In a refit, sequence and written scope come before price. A refit without a baseline survey ends in the "was that already there?" argument.
- A quote starts with purpose, a measurable outcome, included/excluded scope, method and standards.
- Payment follows verified stages, not the calendar; part of the final payment is held until snags close.
- Extras, material changes and subcontractors only with written approval.
- Clauses protect both sides; one-sided wording is not honoured.
1. Sample Proposal
Tap a heading to open it; the first section starts open.
SAMPLE REFIT PROPOSAL
1. Particulars and parties
- Quote number, date and validity (e.g. 30 days)
- Contractor: legal name, tax number, address, responsible person
- Owner: name, address, representative if any (surveyor/consultant)
- Vessel: name, make and model, year, length, flag, berth or yard location
- Annexes: specification, drawings, equipment list, photographed baseline
2. Purpose and expected outcome
Purpose: Rewire, engine overhaul and underwater paint, so the boat runs five more years without major work.
Expected outcome: Wiring to ABYC E-11 / ISO 10133 principles, labelled and drawn; engine compression and load test values recorded; paint at the maker's dry film thickness.
The outcome is written so it can be measured; "in good condition" is not an outcome.
3. Scope: included, excluded, assumptions
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Baseline survey (condition, readings, photos) | Included |
| DC/AC wiring, panel, battery bank, charging | Included, equipment list attached |
| Engine overhaul (scope per technician report) | Included, parts list attached |
| Underwater: strip, primer, 2 coats antifouling | Included |
| Navigation electronics | Excluded, separate quote |
| Upholstery and interior | Excluded |
| Extra work found on opening | Unit rates, by variation |
Assumptions: every assumption behind the price (access, existing condition, material availability) is written down. If one fails, a variation follows, not a surprise.
4. Method and standards
Work follows manufacturers' instructions and the relevant ISO / ABYC standards. Each operation gets a one-line method (e.g. "scarf at least 1:12, epoxy system, maker's cure time"). Work with no standard named has no yardstick.
5. Competence
- Relevant experience of the people doing the work and any qualifications (e.g. welder qualification)
- Contractor's liability and yard insurance
- Names and tasks of subcontractors
6. Owner requirements
- Access to the boat, keys, codes
- Haul-out and storage booking (who arranges it)
- Personal effects removed
- Decision and approval times (e.g. 3 working days)
7. Process, programme and hold points
| Stage | Work and hold point | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baseline survey and programme approval | 1 week |
| 2 | Structure and watertightness | 1-2 weeks |
| 3 | Systems, hold point before panels close | 3-4 weeks |
| 4 | Engine installation, alignment | 2 weeks |
| 5 | Paint and finish | 1-2 weeks |
| 6 | Sea trial, acceptance, snag list | 1 week |
At a hold point work stops; it does not continue until the owner or their representative has seen it.
8. Tools, equipment and materials
Materials are listed by make, model, data sheet and quantity. Measuring instruments (moisture meter, thickness gauge, compression tester, insulation tester, etc.) and their calibration status are stated.
9. Price structure
- Fixed-price items separately
- Unit-rate items: unit, rate, estimated quantity
- Hourly work: rate and an approved cap
- Provisional sums only for genuinely uncertain items, with the reason
- VAT, currency and exchange-rate date
10. Variation procedure
Every variation is numbered: description, price, effect on time, both signatures. No verbal approvals. All variations sit on one list; the final account comes from that list.
11. Payment schedule
20% start · 25% systems verified · 25% engine installed and verified · 20% sea trial · 10% when snags are closed (retention)
Each payment depends on the stage being verified complete by photos and measurements.
12. Acceptance and handover
- Acceptance criteria (readings, tests, sea-trial values)
- Numbered, photographed snag list with close-out date
- Documents: warranties, manuals, test records, drawings
13. Warranty
Wiring workmanship 12 months (24 by negotiation); engine overhaul per the overhaul shop's written warranty (typically 12 months or set running hours); paint per maker's terms. The warranty runs from acceptance. Response time for warranty work is stated.
14. Risk, insurance and title
From handover to the yard, who carries fire, theft and damage risk, and under which policy, is written down. For a new build, when title passes and how the boat under construction is insured are stated plainly.
15. Delay
A reasonable, capped daily penalty for late completion (e.g. 0.1% of the contract price per day, capped at 5-10%). A weather allowance is written for outdoor work (paint, laminating); force majeure defined narrowly (a general "supply problem" is not force majeure).
16. Disputes
First written discussion; on technical points an independent expert chosen by both parties. In Turkey, mediation is a mandatory step before a commercial lawsuit; consumer disputes go to the consumer arbitration committee or mediation depending on the amount. Then the agreed courts (e.g. where the boat lies). With foreign owners, arbitration (e.g. Istanbul Arbitration Centre) can be chosen; governing law and the prevailing language are stated.
2. Clauses Against Bad Faith and Abuse
These clauses come from the disputes that recur most in the trade. If a quote lacks them, have them added before signing.
Clauses that protect the owner
No unwritten extras
Any work outside scope is approved before it starts by a numbered variation order stating price and effect on time. Unapproved work cannot be invoiced.
No material substitution
Materials named by make, model and data sheet may only be changed with the owner's written approval. If a cheaper equivalent is used, the difference is credited.
Subcontractors declared
Subcontractors are named before work starts. The contractor remains responsible for their work; responsibility cannot be passed on.
Removed parts handed over
Every replaced part is handed to the owner or tagged and photographed. A part invoiced as replaced must be produced.
Inspection before close-up
Laminate, systems and structure that will be hidden are not closed up before the owner or their representative has seen them. If they are, opening and re-closing is at the contractor's cost.
Transparent time sheets
Hourly work is logged daily: date, person, hours, task. The owner is told in writing before an approved hour cap is exceeded.
Material cost and margin
Materials are shown as purchase cost plus a declared handling margin. Supplier invoices are shown on request.
Verified stage payments
Payment follows completed and verified stages, not the calendar. Verification is by photos, measurements and, where agreed, an independent inspector's report.
Hold-back at acceptance
Part of the final payment (e.g. 5% of the total) is held until the snag list is closed. Retention from every stage payment is uncommon in Turkish yacht yards; it can be negotiated on larger jobs.
No holding the boat hostage
Once everything except the disputed amount is paid, the boat is released; the disputed sum is held in escrow or covered by a guarantee.
No use of the boat
The contractor may not use, move, show or sleep aboard the boat without written permission.
Documents at handover
Warranty papers, manuals, test and measurement records and as-built drawings are handed over with the boat; missing documents delay acceptance.
Clauses that protect the contractor
A one-sided contract either does not get signed or does not get honoured. Balanced terms suit a good yard too:
Owner delays
If owner approvals or choices are late, the programme extends by the same period without penalty.
Unpaid stages
If a verified stage payment is not made on time, the contractor may suspend work after written notice; the suspension is added to the programme.
Owner-supplied items
The suitability and warranty of owner-supplied items are not the contractor's; the installation workmanship warranty still applies.
Hidden damage found on opening
Damage that could not be seen at quotation and appears on opening is reported with photos and priced from agreed unit rates by variation order.
Boat not collected
If the boat is not collected within a reasonable period after acceptance (for example 15 days), yard storage or berthing is charged at tariff.
3. Red Flags in a Quote
- One-line total: "Refit labour and materials, €45,000"
- Adjectives instead of make and model: "quality", "first class", "equivalent"
- Front-loaded payment; stage payments without verification
- No warranty period or scope, or a vague "workmanship guaranteed"
- No hold points; limits on owner visits
- Provisional sums making up a large share of the total
4. Working in Turkey: Local Practice
Items that Turkish yard and marina practice requires to be written into the quote.
- Currency and tax: Prices are usually quoted in euros and paid in lira. State which day's Central Bank selling rate applies, whether VAT is included, and the e-invoice arrangement.
- Stamp duty: A contract that states its price attracts stamp duty; say who pays it.
- Yard and marina charges: Lift in/out, hardstanding (per metre per day), cradle or stands, power and water, washing and disposal of paint and blasting waste appear as separate lines. Ask in advance whether the marina allows outside contractors and what it charges.
- Insurance: Tell your hull insurer when the boat is ashore or at a yard, and before hot work such as welding or grinding. Ask for a copy of the yard's liability policy if it has one.
- Right of retention: Under Turkish law a contractor may hold the boat for unpaid work (Civil Code art. 950). That is why a clause parking only the disputed amount in escrow or under a guarantee matters.
- Contract for work: Yard work is a contract for work under the Turkish Code of Obligations (art. 470 ff.). Inspect at handover and notify hidden defects in writing as soon as they appear. Consumer buyers have additional rights under Law 6502.
- Title in a new build: Where the size allows, registration in the register of ships under construction; otherwise staged, minuted allocation of the hull and purchased materials to the owner secures the deposit.
- CE: Turkey applies the Recreational Craft Regulation aligned with Directive 2013/53/EU; the notified body and handover documents are named in the contract.
- Language: In a bilingual contract, state which language prevails if the texts differ.
5. International References and Trade Practice
These samples borrow the structure of the sources below, adapted to yacht scale and to working in Turkey. Have your lawyer settle the binding wording.
- BIMCO standard forms for ship repair (REPAIRCON) and newbuilding (NEWBUILDCON), stage payments, variations, warranty and disputes
- British Marine (UK) standard terms for boat building and repair, the balance between private owner and yard
- ISO 12215 (hull construction and scantlings), ISO 12217 (stability and buoyancy), ISO 8666 (principal data and mass definitions)
- ISO 10133 / ISO 13297 (DC and AC electrics), ISO 10088 (fuel systems), ISO 9094 (fire protection), ISO 15083 (bilge pumping)
- ABYC standards (e.g. E-11 AC and DC electrical systems) and the EU Recreational Craft Directive 2013/53/EU where CE conformity is intended
- ISO 9606 (welder qualification) and ISO 15614 (welding procedure approval); for coatings, the paint maker's system sheet (coats, dry film thickness)
Frequently Asked Questions
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- Contract and payment stages: Tying payment to check points.
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