When tendering for residential retaining wall projects, groundworkers must find a way to keep client costs down, while also ensuring their own profitability.
Of course, quality and workmanship are also critical considerations.
One way to achieve tendering success is to use modular concrete block retaining walls such as Tobermore’s Secura retaining walls.
With their mortar-free design, these modular concrete block retaining walls offer quick installation and reduced on-site labour costs while still providing the aesthetics and performance of traditional masonry.
The process becomes even easier with the help of the Tobermore Secura Portal, which simplifies planning, pricing and proposals. This online tool has been designed to help groundworkers maximise margins, win tenders and deliver high-quality retaining walls in residential developments.
Why choose modular concrete block retaining walls?
Modular mortar-free concrete block retaining walls offer several advantages over traditional masonry retaining walls. For groundworkers, the benefits are clear: simplified specification, faster installation, reduced costs and results that match the aesthetics and durability of traditional methods.
While traditional masonry walls require bespoke calculations, precise planning and ordering to ensure product compatibility, Secura concrete block retaining walls are much simpler to specify thanks to their modular design.
Unlike masonry walls, modular concrete block retaining walls are very quick to install. There’s no need for specialist skills, and since there’s no mortar, curing times are not a concern.
This streamlines the process and reduces the complexity of planning, ordering, delivery and installation. The time savings on-site mean higher margins for groundworkers, without compromising on quality or appearance.
Secura blocks are available in a wide range of colours, textures and finishes, ensuring that there’s something to suit the aesthetic requirements of any residential development.
The mortar-free design provides a sleek and seamless appearance that suits modern housing schemes. They also offer robust, long-lasting performance, ensuring excellent structural durability, as well as improved drainage and resistance to freeze-thaw cycles compared to traditional masonry structures.
Simplifying the tender process with Secura Portal and modular retaining walls
Before installation begins, however, you’ve first got to win the tender – and Tobermore can help with that too. With Secura Portal, groundworkers can simplify the process of tendering for retaining wall projects for residential developments.
The easy to navigate online tool makes it easy to create a proposal that is detailed, accurate, cost-effective and attractive to potential clients. It also allows you to demonstrate the benefits of modular retaining walls over traditional mortar-based installations.
Alex Walther, retaining wall category manager at Tobermore, explained: “Using the Secura Portal enables groundworkers tendering on traditional specified projects to offer their client a modern retaining wall solution with multiple upsides.
“Tobermore solutions are fast to construct, aesthetically pleasing and offer financial value both for groundworkers and for their clients.”
Using Secura Portal is easy. Once you’ve logged on, it will guide you through the process of creating tender documents with accurate costings for everything from modular retaining wall blocks to backfill materials and labour costs.
The system has been designed with groundworkers in mind, eliminating the lead times associated with waiting for quotes and putting instant pricing details at your fingertips. Unfinished documents can be saved for later and if you need any assistance, the Tobermore team is on hand to help you through the process.
Walther notes: “With Secura Portal, you will be able to present housebuilders with a fully priced retaining wall that offers cost savings and is faster to install than masonry. You will also be able to enjoy higher margins on the project and spend less time on site. It’s a win-win for the housebuilder and a win-win for you.”
Combining modular retaining walls and the Secura Portal for tender success
For O’Halloran and O’Brien, a family-owned groundworks and civil engineering company, the combination of the Secura Portal and Secura Grand retaining wall blocks led to outstanding results at the Hawthorne Grove development in Westham, East Sussex.
With help from the Secura Portal, O’Halloran and O’Brien were able to upgrade the original traditional masonry specification to a modern modular retaining wall system. This provided a robust, quick-to-install and aesthetically appealing option that was also cost-effective, saving the client Barratt David Wilson Homes.
John Wilcox, senior surveyor at O’Halloran and O’Brien, said: “Using the Secura Portal gave us all the information we needed to put together a successful quote that represented a significant cost reduction over the original masonry retaining wall specification.”
He added: “Tobermore supported us by providing the client with comprehensive retaining wall information and helped us to maximise our margins through value engineering.”
It is worth highlighting that the impressive savings on Hawthorn Grove were based on retaining walls that were relatively low – on average, only about 900mm high. Walther noted that for higher retaining walls, the savings would be even greater.
He said: “As the average retaining wall height increases, so will the savings and the Secura Portal will work it all out for you.”
Boost your tender success with Secura Portal and modular retaining walls
For groundworkers aiming to win more tenders and increase profitability on residential retaining wall projects, the Secura Portal offers a variety of benefits.
This advanced online tool provides all the details necessary to plan a modular, mortar-free retaining wall, from aesthetics and performance to pricing and maximising margins through value engineering. The result is an informed and accurate tender that stands out against the competition.
Download our Guide for Groundworkers - Improving your tender success rates and Profitability for residential retaining wall projects or visit our dedicated groundworker’s page for more information where you can sign up for the Secura Portal.
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