The costs to include in a collection budget
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A transport quote may cover only the journey. Build the collection budget from the asset's starting condition to its intended position at the receiving site. Include preparatory and receiving work where it is required, then check which quotation covers each activity.
Use actual quotations where available. Mark provisional amounts as estimates and leave unknown costs visible rather than silently treating them as zero.
Start with an editable worksheet
| Cost item | Who provides it? | Quote or estimate reference | Amount | Included elsewhere? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competent disconnection | Named provider | Reference and scope | Enter amount | Check |
| Dismantling and component packing | Named provider | Reference and scope | Enter amount | Check |
| Internal movement and loading | Named provider | Reference and scope | Enter amount | Check |
| Road transport | Named carrier | Route and service | Enter amount | Check |
| Unloading and positioning | Named provider | Receiving-site scope | Enter amount | Check |
| Storage or waiting | Contracting party | Applicable terms | Enter basis or allowance | Check |
| Permits or permissions-related work | Relevant provider | Confirmed requirement | Enter amount | Check |
| Other known work | Identify it specifically | Evidence | Enter amount | Check |
Record whether each amount includes VAT and ask the appropriate adviser about recoverability or other tax treatment. Do not mix tax-inclusive and tax-exclusive amounts in one total without explaining the basis.
The clearance-quote comparison helps reveal differences in scope. The movement enquiry pack gives contractors the information needed to reduce provisional assumptions.
Work through an example
The following figures are fictional and use one consistent tax basis for illustration. They are not market prices or UK Auction Group charges.
- Disconnection: £180.
- Packing and preparation: £120.
- Internal movement and loading: £300.
- Transport: £650.
- Unloading and positioning: £250.
The identified collection total is £1,500. A £650 transport quote alone would omit £850 of the example's other work.
Suppose the transport quotation already includes the £300 loading activity. Remove that separate line before totalling; otherwise the budget becomes £300 too high. Record the inclusion clearly so a later quotation change does not reintroduce the duplication.
Separate cost certainty from cost ownership
A firm quote does not tell you whether the seller or buyer has agreed to pay it. Record both the amount basis and the responsible party.
Likewise, a site may provide handling assistance but only during specified hours. If a delayed collection falls outside that arrangement, ask how the revised service would be priced under the agreement.
HSE's delivery-cooperation guidance explains why the parties need to agree their collection arrangements. The budget should reflect that agreed work, rather than encouraging shortcuts when a missing task becomes apparent.
Compare transport with the whole requirement
Use the transport-options guide to assess the service behind the price. Different vehicles or movement arrangements may carry different preparation and receiving costs.
For buyers, add the collection total to the complete auction-purchase cost, including the actual sale charges and applicable tax treatment. Keep uncertain repairs or commissioning separate from confirmed collection work.
Share the worksheet and unresolved scope with UK Auction Group. The useful question is which tasks the agreed sale and collection arrangements cover, and who will resolve the remaining amounts before a booking becomes a commitment.
Sources
- HSE delivering safely guidance Checked
This guide gives general information. Equipment-specific, legal, tax and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser or competent specialist. The guides do not promise sale prices, fees or results.