Where are we going ?? - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

rino1494 · 06-29-2009, 09:06 PM

Bid a new 4,000 sq ft house. Dig stumps and haul out, burn brush from loggers mess. Dig, backfill, stone footers, drain tile, silt fence, install 330' of electric conduit, and 230' of 1.25" pressure sewer line, finish grade and stone driveway. $20,000

Some clown beat me for a price of $9,000.

Williams Ex Co · 06-29-2009, 09:59 PM

Wow..... Sounds like someone wants to buy work pretty bad! 9K? Thats crazy talk.

guyute65045 · 06-30-2009, 09:35 AM

I feel your pain, I got called to bid on fixing a H.O's mess, he dropped an acres worth of trees haphazardly. Job was to buck em sort em and stack for the log truck, then stump the acre (roughly 90 stumps), and grade level for an arena. I lost the job to someone who was willing to do it for 1200.00 plus buy wood for 50/chord.

tgeb · 06-30-2009, 03:14 PM

Well lets hope we can all outlast the low ballers, (they won't last long at those prices).

I cut some of my rates to make sure I landed a recent project, I am glad I have the work, but I do regret the discount, it makes it tough to provide the level of service that I customarily do.

cexcavation · 06-30-2009, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tgeb

Well lets hope we can all outlast the low ballers, (they won't last long at those prices).

I cut some of my rates to make sure I landed a recent project, I am glad I have the work, but I do regret the discount, it makes it tough to provide the level of service that I customarily do.

Isn't that the truth

I have been sharpening my pencil tighter in order to meet lower budgets for seemingly larger projects. The only way I can get it to where it needs to be is by doing less hand holding, and putting more of the leg work onto the customer. The drawback is that most of the legwork doesn't get done and if you want to get the project going you end up doing it for free

My equipment rates are still right up there and I am keeping busy, but I am learning how to stick to the contract more without doing "extras" for free........there used to be room to throw in that extra half hour clearing brush "on my way out". Not anymore if I can help it, since I need to be back on the trailer and on my way to another paying job so that I can feed my family and maybe enjoy one day off a week

Hang in there guys, if you view your skills as a trade and charge for it, you'll do all right I believe.

Heimy · 06-30-2009, 08:49 PM

Man and i thought you were giving it away at 20,000

D-Excavator · 06-30-2009, 09:53 PM

We always get what we pay for! I am sure he will be calling when he is stuck in the peagravel on his driveway! LOL..

Upchuck · 07-02-2009, 08:43 PM

I have given only 10 estimates this year to date. Only got 1 out of 10. These are the guys beating me:
1. Guy does excavation & foundation. Doesn't do any utility hook ups.
Bunch of illegals on his crew. Site looks like a bomb hit it after he
leaves.
2. Guy has bunch of young guys working. Doesn't pay them much. He was
doing sewer connection in busy road. In sandy material he used
2 sheets of plywood with 2x4 across in a 10' deep trench.
3. Guy doing existing homes connecting to new sewer. Permits, pump &
crush old tank, 60'-90' of pipe, 20-30 yds loam, rake.
free hydro-seeding. Total price $1500.

Thank god I have a condo project going. Downsized to 4 guys. Just trying to get thru this downturn.

dayexco · 07-06-2009, 04:56 PM

bid a storm sewer project last wk......2 yrs ago, been damn lucky to have 3 bidders....2 yrs ago, job would have went for $330-350k......11 bidders, went for $256k...to a contractor 100 miles away, with $222k worth of material on the job. this ain't over gents.

tgeb · 07-06-2009, 05:59 PM

Maybe you'll be the guy to go in and fix it in 18 months!

dayexco · 07-06-2009, 06:03 PM

tom, what's sad....the low bid is a VERY reputable contractor....this guy doesn't have redo's......he's trying to keep men busy.

Blas · 07-06-2009, 06:09 PM

20-50 people bidding dirt in the cities. We are working out of town this year unfortunately. I just gave up on that crap. People beating us by 30%-60% and I know we aren't cruzing around in Bentley's and lear jets around here so what do ya do. Most guys with paid for equipment are just charging for labor this year. To bad I am not in that boat.

dayexco · 07-21-2009, 05:55 PM

well, was the bridesmaid again today.....went in a job where backhoe1 is from....$412k worth of material, 1/3 of the sanitary pipe was 17-21' deep,....we went in at $793k, bid 8-10-12" watermain install at $6.75 a foot cause we need work. sewer main install @ $18 a foot....got taken out by $45k. this just isn't fun anymore

**joasis** · 07-21-2009, 06:09 PM

My next door neighbor is a contractor or rather, a partner in a company that specializes in state and government work, like rip rap jobs, and waterways, etc. They haven't landed a job in months due to out of state contractors coming in and low balling the bids. Same thing Tom....he said a few years ago, a few bidders, now, 50 or more companies bidding and jobs going at cost of materials....

I told him to make my wife a partner....Native American....then they can bid the jobs reserved for "NA" companies, and at least still compete.

ruskent · 07-21-2009, 06:10 PM

Day are you guys atleast staying busy?

rino1494 · 07-21-2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dayexco

well, was the bridesmaid again today.....went in a job where backhoe1 is from....$412k worth of material, 1/3 of the sanitary pipe was 17-21' deep,....we went in at $793k, bid 8-10-12" watermain install at $6.75 a foot cause we need work. sewer main install @ $18 a foot....got taken out by $45k. this just isn't fun anymore

Wow, I wouldn't even think about doing sewer mains for $18/ft. I am bidding a job for only 500' and I am going in at $40/ft.

dayexco · 07-21-2009, 06:17 PM

i'm moving to pennsylvania

ctkiteboarding · 07-21-2009, 06:35 PM

i hear ya guys my main client is looking shakey and has strated to cry abit about day rates i have a 130, a 580 and a mini on site at all times what would a rate per day be if it were you? im trying to see his side but damn this is getting old real quick

JDavis21835 · 07-21-2009, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rino1494

Wow, I wouldn't even think about doing sewer mains for $18/ft. I am bidding a job for only 500' and I am going in at $40/ft.

Yeah, But you have them pesky rock things to dig thru.

We are starting to see some work coming down the line, and the office is out to get anything and everything. We have two schools going on right now, one is not a big issue when it is complete, its the track, tennis courts, and soccer field. My project will be an issue if things to get hashed out between the architect and school board. Since im doing the parking area that is all sand, surrounded by clay, wet material is an issue. Compound that with old concrete septic drain tile encased in concrete that had several breaks, dumping water into the subgrade, its been a tough project for something that should be simple.

guyute65045 · 07-21-2009, 07:05 PM

Just got word back from a commercial bid that I placed a couple weeks ago. I was in the middle of the pack at 57K, low bidder was 37.5K giving away 700 yards of state spec road base just to keep his tracks moving. I cant compete with that.