ARK Quotation Policy

This Policy separates indicative pricing, estimates, formal quotations and binding project documents so that each stage has a clear role.

1. Purpose
This Policy explains how ARK Project Limited prepares, revises, issues, accepts and records estimates and quotations for eligible ARK Kitchen projects.
It is designed to keep five stages separate:
general website pricing and published project examples;
The ARK Kitchen Edit starting estimate;
preliminary project estimate;
formal written quotation;
binding project Contract and approved Variations.

2. Application
This Policy applies where identified in an ARK Kitchen quotation or Project Contract Schedule.
It may also apply to kitchen-led renovation work expressly included in an ARK quotation. It does not automatically govern standalone wardrobes, storage cabinetry, supply-only cabinetry or retail products.

3. Related documents
This Policy must be read with the applicable:
ARK Standard Kitchen Project Terms;
Project Contract Schedule;
Accepted Quotation;
Approved Drawings;
Material and Hardware Schedule;
Appliance and Client-Supplied Product Schedule;
Payment & Cancellation Policy;
Variations & Change Control Policy;
other identified Contract Documents.
The version recorded in the Project Contract Schedule applies to that project. A later website update does not automatically replace an accepted version.

4. Definitions
Starting Estimate
An indicative range generated from general assumptions, selected answers, approximate measurements or published pricing information. It is not a fixed price or formal quotation.
Preliminary Estimate
ARK's preliminary view of likely project cost before all measurements, drawings, selections, site conditions and supplier inputs are confirmed.
Formal Quotation
A written ARK document clearly identified as a quotation, with a quotation number or issue reference, stated Scope, price, assumptions, inclusions, exclusions and validity period.
Accepted Quotation
The specific quotation revision accepted under the required acceptance process and identified in the Project Contract Schedule.
Scope
The products, work, services, responsibilities, inclusions and exclusions expressly recorded in the Accepted Project Documents.
Allowance
A stated amount included for an item or work category that has not yet been finally selected or priced.

5. Website prices and published project examples
Prices shown on ARK's website, social media, advertisements, Real Projects & Prices pages or general guides are informational unless expressly identified as a formal quotation for a named Client and project.
Published project prices relate to the recorded Scope of those projects. They are not a promise that another site, layout, material selection or project can be supplied for the same price.
ARK must clearly distinguish:
cabinetry, benchtop and installation prices;
kitchen-led renovation costs;
optional trade work;
starting prices and completed-project prices.

6. The ARK Kitchen Edit
The ARK Kitchen Edit and its Estimate Builder are early planning and project-intake tools.
An output from the tool:
is a Starting Estimate;
is not a fixed price;
is not an offer capable of acceptance;
is not a guarantee of project eligibility;
does not reserve production or installation capacity;
may rely on standard assumptions and user-supplied information;
may separate Kitchen cost from Site Works or other categories;
may change after ARK reviews measurements, plans, photographs, selections and site conditions.
Information submitted through the tool may be used to prepare the next project step, but a Contract is not formed by generating or sending an estimate.

7. Preliminary estimates
ARK may issue a Preliminary Estimate where the project direction is sufficiently clear but final information is not yet available.
A Preliminary Estimate may change after:
site measurement;
layout development;
appliance confirmation;
material and hardware selection;
supplier pricing;
site inspection;
trade coordination;
access review;
identification of concealed or unusual conditions.
A Preliminary Estimate becomes a Formal Quotation only when ARK issues a document clearly identified as a quotation.

8. Standard initial design and quotation work
Unless ARK states otherwise in writing, ARK may provide reasonable initial consultation, standard site measurement, standard design development and quotation preparation without a separate design charge.
This does not include unlimited redesign or a transferable construction-document service.
ARK may quote a separate fee for:
repeated redesign after the agreed direction has changed;
detailed design requested without proceeding to an ARK supply project;
engineering, consent or specialist documentation;
urgent work outside the normal process;
detailed drawings intended for manufacture or use by another supplier;
repeated site attendance caused by incomplete or changed information.
Any separate fee must be disclosed before the paid work proceeds.

9. Formal quotation contents
Depending on the project, a Formal Quotation should identify:
Client and site;
quotation number, revision and issue date;
Scope and project areas;
cabinetry and installation inclusions;
benchtop and splashback inclusions;
material, hardware and sink assumptions;
delivery and site assumptions;
trade work included or excluded;
allowances or provisional amounts;
price and GST;
payment stages;
quotation validity;
indicative timing;
drawing and schedule references;
applicable Policy versions;
special conditions.
Only work expressly included is included in the quoted price.

10. Basis of quotation
ARK prepares each quotation using the information reasonably available at the issue date, which may include:
ARK measurements;
customer-supplied measurements;
plans, sketches and photographs;
appliance technical sheets;
layout and elevation drawings;
material selections;
supplier pricing;
known access and site conditions;
stated assumptions.
The Client must review the quotation and promptly identify missing, incorrect or unclear information.

11. Customer-supplied information
Where ARK relies on information supplied by the Client, another contractor or a consultant, the quotation assumes that information is reasonably accurate and complete.
The Client should provide exact appliance model numbers and official technical sheets when requested. Online listings, photographs and approximate measurements may be insufficient for manufacture.
If later verification identifies a material difference, ARK may:
revise an unaccepted quotation;
issue a proposed Variation after acceptance;
pause affected work until the difference is resolved.
ARK remains responsible for errors that reasonable professional care should have identified.

12. Drawings and visual material
Drawings, plans, elevations, renders, samples and reference images must be read with the quotation and material schedules.
Unless expressly stated otherwise:
renders are illustrative;
screen colours may differ from physical materials;
appliance images may be representative;
natural and manufactured pattern variation may occur;
drawings are not engineering or consent documents;
the latest approved revision replaces earlier revisions for the affected Scope.
Client approval does not excuse an ARK error that the Client could not reasonably have been expected to identify.

13. Design intellectual property
ARK retains intellectual property rights in ARK-created drawings, layouts, templates, specifications, reusable details, systems and design material, subject to the accepted Contract Documents.
Before Project Activation, preliminary concepts are supplied only for evaluating the ARK proposal and must not be used to manufacture through another supplier without ARK's written permission.
After Project Activation and payment of amounts properly due for the released design work, the Client receives the limited same-property project licence stated in the ARK Standard Kitchen Project Terms. That licence does not transfer ownership of ARK templates, systems, reusable details or general know-how.

14. Materials, specifications and allowances
A quotation may identify:
a confirmed product;
a standard specification;
an Allowance;
an optional upgrade;
a client-supplied product;
an item to be confirmed.
An Allowance is not a promise that every available selection can be supplied within that amount.
Where the final accepted selection differs from the Allowance, the price is adjusted through the quotation or Variation process.
ARK must not retrospectively describe an accepted fixed-price item as an Allowance.

15. Third-party and specialist work
A quotation involving a supplier, fabricator or licensed trade should identify, where reasonably practicable:
whether ARK supplies or only coordinates the work;
whether the Client contracts directly with the third party;
whether the amount is fixed or an Allowance;
which party manages payment and warranty contact;
any known timing dependency.
Where ARK formally supplies or arranges the work within its Scope, ARK remains the Client's initial contact for issues within that responsibility.

16. GST and currency
Unless expressly stated otherwise, quotations to residential customers are:
in New Zealand dollars;
inclusive of GST.
Any excluded delivery, permit, professional, trade or authority cost must be clearly identified or reasonably described.

17. Quotation validity
Each quotation should state its validity period. If no period is stated, it remains open for acceptance for 30 calendar days from the issue date unless lawfully withdrawn earlier.
After expiry, ARK may:
confirm that the quotation remains open;
update material or supplier pricing;
update availability or timing;
issue a new revision.
A quotation does not reserve a production or installation date.

18. Quotation revisions
Each revised quotation should show a revision identifier or issue date.
Unless stated otherwise, the latest issued revision replaces earlier revisions for acceptance purposes.
Earlier revisions remain part of ARK's internal version history but are not available for acceptance after replacement or expiry unless ARK confirms otherwise.

19. Obvious errors
ARK will take reasonable care when preparing quotations.
Before acceptance, ARK may withdraw and correct an obvious calculation, transcription or administrative error.
After acceptance, ARK cannot unilaterally increase a fixed price merely because of an internal estimating mistake. A price change requires:
an accepted Variation;
an identified Allowance adjustment;
a material change in Client-supplied information or site condition;
another valid Contract or legal basis.
Nothing permits misleading pricing or bait advertising.

20. Acceptance and Contract formation
A Formal Quotation is accepted only through the process stated by ARK. Depending on the project, this may require:
acceptance of the identified quotation revision;
approval of drawings and materials;
acceptance of the ARK Standard Kitchen Project Terms;
completion and acceptance of the Project Contract Schedule;
payment of the 50% deposit;
completion of stated preconditions.
Quotation acceptance, Contract formation and Project Activation are separate concepts. The Contract may become binding before the deposit is received, but ARK is not required to activate ordering, production or reserved scheduling until the deposit is received in Cleared Funds.

21. ARKCode and Project Record
After Project Activation, ARK may create a Project Record and assign an ARKCode to that record.
The ARKCode identifies the independent project record. It does not identify or belong to the Client, an account or the property. The same Client, myARK account or property may therefore be connected to more than one ARKCode where separate projects or records are activated.
The Project Record may preserve:
the Accepted Quotation and revision;
accepted Scope;
approved drawings;
material and appliance schedules;
applicable Policy versions;
approvals;
Variations;
later service, Handover and warranty records.
An accepted Variation within the same activated project normally remains connected to the same Project Record and ARKCode. A later separately contracted project normally receives a separate Project Record and ARKCode.

22. Changes after acceptance
Changes after acceptance are governed by the Variations & Change Control Policy.
No requested change becomes part of the project merely because it was discussed verbally, drawn informally or sent to a subcontractor.
Ordinary correction of ARK's own defective work is not a chargeable Client Variation.

23. Timing information
Any production, delivery, installation or Handover timing stated in a quotation is indicative unless expressly guaranteed.
Timing may depend on:
approval;
cleared payment;
measurement;
material availability;
production capacity;
supplier fabrication;
site readiness;
licensed trades;
Variations;
events outside reasonable control.

24. Cancellation
Before acceptance, either party may generally stop quotation discussions without proceeding, subject to any separately accepted paid design or consultation service.
After acceptance, cancellation is governed by the ARK Standard Kitchen Project Terms, Project Contract Schedule and Payment & Cancellation Policy.

25. Consumer rights
ARK must provide clear and accurate pricing information and must not engage in misleading or deceptive conduct.
Nothing in this Policy excludes or reduces rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded under New Zealand law.