Let’s face it, property development can be a bit of a jungle. Deadlines stretch, costs creep up, and before you know it, your budget is as tight as your contractor’s schedule. But what if we told you there’s a way to make the whole process smoother, cheaper, and less of a headache? Enter the tender pack.
Now, if you’ve never heard of a tender pack, don’t panic. You’re not alone. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without one. A solid tender pack can help you lock in your contractor, cut down on endless back-and-forth, and most importantly save you both time and money!
Sound good? Let’s break it down.
What Is a Tender Pack?
In simple terms, a tender pack is your property renovation or development bible. It’s a detailed collection of all the plans, drawings, schedules, and specifications your contractor needs to price the job accurately and execute it flawlessly. Think of it as the blueprint for everything.
It gives your contractor a clear, upfront idea of what’s expected, so there are no nasty surprises halfway through the job (and by “nasty surprises,” we mean unexpected costs that make your budget sob quietly in a corner).
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into exactly what goes into a tender pack—and why each part matters.
What to Include in a Tender Pack (& Why)
1. Floor Plans (Including Furniture)
Your contractor needs to know where things go—and we're not just talking about walls and windows. Floor plans with furniture placement give a sense of how the space is going to function once it’s lived in. By showing where furniture goes, you help the contractor plan around real-life usage, helping them understand the flow of the space, which means fewer missteps in the build. HMO builders often have one way of doing things, so anything outside their norm it's best to show them.
Thinking beyond contractors, floor plans are really useful to help you see how you can maximise your properties space before renovations begin. Additionally, if you're applying for lending such as a bridge to let, submitting floor plans to them prior allow for a more accurate predicted end valuation as they know exactly what you plan to do to improve, thus increase the value of the property.
If you're looking to DIY floor plans, the 'Floor Planner' app is free and very user friendly! Just make sure your measurements are correct.
tml top tip - don't skip adding to-scale furniture into your floor plans. The flow of a space is just as important as the overall size and will help you decide what furniture and size you need to purchase to make it work. Knowing where your furniture is going to go helps with electrical placements also.
2. Electrical Plans
Let’s be real—no one wants to realise they’ve got only one plug socket in a room that’s meant to house a TV, a lamp, and three phone chargers. Electrical plans show exactly where sockets, switches, and lights need to be.
The beauty of this? You won’t have to deal with post-build add-ons (a.k.a. “can we just add a few more plug points?”), which can delay the job and ramp up costs — or mess up freshly plastered walls (sob) Everything’s planned out, so your contractor knows exactly where to run the wires.
3. Paint Plans
You might think paint is something you can sort out later, but specifying your paint plan upfront saves you from a rainbow of issues. We've had it before where we've instructed our painter verbally what to do and he's delivered a totally different end result. Leave nothing to interpret, put it in writing!
By detailing which colours go where, you make sure there are no mix-ups and no unexpected extra costs for re-doing something because it wasn’t right the first time.
tml top tip - If you're looking to DIY your tender pack plans then Canva is a free application that's more than suitable for this. So long as measurements and annotations are clear, it will certainly do the job. And believe us, it's better to DIY than to skip altogether!
4. Plumbing Plans
There’s nothing worse than getting your bathroom tiled to perfection and then discovering the plumbing’s in the wrong place. Plumbing plans outline exactly where pipes, drains, and water sources need to go.
Get this wrong, and you’ll be ripping up floors and walls to fix a misplaced pipe... not fun, and definitely not cheap. Having it mapped out avoids any “uh oh” moments later down the line.
BUT always check your plumbing plans on site with your contractor first to make sure they can do what you want before starting works so you're both on the same page.
5. Visuals
A picture is worth a thousand words, and in the case of your tender pack, it’s worth a thousand pounds. Giving your contractor visuals - whether mood boards, sketches, or 3D renders - takes the guesswork out of your vision. No more awkward, “Oh, I thought you meant that wall was where the lights were going” conversations.
Visuals make sure everyone’s on the same page about the design, so you’re not left re-explaining your aesthetic halfway through the project. Not to mention, it helps you at the start of your project to know if everything you've chosen does in fact work together. No one likes changing their mind half way through a project because 'it just doesn't look right'!
You can create your own CGIs if your budget is tight and you're up for learning a new skill! Check out our blog 'Free interiors software to help make projects a breeze' for all the free interior softwares you can use to DIY what you need.
6. Schedules
This is basically a big shopping list! Schedules lay out exactly what product is being used and where as well as the cost of each item - no surprise items here. You’ll need separate schedules for:
Bathrooms: Think taps, sinks, toilets, tiles, hooks and more! Pssst don't forget the more 'boring' bits like waste pipes.
Lighting: Where’s that gorgeous pendant light going? Wall lights or over head or both? A clear schedule keeps the sparkie (electrician) in check.
Electrical: See above. Detailed to avoid any missed sockets or switches. Make sure to note what switch turns on which light!
Joinery: This includes your kitchen, then skirting boards, doors, architraves, cabinets, and any built-in pieces. Custom joinery? You’ll need precise measurements and plans to avoid costly mistakes (that's where elevations come in).
Flooring: Specify all materials and measurements so no one’s guessing (or buying too much expensive wood).
Wall Finishes: Whether it’s wallpaper or paint, make sure it’s all listed. You don’t want anyone getting creative without your say-so.
Equipment: We're talking about appliances here - boilers, washers, dryers, fridges, hobs and more. List it all, and you won’t get unexpected extra charges for “new bits” at the end.
7. Elevations for Joinery and Bathrooms
Elevations are like detailed side-on views of your joinery, bathrooms, and other fitted areas. This is crucial for stuff like bespoke shelving or wardrobes because it helps the contractor see the finer details (height, depth, and layout) of the build.
Skip this, and you’re leaving a lot of room for interpretation—which could lead to delays, costs, or worse, a vision that doesn’t quite align with yours.
How This Saves You Time and Money
So, why does all this matter? In a word: clarity. A good tender pack gives your contractor zero excuses for missteps or misunderstandings. It’s like handing them the cheat sheet to your project. With all the details laid out upfront, they know exactly what’s expected, how long it’s going to take, and what materials they need.
When contractors know everything up front there's:
No unexpected extras: Everything’s accounted for from the start, so they can’t come back and say, “We didn’t budget for that.”
No overextended timelines: They know what needs doing, so there are fewer “surprises” that slow things down.
No confusion: When all the information is in one place, everyone’s on the same page, and your project runs smoother.
Ultimately, a well-crafted tender pack prevents those awkward mid-project conversations that go something like, “Oh, did you want a light there? That’ll be an extra week and another £500, mate.” Nope. With your tender pack in hand, you’ll stay in control of the project—and your wallet.
Final Thoughts
Now, if you're coming to the end of this blog with your brain fried feeling very overwhelmed with all the details we're suggesting you include, please don't! There are plenty of free applications you can use to do all of this yourself if your budget is tight. Luckily (and also annoyingly) conveyancing usually takes a long time, so use it to your advantage and learn some new skills!
If you want to avoid delays, cut down on unexpected costs, and keep your property project running like a well-oiled machine, an accurate tender pack is essential. Not only does it keep your contractor on track, but it also gives you peace of mind, knowing that all your plans are crystal clear from the get-go.
So, next time you’re prepping for a renovation, take the time to put together a thorough tender pack. Your budget (and your sanity) will thank you for it.
Have you used tender packs in your projects? How did they help? Let us know in the comments or share your experience on Instagram @themodernlandlord!
