SC Hotel Carpet Questions - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

fitblaze · 12-29-2008, 05:49 PM

We have a job to bid on. We know how to do it but not how to bid it fairly.
Please keep in mind we are in South Carolina so I am not sure our numbers are the same as other areas.

It is roughly 1245 sq yards and the job consist of the following.

1) Removing old carpet and disposing of it.
2) Gluing in new carpet and adding an 18 inch drop at every door in the hallway
3) It does have Wood Molding (Does this new to be remove and Replaced or does carpet tuck under?)

It is a basic job and we do not specialize in this kind of work. We want the job for busy work in between 2 larger jobs. I would like to make the company a few dollars in profit but do not need to get rich.

I was thinking $4.15 a sq yard to install. But not sure how to price the removal and prep work. Please Help...

Thanks

Brandon

MALCO.New.York · 12-29-2008, 05:53 PM

Brandon.....

Might I suggest that you Introduce yourself, Business and objectives here on this link.

http://www.contractortalk.com/f44/

Persons here at CT want to "know" You prior to handing out Trade Secrets and Steps.

WELCOME to ContractorTalk.Com.

precisionbuild · 12-29-2008, 05:53 PM

Hold on to your seat. It's gonna get rough in here.

SLSTech · 12-29-2008, 07:01 PM

As you plainly don't know WTFYD - don't bid it, pretty simple

Things to consider - Concrete floor, scraping, leveling, need to use commercial carpet w / or w/o rubber backing - baseboard shouldn't need to be removed unless new carpet is taller or thinner than before & you will probably end up doing touch up from glue, damage from pulling carpet, etc.... Must roll the carpet & have perfect straight seams

fitblaze · 12-30-2008, 05:37 PM

Thanks SLS,

I already took into account all of the things mentioned. I think I am down to the point of this. I don't know what these jobs bib for. I own my company but My guys are doing it. They have done this type of thin for years.

My problem lies in the fact that I have been a bit low on my bids lately and need a sense to work with. I was initially worried about getting work. Now that I have PLENTY, I need to price it a bit more closely. So My profit can be increased a small amount.

Our idea is that we "Clear Waters" is not looking to get rich in the market today or this year, we are simply looking to a good job for a fair price and service our area for the next 20 years.

I am sorry everyone else here is so quick to jump on the YOUR AND IDIOT band wagon. I simply am not looking to under bid other companies so bad we develop issues in our home town.

Thanks again SLS

Sorry to bother the rest who are clearly much better than the rest of us new business owners.

fitblaze · 12-30-2008, 05:40 PM

Sorry Malco for not going through the introduction stuff first but have a bit going on and needed to get the question out for a dead line.

I will look in to the forum you suggested and look forward to working with many of you in the future.

Ivinni · 12-30-2008, 05:45 PM

Don't worry about the abrasiveness. It HAS to be inherent in residential contractors because I see it over and over here.

Good luck.

Mike Finley · 12-30-2008, 06:49 PM

You really can't blame anybody for flipping you off. You're really not asking a question that can be answered because your objectives are not defined as a normal business operator would define them.

Reread what you have written and really consider what you are asking and how you are defining how to come up with your requested number

1) You don't want to get rich
2) You just want this as busy work
3) You just want to make a small profit

Now if that is the criteria HOW can anybody answer your question? How could anybody know how much is "don't want to get rich", how much is "busy work" worth, or even how much "a small profit" is?

Those in the know figure out costs by using their overhead numbers, their material costs, a defined profit margin or percentage, and labor costs based on the work.

Of those things how many of them did you list?????

To answer this question based on your criteria the only answer I could come up with would be take your best guestimate and add 20% to it submit it and see what happens. You don't have any defined numbers for this type of work or job, but you will after this one. When it's done anaylize your profit and loss numbers and keep them for next time.

Super-Mike · 12-30-2008, 08:13 PM

If you don't know how to bid, hire someone who does.

fitblaze · 12-30-2008, 11:10 PM

Thanks again guys

Well perhaps I have been less than articulate in the question being ask. Perhaps I am more looking for the perameters of a typical job like the one offered to me.

I guess my train of thought is Build a business that will last 20 years, by building a small reliable base and growing. Now that I have the base and several "sugar" clients. I would like to grow and allow the guys that work with me to make more money by taking on larger projects.

I will do my best next time to state my question with more detail and directness. As for hiring someone to bid jobs, SC is full of low life contractors and shabby work. There is a major shortage if people willing to do the right kinda work. I am not sure I could trust anyone around me to be honest about the bids.

I did have a question though. R C Means is a estimating and job scope book and software. Is it worth the investment and are there other tools that can help me learn the traits I need to perform as operator of my company.

Thanks again for the help

Mike Finley · 12-30-2008, 11:45 PM

Personally I have no use for any estimating books. I try to stay away from thinking of your company being in the commodity business.

Your closing ratio is the best estimating book there is. It will tell you more about your pricing then those books.

I also think there is a fine line with worrying so much about charging too much. Personally I have more of a thought process revolving around loyalty to your employees and being able to sell your work at high enough rates to provide better than average wages for them and ensuring your company will be around for awhile. That's difficult to do when you're so focused on being worried you might charge a little too much and upset someone. I'm not saying this is you, but I've always found that businesses with that attitude would rather ask their employees to make up for the difference needed then their customers.

I'd rather be upsetting a few folks on a regular basis then not.

SLSTech · 12-31-2008, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fitblaze

I don't know what these jobs bib for. I own my company but My guys are doing it. They have done this type of thin for years.

My problem lies in the fact that I have been a bit low on my bids lately, I need to price it a bit more closely.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fitblaze

Perhaps I am more looking for the perameters of a typical job like the one offered to me.

First off - Mike gave you all the info you need to properly bid out the work - you simply appear to not know your actual labor hours. The answer is in your first post above - the employees that have done the work before. Take their estimate & add in 20% to be safe

Do you know your Overhead & Profit goals - if your Profit goal is less than 8 - 10% you won't be around for twenty years. If Profit is a bad word to you - consider it as your rainy day fund.

Second - Carpet installations are normally sold 1 of 2 ways - Installation only (priced by the yard) which includes; removal, prep, & installation of new, clean up, & the trip to the dump or Material & Installation priced per yard

Finally - I'm sorry but I will stick by my original post - if you don't know what you are doing, don't do it - especially in a Commercial job within a hotel.

By the way, are you licensed for this type of work, have insurance, know the hours restrictions to get your work done with out impacting the guests, have & know the MSDS for all the glues, etc... you are going to be using? Need a permit?

fitblaze · 12-31-2008, 09:47 AM

Again you guys are right on.

I have the permits, license and insurance. I have come across the prices I like and believe will net the company a profit and capital.

I think there is an innate lack of faith on my part when it comes to the numbers game as I am seeing many business in our area fail due to price gouging and sense they are not loyal to customer base they get a job here and there, were as we get many jobs from the same source because we are fair and quality.

I like the Rainy Day fund as I spend a lot of my time worrying about my employees and I guess the overall concern is I dont want to find the trend of over bidding and losing work. Even a months worth of bad bids can lead to trouble for a small company.

Thanks again for all the help. The only number I can't pin down is the Labor hours involved, as my main guy works so damn fast its hard to figure that number out.

But I imagine it will work itself out.

Thanks Again