Estimating Effort - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Aggie67 · 02-10-2009, 01:56 PM

I'm a strong proponent of down-to-the-nut-and-bolt estimating. But this morning I got up and looked at 14 inquiries that I need to get out the door, and two more came in before mid morning coffee. I have three more walk throughs to do this week. I need to hasten my pace of estimating, and get my crews back out there working (we slowed up the last 3 weeks).

I'm not asking what you do, because if you're all as smart as I think you are, you all do unit pricing based on take off quantities. But I haven't stepped across the line yet from hard number Class 5 estimates to unit pricing, and I never winged it, unless I wanted to punt on the inquiry.

So do you guys ever wing it, and say, "ah, this job is $22,000 and I'll put a steak dinner on that," just to get proposals out the door? I am so tempted to use my intuition and roll with my instincts on some of these. I know folks in my market that do $200,000 estimates literally on the back of a napkin, and it irks me, because here I am pricing out threaded rod and flux paste.

I guess I'm looking for some validation that with 16 estimates to do this week, I should be taking as many short cuts as possible.

rbsremodeling · 02-10-2009, 02:03 PM

If you are that busy. Why not charge for estimates and weed out some of the price shoppers??

I won't necessary wing it. But I have templates that I choose to do my estimates from.

Kitchens, bathroom, basements, painting, roofing and windows all have templates.

I choose a template make some subtractions and some additions for unique of different items estimates are usually do in 2 hours tops.

No price break downs just descriptions and total job price. Unless your new you should have historical data and prior knowledge to have an idea of what the cost will be and go from their.

Hell I give prices on every job verbally before I leave the site

Aggie67 · 02-10-2009, 02:32 PM

My line of work it's tough to do a standardized form. I do that for pump installations, tanks, coils, chillers, etc, for the hookups, but for the runs of pipe, it's the old fashioned take off and itemized list. I basically end up pricing everything off of the take off form, item by item.

I just can't bring myself to unit-cost 4 inch welded pipe.

And these are regular clients. I want to avoid weeding anyone out.

rbsremodeling · 02-10-2009, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aggie67

My line of work it's tough to do a standardized form. I do that for pump installations, tanks, coils, chillers, etc, for the hookups, but for the runs of pipe, it's the old fashioned take off and itemized list. I basically end up pricing everything off of the take off form, item by item.

I just can't bring myself to unit-cost 4 inch welded pipe.

And these are regular clients. I want to avoid weeding anyone out.

I am assuming. Do you do your estimates from prints??

Heritage · 02-10-2009, 02:44 PM

I'm of the nuts and bolts variety also, but if I was in your shoes right now I'd prioritize and go less details on the less lucrative prospects.

Or, do what rbs mentioned and hit them up for an estimating fee.

I usually send them a "letter of intent" outlining the scope of work then asking for a deposit for estimating, scheduling, etc.etc.

It's only okay to spend that amount of time on a proper proposal if A)you have the time and B)if it's a really lucrative prospect. Other than that, I charge by the hour.

Aggie67 · 02-10-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbsremodeling

I am assuming. Do you do your estimates from prints??

Of the 16 I have to do, 10 are from prints, 6 are customer point-and-arm-wave.

rbsremodeling · 02-10-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aggie67

Of the 16 I have to do, 10 are from prints, 6 are customer point-and-arm-wave.

For the prints I would invest in some form of software. There are lots of them out there that will help. Research, demo and testing is a biotch but worth it if yo find the right one.

For the arm and wave folks it would be an estimate fee attached to the proposal

D.A.S.Anthony · 02-10-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbsremodeling

For the prints I would invest in some form of software. There are lots of them out there that will help. Research, demo and testing is a biotch but worth it if yo find the right one.

For the arm and wave folks it would be an estimate fee attached to the proposal

I have been trying to find good software for this, I know there is probably a thread somewhere on here about it, but do you know of any off the top of your head?

I too need to get stuff out the door, and personally I sometimes take the chances of rounding and steak dinners. It does not mean that you should if you do not feel comfortable, just saying that if you know the house/project, and know your materials/labor estimates I bet you can get within 2% of your "nuts and bolts" proposals.

D.A.S.Anthony · 02-10-2009, 07:28 PM

Ok, took a few seconds but found a nice thread about estimating software. Thanks

http://www.contractortalk.com/f16/pr...success-27899/

Brock · 02-10-2009, 07:36 PM

When I'm that busy I will sometimes wing it. I have estimated a re-roof from a vector sketch obtained from a Realtor before! I don't reccomend this method but when the money is rollin' in and all your fruit is hanging low you sometimes have no options. Just not enough personell on hand that week.

rbsremodeling · 02-10-2009, 07:42 PM

I have tested damn near everything out there and settled on the one that works best for me.

I chose one that was web based and I can do most of my estimates in the field. Kitchens, bathrooms, basement etc. I do on the spot.

I don't think it would work for everyone. I think the software has to work the way your mind thinks. Very few people will change the way they think for a software.

It also has to be fairly effortless or most people will give up. The software has to make the way you work easier or it defeats the purpose