This is what bid help produces after the go/no-go check. The tender is real: Swanley Town Council wants two park footpaths rebuilt (about £20,000, quotes by 30 November 2026). The firm is invented. Every [square bracket] is something only the firm can fill in, and that's deliberate: a draft should never make up your experience or your prices.
Subject: Quotation: Swanley Park footpath refurbishment
Dear Mr Hayman,
Thank you for the opportunity to quote for the refurbishment of the two footpaths in Swanley Park. Our quotation, method and a comparison of the three surfacing options you are considering are below.
Footpath One (approx. 355.4 m, finished width 2.5 m excluding edging, suitable for occasional vehicle access)
Footpath Two (extend from approx. 29 m to 62.3 m, finished width 2 m excluding edging, pedestrian use): as above, with a [100-150] mm pedestrian sub-base.
Both paths: a cross-fall of about 1 in 40 to shed water, and gradients kept within accessible limits wherever the ground allows.
| Self-binding gravel | Tarmac | Block paving | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price, both paths | £[ ] | £[ ] | £[ ] |
| Vehicle use (Path One) | Fair, can rut under heavy or wet use | Good | Good on a vehicle base |
| Accessibility | Good when well compacted, softer when wet | Very good, smooth | Very good if laid level |
| Maintenance | Rake and top up every [1-2] years | Low: sealing and patching | Low: re-sand joints, weeds |
| Expected life | [10-15] years | [20-25] years | [25+] years |
| Look in a park | Natural | Urban | Formal |
| Whole-life cost, 20 years | Lowest to install, rises with upkeep | Middle | Highest to install, lowest upkeep |
Our recommendation: [tarmac for Path One, because of the vehicle access, and self-binding gravel for Path Two to keep a natural look at lower cost]. We are happy to price any combination.
[n] working days on site within the contract period (18 January to 12 February 2027), Path Two first so the park keeps one route open. Work stops in heavy rain, and we allow [n] contingency days.
Heras fencing around each work area, signed diversions, a banksman for every vehicle movement, and the site left secure and swept each evening. We will agree access and storage areas with Mr Brooker before starting, and supply a risk assessment and method statement before work begins.
[Company name] is a [town]-based groundworks contractor. Recent similar work: [footpath or surfacing job, client, year, value]. [Public liability cover £x million.] [Accreditations, e.g. CHAS.]
[Option you recommend]: £[ ] excluding VAT. Other options as in section 2. The price is fixed for [90] days and includes disposal, edging, reinstatement and welfare. It excludes [anything you exclude, e.g. diverting buried services].
We would welcome a site visit before the deadline to confirm sub-base depths and drainage.
Yours sincerely,
[Name, role, phone]
You send the tender, I send the free go/no-go, and if it's a go you answer five short questions about how you'd do the job. The checklist arrives straight away and a first draft like this one in good time before the deadline, at a fixed price agreed first. You correct it, add what only you know, and submit it yourself. More about bid help.
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An independent example, not connected to Swanley Town Council or any contractor. Figures in brackets are placeholders, not advice on price or specification. Check the tender documents and get your own technical advice for site conditions.