Help Bidding Commercial Tile Work

UrbanTile

I own a tile installation company and mainly do residential remodels but have recently hooked up with a few companies that do commercial building and need advice on how to read their online bid sheets. I need to know where to find the specs for the tile and how to read the rest of the bid sheet. When I pull up the page it has the cover sheet, addendums, and a list of plumbing, finishings, hvac, etc, etc. Can anyone tell me how to just find and bid on the tile portion?

PrecisionFloors

Finish schedule, along with a floor plan usually. Do you know how to do take-offs? If not you are about to get your ass handed to you.....just a warning. Research.

What happens when you miss 500sf, or pattern work, etc., etc., on your labor end and your bid gets accepted.....YOU eat it that's what. Bidding commercial work blind is about one of the stupidest things a tile man can do. It ain't residential remodeling friend, its a whole nother animal. Best of luck.

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gumba

My advice is to employ a seasoned commercial estimator. You would be surprised at how many little things are scattered in a) the written specifications, b)the actual plans and the c) addendums

jarvis design

Its not only the tile you need to be concerned about, its the expansion joints and other trim profiles that "should" be included in your specs.
Never fails to amaze me when I see a commercial tile job without expansion joints...nice crack you got there!!

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dave peffer

There are good problems and bad problems. You have a good one my friend.
There may be people who disagree, but here's what I do well, for the sake of discussion anyway)
Ask the builder for a set of blueprints and specs. If he provides them, you are considered a serious bidder usually- he wants your input.
If he won't provide them, go to the reprographics company listed, look over the architecturals and eliminate what you know you won't need like RCP's, furniture layout, kitchen equipment, etc. If you are going to do mud floors, you will want some structurals as well for considering the expansions etc. Once you know what you don't need BUY the rest. You will normally only need specs in your division 09300, but check for caulks and sealants too.
Don't try to estimate with some BS online blueprint service, you'll miss something for sure.
Start at the finish schedule, then one at a time build the entire job, including every special piece, on paper, (spread sheet). There are estimating programs out there, but if you don't build it, good luck.
Lastly, call me, for $500.00 I'll do it for you with an exact cost and scope of work to the letter. If you land the job and hire us to do the work, I'll refund the $500.00. -dpeff@ bellsouth.net (probably against the forum rules) Point is, commercial estimating is risky if it ain't perfect.

dave peffer

Did I mention there is no place for JUST the tile part? Just like tile, buildings are integrated projects, you gotta know whats going on around you man!