did not anticipate and it is not spelled out in your bid then a change order is necessary or perhaps for that particular situation T&M maybe the answer. If there are no plans and specifications for a new construction or renovation project than whoever you are working for is a dumbass and deserves to be milked with the T&M route, disorganization on someone elses behalf does not qualify me as their angel to save the day.

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Chris

tmccafferty

Thanks to Chris Johnson for a down to earth reply. On a smaller job where the client wants some flexibility it does make sense for a T&M. Not for the purpose of milking but the purpose of economy. The way we work is an open book process with our clients. On a lump sum or a T&M it is 100% open book. There is no shadiness or milking involved. It's not so much a case of what they deserve but rather a case of what is reasonable for both parties involved.
I am still loking for a decent, simple T&M contract to work with. Any more thoughts or possibilities. Thanks.

Mud Master

TMC,

My father has a GREAT T&M contract that he uses with United Parcel Service.

I am going to thier house later today for a cookout, I will get a copy of it there and PM you with it soon

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tmccafferty

Thanks Mud Master. I'll keep an eye out for it.