Lies, damned lies and builders estimates…
Mr Disraeli clearly hadno experience of building work when condemning statistics as the most deceitful of all figures. Surely much higher in the list to be named and shamed are the following:-
1) Time estimates for coming out to price a job;
2) Time estimates for returning the quotation;
3) The quotation itself - no more scientific then guessing the number of sweeties in a jar at the local fete;
4) Time estimates for getting the job done;
5) Estimates for the number of people on site during the job;
6) Estimates of number of skips to be used - and of course paid for;
7) Estimates of just how deep the customers pocket can be and how easy it will be to pick;
8 ) Estimates of just how much a customer can bear - even before the work has begun;
9) Estimate of just how close this particular customer is to the edge
and just how far she can be pushed before she snaps clean in two leaving only one half available to go to the bank and pay for it all - better hope it's the half with the hands that is left.