In brief
- A subcontractor quote shows a price, not a skill level; competency risks in Qardho come from what the document leaves out.
- Ask who will actually be on site, visit a recent job of theirs, and make them price the interface work their package touches.
- Tie payment to signed inspection records so claims are tested against work, not accepted on trust.
Contents
A subcontractor quote is a price, not proof of skill. When you review subcontractor quotes in Qardho, treat every skill claim as unverified until the bidder names the crew, shows a past job you can visit, and prices the interface work that touches other trades. A low number with no evidence is an open risk, not a saving.
What does the quote leave unpriced or unnamed?
Competency risk often hides in the gaps, so read the quote for what is missing before you read the total. A quote that names no foreman, no crew size and no equipment assumes someone else supplies them, and that someone is usually you. Interface work is the same trap: who cuts and makes good the blockwork where an electrician runs conduit, who levels the screed before tiling, who is responsible for the plinth the water tank sits on. If the quote is silent, the price is not fixed. Ask each bidder for a written scope that lists labour, plant, materials, and every point where their package meets another. Compare those lists side by side. Where one bidder leaves an item out and another prices it, the two totals are not comparable, and the cheaper one can cost more once the gap is filled.
How do you test the capability behind a Qardho quote?
The only reliable test is evidence you can go and see, so ask for named people, past work and references on comparable jobs. Request the name and role of the foreman who will run the work and the number of skilled hands in the crew. Ask for two recent jobs of similar scope and visit at least one yourself or send someone who knows the trade. On site, look at the finished work with a straight edge, a level and a tape, and ask the occupants what went wrong during the build. Confirm that the crew and plant in the quote match what you can see. For anything structural, ask the municipal engineer's office whether it holds records for the plot or the area, and ask the bidder for any test records from previous work. Confirm all technical limits, depths and tolerances against the project specification or the design engineer, since local practice alone does not fix them.
How do you close the gap before work starts?
Convert every claim into a checkable step, so payment follows signed inspection records rather than trust in the bid document. Hold a pre-start meeting where the subcontractor walks through their method for each package and names who does what at every interface. Agree inspection hold points, the points where work stops for sign-off before the next trade covers it. The project's specification or engineer should confirm which holds apply and what record is needed. Record progress with dated photographs, and keep a simple site diary of crew numbers and visitors. Before the first payment, ask the subcontractor to confirm what their contract allows on retention, variation and payment timing, and take advice if the wording is unclear. Capability gaps then surface while they are still cheap to fix, not after the roof goes on.
What to do next
Take one Qardho subcontract quote you are reviewing and write a single page listing the named foreman, the crew size, two past jobs to visit, and every interface item to be priced. Send it to the bidder with a date for a site meeting. If they cannot fill the page, the quote is not ready to sign.
Frequently asked questions
What should a Qardho subcontract quote include beyond a price?
A written scope that names the labour, plant and materials, plus every interface point where their work meets another trade. Ask for the foreman's name and the crew size in the same document, and treat missing items as scope you may have to pay for later.
Can I rely on a subcontractor's references without a site visit?
A reference is a claim until you see the work. Visit a comparable job, check the finish with a level and a tape, and ask the occupants about delays and defects. If a visit is impossible, ask for photographs with dates and a contact who can confirm them.
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Qardho and Puntland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.