The Honeywood Files (5 page)

BRASH TO SPINLOVE

Dear Mr. Spinlove, 30.4.24.

I consider that I have been involved in a sufficiently excessive expenditure over these wretched trial holes (the mare was shot yesterday) without being defrauded by overcharges. It is unfortunate that you did not ascertain the character of the firm before you employed them instead of after. I certainly have no intention of submitting to the extortion of these people, and if, as you intimate, their charge is preposterous—and it certainly seems outrageous to me—and, for some reason I do not understand, you are unable to negotiate with them, I apprehend my solicitors must take up the matter and I will instruct them to communicate with you. It is regrettable that at the very first outset, and in such a small matter, I should be involved in so many annoyances and vexations.

Yours truly,

SPINLOVE TO BRASH

Dear Sir Leslie Brash, 2.5.24.

I am more sorry than I can say to hear of the loss of your mare and for my unlucky part in the matter. I made inquiries of the standing of Reaker and Smith for the purpose of finding out whether they were suitable people to invite to tender, as you suggested they should do. It did not occur to me, after your recommendation, that they were not to be trusted to dig the trial holes. Messrs. Russ, Topper, Mainprice, Cornish and MacFee rang up to-day—I mean the firm did—and I have made an appointment to see them with correspondence, etc., on Wednesday at 2.30.

Yours sincerely,

There is a hiatus of six weeks. Drawing-boards and T-squares have been well employed, we gather, during that time.

SPINLOVE TO BEDDY & TINGE
,
QUANTITY SURVEYORS

Dear Sirs, 14.6.24.

As arranged with Mr. Tinge I send you contract drawings Nos. 1 to 6 inclusive, and six sheets of rough
1/2
in. and other details. I also send draft specification. The drawings have not been traced and will be completed, as usual, after the quantities are taken off. Will you please, as usual, complete specification to agree exactly with the bills. I shall be glad to see you and settle any matters not made clear.

Will you also be so good as to make a preliminary estimate of cost and let me know the figure?

I understood from Mr. Tinge that you could have the bills ready in four or five weeks’ time. Will you please confirm this?

Yours truly,

Spinlove’s arrangements are good. He has evidently “been there before.” He secures that the bills shall include for no more and no less than he intends, and that the drawings and specifications shall show or describe the position of work measured. If particular care is not taken in these matters, work may be shown in the bills the position of which is not determined in the specifications—e.g. dowels—with the result that it is not included in the building, although paid for, or, on the other hand, the architect may intend a certain class of work and the bills not cover for it. He is wise to get an estimate before the bills are prepared and to let Beddy and Tinge know that time is an object. Quantity surveyors commonly work against time, and the architect who does not make a point of date of delivery will be likely to have to wait on those who do.

The next letter has been duplicated to seven firms of builders by Spinlove.

SPINLOVE TO VARIOUS BUILDERS

Dear Sirs, 14.6.24.

I shall be glad to know whether you will be willing to tender for a brick mansion, fourteen bedrooms, on a site at Thaddington, near Marlford.

In the event of your being willing to do so you may expect to receive bills of quantities and form of tender in about five weeks’ time.

Yours faithfully,

Spinlove’s object in writing thus is to secure that the firms he wishes to tender will be prepared to take up the work of pricing the bills when the time comes. If bills are sent out without such warning there is a chance that some builders may be so busy as to be unable to prepare a competitive tender within the time allotted. A builder will always send in a tender, because he feels that not to do so will prejudice his chance of being invited on a future occasion; but unless he has an opportunity of giving close attention to the business, his tender will be no serious bid and of no use to Spinlove nor to anyone else.

To save himself the trouble of arriving at a figure which will be too high for acceptance and yet presentable as a tender, he will, if opportunity serves, obtain such a figure from another builder who is making a bona fide offer.

RUSS & CO
.,
SOLICITORS
,
TO SPINLOVE

Brash v. Reaker and Smith

Dear Sir, 16.6.24.

Messrs. Reaker and Smith have now offered to accept the sum of twenty-seven pounds (￡27. 0. 0.) in full settlement of their account. We think the matter should be so agreed and propose to advise Sir Leslie Brash to that effect unless you have any objections to raise.

Yours faithfully,

SPINLOVE TO RUSS & CO
.,
SOLICITORS

Brash v. Reaker & Smith

Dear Sirs, 17.6.24.

In reply to your letter I cannot agree that ￡27 0. 0. is a reasonable charge for digging the trial holes. I have referred the measurements to my quantity surveyor, who estimates ￡23 10s. 0d. as an outside figure.

Yours faithfully,

Spinlove’s tenacity is worthy of a better cause. He is evidently soured against Smith and cannot endure that he should get more than strict measure.

BRASH TO SPINLOVE

Dear Mr. Spinlove, 20.6.24.

I have a communication from Mr. Russ intimating that Reaker and Smith are prepared to settle for ￡27, and as I am given to understand your own estimate is ￡23 10s., I have instructed him to signify acceptance of that offer. Will you oblige me with the sketch plans? You may remember that I intimated this request some time ago and you promised to transmit them. They have not, however, so far eventuated.

Yours sincerely,

Spinlove’s reluctance to return the sketch plans is perhaps the wisdom of the once bitten. The contract drawings can only be made after the sketch plans have been approved, and the reopening of questions already settled, which ruminations over the sketch plans by the client is apt to provoke, is a disaster.

BEDDY & TINGE
,
QUANTITY
SURVEYORS
,
TO SPINLOVE

Dear Sir, 20.6.24.

Drawings and specifications received and instructions noted. We cube front house at 2s. 8d., and offices and servants’ quarters at 2s. 0d. The terrace will cost about ￡1,500. Total ￡20,140. We will endeavour to have bills ready in five weeks’ time.

Yours faithfully,

B. and T. it will be noted, waste no words. Their speciality is facts. There here follow letters from all seven builders signifying readiness to tender. Then we find:

SPINLOVE TO BRASH

Dear Sir Leslie Brash, 21.6.24.

I enclose the sketch plans with apologies for not having sent them before. The drawings and specification are with the quantity surveyors and the tender forms will go out in five weeks’ time. All builders have agreed to tender.

I note that you are proposing to settle Reaker and Smith’s account for ￡27, but I should mention that my estimate of ￡23 10s. is an outside figure. My idea of the proper charge is ￡19 15s.

Yours sincerely,

What object Spinlove had in writing the last paragraph Spinlove himself could scarcely say. His grudge against Smith is probably accountable. Our James has the rattle-brained pertinacity of a blue-bottle, and his victim will feel the same wild, helpless irritation. The matter of the trial holes is well over and Spinlove should be thankful it is so. The whole history is a first-rate example, in miniature, of the way in which unlucky chances, favoured by faulty organization and lack of conscientious foresight, may lead from insignificant causes to disastrous catastrophes. If the owner’s liability in this matter had been a thousand or ten thousand pounds instead of a hundred, we may be sure the architect would not have been left scatheless.

SPINLOVE TO BEDDY & TINGE

Dear Sirs, 23.6.24.

I am sorry your estimate is so high. The owner expects ￡18,500, and I am anxious not to disappoint him. I must try and knock off ￡1,500. On enclosed sheet I have made a list of suggestions to this end, and I shall be glad to go into the matter further with you.

Yours truly,

Spinlove’s wisdom in getting down to estimates before the quantities are taken off is now proved. It is a sad business to have to cut down costs after tenders are in, with attendant supplementary bills and specifications, and notes in red ink on the drawings and other elements of confusion and future misunderstanding.

BEDDY & TINGE TO SPINLOVE

Dear Sir, 19.7.24.

Receive herewith copy of bills and form of tender sent to-day to seven builders as instructed. Also drawings and specifications completed with notes of modifications agreed.

Yours truly,

LADY BRASH TO SPINLOVE

Dear Mr. Spinlove, 29.7.24.

I met an acquaintance to-day who told me that the kitchen window ought to be on the left side of the range for the light and architects always put it on the other side but I want mine to be on the right side. What lovely weather we are having!! Sir Leslie is fishing in Cornwall till next week.

Yours sincerely,

SPINLOVE TO LADY BRASH

Dear Lady Brash, 30.7.24.

Thank you for your letter. You will be glad to know that the kitchen window does come on the right side. Yes, the weather, as you say, has been beautiful, but I am sorry to notice that it is clouding over this morning. I hope Sir Leslie will enjoy his visit to Cornwall. I know of no part of the country where I would rather spend a holiday.

Yours sincerely,

Spinlove knows how to purr loudly, but there was an ambiguity in Lady Brash’s letter which he appears to have overlooked. However, here are the tenders at last.

SPINLOVE TO NIBNOSE & RASPER

Dear Sirs, 1.8.24.

I have to thank you for your tender for £18,221, and to say that I am prepared to recommend it for acceptance. You may expect to hear from me in a day or two.

Complete list of Tenders received is as follows:

Yours faithfully,

Omitting the first two, which are not bona fide tenders, but mere formal compliances, these tenders are a fairly close group except for the big difference of £750 between the lowest and that next it, where small differences only are to be expected. It seems that Spinlove has not realized the significance of this disparity.

The following letter is marked as having been sent to all unsuccessful firms.

SPINLOVE TO UNSUCCESSFUL BUILDERS

Dear Sir, 1.8.24.

I have to thank you for your tender, but regret I am unable to recommend it for acceptance. The complete list of tenders received is as follows: [
List as above.
]

Yours faithfully,

Spinlove is right in notifying results to all firms as it is important to builders, for many reasons, to know at once what their obligations are. It would have been better, however, had he omitted the names of firms from the list, for as he will be likely to invite them to tender on a future occasion, he is opening the door to collusion.

SPINLOVE TO BRASH

Dear Sir Leslie Brash, 1.8.24.

I opened tenders to-day, and enclose list. I am glad to feel that the result will be satisfactory to you. You will see that Nibnose & Rasper’s price is well within the figure I named. I recommend the acceptance of this tender. Twenty months is a reasonable time for carrying out the work.

I am sorry John Grigblay is not the lowest for he has a reputation for this kind of work, but I have good accounts of Nibnose & Rasper from architects for whom they have done work, and I was favourably impressed when I called at their premises one day when I was in Marlford. Have I your authority to accept their tender?

Yours sincerely,

BRASH TO SPINLOVE

Dear Mr. Spinlove, 2.8.24.

I am deeply gratified at the contents of your letter intimating the result of the tenders. It is, I can assure you, a great satisfaction to Lady Brash and myself after waiting so long a period to know that the estimate is not to be exceeded. Most certainly act upon your recommendation and accept Messrs. Nibnose & Rasper’s tender, but only on the express stipulation that they complete the work within the period of sixteen months, for, as another firm undertakes to perform the erection within that limit of time, there is no excuse for Messrs Nibnose & Rasper not entering upon a similar engagement. I anticipate that there will be certain legal Contract documents for signature.

Since I am in credit on the tender in the sum of £300, I contemplate augmenting the dimensions of the reception rooms which I still consider somewhat restricted in area. I will determine these and communicate particulars in the course of a few days. The erection of the mansion will, I assume, now commence immediately.