Help With Estimates-newbie Question

TMD

Hi, I know it's a common question and probably all of you are sick of it but still i want to ask.
I've been doing remodeling for 9 years, not even a whole year for myself.
Ofcourse the biggest problem is estimating.
I know that every job is different but is there any good software, book i can use to helping me with it?
I do carpentry, tile, painting, electrical, plumbing.
I do remodeling but also services like "fix this and that".
Where should i look for to learn estimate little better ?
btw i'm live in chicago area.
Any suggestions for a newbie appriciate.

Cole

Are you asking about a cost book?

If so, check into RSMeans, Hometech but only use them as a guide.

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TMD

Yes, anything what can be helpful.
Thanks

dirt diggler

here's some non-generic tips for you. Couple mistakes i made starting out

biggest mistake I ever made - just going and randomly marking everything up by 30%

why??

well, i was marking up (good) --- but AIMLESSLY doing it. In fact, i didn't even know why I was doing it --- it's just what people told me to do.


LUCKILY - it turned out to suffice for the first couple jobs. Then a couple light bulbs went off ...




another mistake I made was charging by "level of difficulty" or the "how much of a sweat am I going to break?"

in other words, if someone said (hypothetically) "Dirt - I need you to take this wheelbarrow, fill it with gravel, and dump it over there"

I wouldn't look at it as "ok, that is going to occupy me for X amount of time" ---

I would look at it as "ok, I'm gonna be bustin my tail -- that's alotta work"


See the difference?? It wasn't me being lazy --- just the wrong kind of mindset. It was me being an employee instead of a business owner



let's see, what else -

be HONEST with yourself when estimating. The worst thing in the world is NOT losing the job cuz you were too high --- but one of the worst feelings is GETTING THE JOB AND BEING TOO LOW

is it really going to cost you "X" amount to do this??

Can you really get the project done in the time frame you've given yourself (hours per job)???

Cuz what WILL happen ... if you do go over your time budget --- you'll be stuck on a job for however long LOSING money --- simply because you can't make it elsewhere

that's the worst - working on a job that you are not even going to make money on and then not even being able to "make up for the loss" on another job" because you can't be there



what im saying, is be realistic. Nothing wrong with havin a PT job and then taking on a couple small projects - just to get the feel of it.

the actual trade will be, at MOST --- half of what your major responsibilities are

copusbuilder

You can always break things down in small groups.

If you are doing an exterior paint job and become confused figure time and material to paint the door, do each window, paint each shutter, reare door, right side of the home, right side of the garage, back of the garage.....so on and so forth.

Allow extra time and $$'s to where you feel comfy. Any large job can be broken down...just don't undersell your labor

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TMD

thanks guys.