The Onis Way FAQs

Q Why should I engage Onis in the first place?

A Because we want to be the best in the world at providing home refurbishment projects and in the process fulfill on our passion to make it easier for our customers, staff, suppliers and sub contractors in doing so. We do this by challenging the conventional issues that seem to "just be like that" and find Win-Win solutions for everyone along the way. We have spent the last 3 years developing and perfecting the Onis sales and delivery process (The Onis way) which provides a proven process by which a home refurbishment project can be delivered so as to ensure our customers receive maximum value for money with minimum risk and stress in as short a time frame as possible.

Q Why send a RICS QS and not just a builder?

A Because firstly we need to know what the catalyst was that inspired the customer to carry out a home refurbishment. It's always something: a windfall, a new family member, a new job etc. With this in mind the whole strategic approach to the project is established from the outset with all of the customer's priorities and key drivers established. Also it means that when we are providing a ballpark and then a full estimate the customer can be assured that we are not pricing to win the job but to do the job as our QS' have too much to lose otherwise. It also means that we can carry out cost management exercises to ensure we are providing the customer with value for money on the life cycle of products and so on.

Q Why provide a ballpark here and not a full estimate like everyone else?

A Normally what happens is a builder visits you and is requested (dare I say pressured) or offers to provide a full estimate within a week or few days. Now builders are busy people and they simply do not possess the several hours it actually takes to provide an accurate full estimate, especially for a prospect who may respond with "£100K!, oh dear, I only have £30K to spend". So the customer ends up receiving a sub standard full estimate that if the customer does accept he is now stuck with. The builder invariably cannot fulfill on the content of the estimate and goes over budget requesting more money. What Onis do is provide a ballpark figure within a couple of days that tells you it's roughly £100K, or roughly £30k. The customer knows if it's in their price range and Onis knows if its worth spending the several hours to produce a full estimate. In the end we either end our relationship with the customer here, try to reduce the scope or specification of the works, or provide a full estimate which we commit to with no hidden extras.

Q Why pay Onis in advance for surveys and design services and not at the end with the construction?

A Every stage we charge the customer for is a stage that were the customer to engage a standard builder they would end up paying for anyway, but to lots of different parties. Onis provides the customer with a final product at the end of each of these stages that allows them to go to the next stage with another building professional or contractor should they so wish. So although a one stop service sounds like a tie in, it is actually more likely to enable the customer to go elsewhere if they so choose. Of course as we provide each small step towards the refurbishment phase we instilling trust in our customers by demonstrating how we work and so this is unlikely but nonetheless the option is there if they so choose.

Q Why carry out a dimensional survey?

A We carry out a dimensional survey as a matter of protocol because it means that every body involved in the customer's refurbishment project is working from the same accurate drawings of the customer's home. Without which, prices from suppliers can be inaccurate, architect's designs are implemented incorrectly, engineer's calculations can be wrong and so on. Basically, an accurate dimensional survey is the common language of the project and as such is essential for effective communication between all parties.

Q Why provide Onis with a 2 week float?

A Again normally what happens is a builder is expected to fund the cashflow of a customer's project. The builder does not have this money sitting around waiting for this purpose and so they borrow the finance from their bank, who in turn charge them interest and the builder passes this on to the customer with interest. In effect this is an expensive option (not shown in the estimate!) Also if the builder has any cashflow issues they invariably do not say so and make up excuses "the bath cannot be ordered for another week because..." and they will then await a payment from another project to pay for the bath. So the customer ends up paying more and having their project delayed. We request a two week float in advance so that the project is more cost effective to the customer and so that there are no delays attributable to cashflow.

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