Bidding

JustaFramer

I was running some numbers through National Estimator for a possible job. The gig is for framing only the framer that is walking claims he isn't making enough. He bid it. Any way I ran the numbers raw off thier costbooks and the cost is already 6g's over what the other guy bid and I haven't got to the all the heavy hardware install cost. That and the builder wants the light hardware and nails to come out of the bid price.


Should I bid it out with the raw numbers (no area % increase which is 26%) and then lower the price but not match or go lower than the other guy or come in at what I have now and do the "extras" he won't do? I think with som "peice crew's" I would make some bank

JustaFramer

Ran it again and compared. LOL I didn't delete for materials. thanks for the help lol

JustaFramer

Completed the bid with nails in the price. The bid will not have light hardware in the bid. Strictly a labor bid. To stay in the window I could not markup or raise the labor cost for the area. Oh well. If you can't beat them join them. Yo habla espanol? Que Si mass trabjar donde es hermano's?

Bob Kovacs

"If you can't beat them, join them"???? You'll be joining them by donning an orange apron and learning the phrase "Liquid Nails is in aisle 5".

Rather than rely on the numbers in National Estimator, why not figure the cost based on your actual costs of doing business? Have you looked at the labor rates they use in the program, and compared them to your actual employee salaries? Have you compared the productivity rates to what your guys can actually put out? Not to be harsh, but you'd have to be out of your mind to submit a bid based on what a canned software program tells you the bid should be.

If you can't get the money you need to run a legitimate business based on your costs of doing business, let the illegals do the job- the builder will get exactly what he deserves.

Bob

Flimmer

I agree with Bob.If you can customize the software to your numbers then it would be probably be fine. I personally wouldn't let the competition set your prices. This was one of the hardest things to overcome when I started in the estimating biz. But Bob is right, its like, well he jumped off the bridge so I will. Let the other guy have it.

JustaFramer

recanted

JustaFramer

Actually the labor rate from the software where right on target. The guys I expect to work for me I know there wages. Some I know like the "piece price". Considering that what the other guy is charging I wanted to know what how he came up with that bid. I played with the numbers a bit to get the figures. I do know he is bitching about extras. But I don't see the extras he is talking about most are on the print so it should of been figured into the bid or he could be manipulating what the contract states and what is implied?
You know some of the guys that win the jobs are the ones who can't relate in 1-d into 3-d.

It's no wonder they always bitch. The numbers are alright I guess but this is new construction not some nice cut up custom.