As plumbers servicing numerous bodies corporate across the greater Brisbane area, we are frequently asked to provide formal quotations for a range of maintenance issues—such as blocked drains, roof leaks, and mains water supply leaks. While we understand the importance of transparency and budgeting, it’s also important to highlight the practical implications of this process.

When preparing a formal quote, we must account for potential unforeseen complications that may arise during the job. This includes additional labour, unexpected material requirements, or access issues. As a result, the quoted price often includes a buffer to cover these unknowns, which can lead to a higher overall cost compared to a “Do and Charge” approach.

A “Do and Charge” model allows us to address the issue promptly and efficiently, billing only for the actual time and materials used. This can often result in cost savings for the body corporate, especially for routine or minor maintenance tasks.

To help manage budgets while maintaining flexibility, committees may consider setting a “Pre-Approved” spending limit. This allows necessary works to proceed without delay while staying within financial governance requirements—avoiding the need for an AGM or EGM for every minor repair.

It’s also worth noting that the process of quoting itself—receiving the request, attending site, -assessing the issue, and preparing a formal document—is time-consuming and incurs costs. These costs are ultimately passed on to the end consumer, in this case, the body corporate.

As an established plumbing maintenance business servicing the greater Brisbane Areas for 30 years, we are always looking at ways to operate on the most cost-efficient way to benefit the end consumer being the Body Corporate.