What are subcontract and specials?
For specialist quotations and subcontractor packages that sit outside the standard material categories, use the Sub-Con & Specials function. This is designed for items such as:
- Fire alarm system quotations
- CCTV installation packages
- BMS (building management system) subcontracts
- Lightning protection
- Access control
- Any other specialist package priced by a third party
The key difference between subcontract and specials and free type is how they are treated on the summary table. Subcontract items have their own separate categories, which means they are kept apart from your standard materials and can be given independent markup percentages. Free type items, by contrast, are grouped with the standard material category you select.
Adding a subcontract or special item
- 1
Click the Sub-Con & Specials button on the left-hand side of the takeoff screen.
- 2
Select a category from the list. These categories are separate from the eight main database categories. The software comes with a set of predefined subcontract categories, and you can add your own.
- 3
If you need a category that does not exist, scroll to the bottom of the list and use the Add New option to create one (e.g. "CCTV", "BMS", or "Lightning Protection"). Type the name, click off the field, and press Exit. The new category then appears in the list.
- 4
Enter the description of the quotation or package (e.g. "CCTV Quotation" or "Fire Alarm Package — ABC Ltd").
- 5
Enter the quantity (typically 1 for a lump-sum quotation, or a per-unit figure if the quotation is priced per item or per room).
- 6
Enter supervision hours if applicable. This allows you to include a labour element for managing or overseeing the subcontractor's work.
- 7
Enter the quotation value — the trade or net cost of the subcontract package.
- 8
Press Confirm to add it to the current section.
Markup on the summary table
Subcontract items appear on a dedicated Breakdowns tab on the summary table (accessible via the Breakdowns button or the small button at the end of the subcontract row). This gives you a mini summary table specifically for subcontract quotations, where you can apply a separate markup percentage to each subcontract category.
For example, you might apply 7% to a fire alarm subcontract and 10% to a BMS package, independently of the markup percentages you use for your standard materials and labour.
If you are using section multipliers, be careful with subcontract items. A single lump-sum quotation placed in a multiplied section will be multiplied up. Either lower the multiplier to 1 for that entry, enter the quotation on a per-unit basis (e.g. per room), or place the lump-sum quotation in a separate non-multiplied section.
For clarity on your tender documents, write descriptive names for your subcontract categories. Instead of a generic "Subcontract", use specific names like "CCTV", "Fire Alarm", or "BMS". This makes the breakdown easier to read on both the summary table and the final quotation.