The Honeywood File

Dear Sir,
Receive herewith copy of bills and form of tender sent to-day to seven builders as instructed. Also drawings and specifications completed with notes of modifications agreed.

Yours truly,

Dear Sirs,
I am sorry your estimate is so high. The owner expects £18,500, and I am anxious not to disappoint him. I must try and knock off £1,500. On enclosed sheet I have made a list of suggestions to this end, and I shall be glad to go into the matter further with you.

Your truly,

Dear Sir,
Drawings and specifications received and instructions noted. We cube front house at 2s. 8d., and offices and servants’ quarters at 2s. 0d. The terrace will cost about £1,500. Total £20,140. We will endeavour to have bills ready in five weeks’ time.

Yours faithfully,

Dear Mr. Spinlove,
I have a communication from Mr. Russ intimating that Reaker and Smith are prepared to settle for £27, and as I am given to understand your own estimate is £23 10s., I have instructed him to signify acceptance of that offer. Will you oblige me with the sketch plans? You may remember that I intimated this request some time ago and you promised to transmit them. They have not, however, so far eventuated.

Yours sincerely,

Dear Sirs,
In reply to your letter, I cannot agree that £27 0. 0. is a reasonable charge for digging the trial holes. I have referred the measurements to my quantity surveyor, who estimates £23 10s. 0d. as an outside figure.

Yours faithfully,

Brash v. Reaker and Smith
Dear Sir,
Messrs. Reaker and Smith have now offered to accept the sum of twenty-seven pounds (£27. 0. 0.) in full settlement of their account. We think the matter should be so agreed and propose to advise Sir Leslie Brash to that effect unless you have any objections to raise.

Yours faithfully,

Dear Sirs,
I shall be glad to know whether you will be willing to tender for a brick mansion, fourteen bedrooms, on a site at Thaddington, near Mariford.
In the event of your being willing to do so you may expect to receive bills of quantities and form of tender in about five weeks’ time..

Yours faithfully,

Dear Sirs,
As arranged with Mr. Tinge I send you contract drawings Nos. 1 to 6 inclusive, and six sheets of rough ½in. and other details. I also send draft specification. The drawings have not been traced and will be completed, as usual, after the quantities are taken off. Will you please, as usual, complete specification to agree exactly with the bills. I shall be glad to see you and settle any matters not made clear.
Will you also be so good as to make a preliminary estimate of cost and let me know the figure?
I understood from Mr. Tinge that you could have the bills ready in four or five weeks’ time. Will you please confirm this?

Yours truly,

Dear Sir Leslie Brash,
I am more sorry than I can say to hear of the loss of your mare and for my unlucky part in the matter. I made inquiries of the standing of Reaker and Smith for the purpose of finding out whether they were suitable people to invite to tender, as you suggested they should do. It did not occur to me, after your recommendation, that they were not to be trusted to dig the trial holes. Messrs. Russ, Topper, Mainprice, Cornish and MacFee rang up
to-day - I mean the firm did - and I have made an appointment to see them with correspondence, etc., on Wednesday at 2.30.

Yours sincerely,

Dear Mr. Spinlove,
I consider that I have been involved in a sufficiently excessive expenditure over these wretched trial holes (the mare was shot yesterday) without being defrauded by overcharges. It is unfortunate that you did not ascertain the character of the firm before you employed them instead of after. I certainly have no intention of submitting to the extortion of these people, and if, as you intimate, their charge is preposterous - and it certainly seems outrageous to me - and, for some reason I do not understand, you are unable to negotiate with them, I apprehend my solicitors must take up the matter and I will instruct them to communicate with you. It is regrettable that at the very first outset, and in such a small matter, I should be involved in so many annoyances and vexations.

Yours truly,