For years I have been picking up drywall, lumber and even fixtures such as bathtubs and toilets and bringing them to a home we were remodeling. I've done so without charging a delivery charge (which Home Depot and Lowes would do). I did that in the belief in might help me win the bid. However, after looking over my fuel bills, I am starting to rethink this. Should I be charging for pickup and delivery, and if so, do I match the big box stores' delivery charges? Looking for opinions.
Charge for picking up materials and delivering to jobsite?
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
You should charge for delivery and have your supplier deliver it. You pass this charge to the customer plus a profit margin...
You can then spend time working on the job and finishing the job while they are picking the materials and delivering... the only caveat is sticks and colors which you may need to be there for...
Joined
·
7,076 Posts
Of course you should get paid for it - whether to charge separately for it depends on how you bid and invoice your projects. I just add delivery costs into the bid for a general remodeling project, and a customer isn't aware of delivery costs separately. If you break out delivery costs separately on materials, customers will immediately want to start talking about buying materials themselves, which is not a good direction to go.
Joined
·
2,716 Posts
Silly question-----of course you should----
The true test of your pricing---could you hire someone to take over your job and still have money left for yourself????----
I pick things up for a customer---but I have that cost factored into my pricing--
A line at the bottom of your contract about this will help---
materials provided by the customer must be on site when needed, If you wish to have me pick up and deliver your materials a charge of $65. will be added to the next payout.
The true test of your pricing---could you hire someone to take over your job and still have money left for yourself????----
I pick things up for a customer---but I have that cost factored into my pricing--
A line at the bottom of your contract about this will help---
materials provided by the customer must be on site when needed, If you wish to have me pick up and deliver your materials a charge of $65. will be added to the next payout.
Joined
·
2,716 Posts
Carpenter SFO typed faster----
I'm writing up two estimates this morning. I've got a house in town that needs complete demo and remodel downstairs, and a house 30 miles out of town that needs a complete demo and remodel upstairs (not working today, 30 degrees and pouring rain).
How do I work it into the estimate? Here's the kicker. I've had tons of discussions about line itemizing a bid and NOT itemizing a bid. However, we (contractors) live and work in a very conservative area. People expect to see what each item will cost. Do I list delivery charge for those 30 sheets or do I "build it into" the total cost for the 30 sheets (i.e. hiding the delivery charge? Same thing for picking up the tub, toilet and vanity I need to install.
Joined
·
1,281 Posts
Personally I just add it to the cost of the material that is being delivered. If the items cost $100 and delivery is $20 charge them $120 plus whatever markup you have.
I don't itemize, I bulk price. So for one run a cat5e to one location I have a fixed price for wire, staples, labour, wallplate, jbox, insert etc. If I'm bidding a CCDC contract I separate the labour portion and put it hourly.
Itemizing can be tricky, there is a difference between looking through and looking cheap...so where you put it in your bid it doesn't matter, just make sure it's covered.
Joined
·
2,020 Posts
Most customers understand even if its obvious a bit on a small job.
However when I do an estimate I have a line item "Load the job" which is 1/2 day....or 3 days whatever I believe is involved for me to go get or manage materials.
However when I do an estimate I have a line item "Load the job" which is 1/2 day....or 3 days whatever I believe is involved for me to go get or manage materials.
Just give a grand total price for your work,line itemizing,is the best way to cut your prices down to nothing worth doing.
Welcome to the forum.
Good point. The only time I've really been asked for an itemized list is when doing insurance work. Thanks everyone for the opinions.
Joined
·
2,716 Posts
You need to read your customer and write the bid in a way they understand--
Most of my contracts are 'turn key' priced---However, I sometimes break the costs down if it is for a certain type of buyer---but still---add that line about picking up his purchases.
You need to figure out what will sell that customer---on a broken down contract--you need to be firm----this is a package deal---You can't just pick and choose---
I seldom break down a contracts pricing---most people don't want to know the details---
Most of my contracts are 'turn key' priced---However, I sometimes break the costs down if it is for a certain type of buyer---but still---add that line about picking up his purchases.
You need to figure out what will sell that customer---on a broken down contract--you need to be firm----this is a package deal---You can't just pick and choose---
I seldom break down a contracts pricing---most people don't want to know the details---
just added $450.00 line to an estimate for materials and tool handling charges
6th floor condo in a huge complex hard to access, pain in the butt hoa, full of rules and regs, prolly won't get the job, but I know I won't lose money unloading my truck, carting materials through the lobby, up the elevator, unloading, constantly moving my truck back into the parking garage add up the time moving crap around and it gets expensive quick, let someone else lose money doing that
6th floor condo in a huge complex hard to access, pain in the butt hoa, full of rules and regs, prolly won't get the job, but I know I won't lose money unloading my truck, carting materials through the lobby, up the elevator, unloading, constantly moving my truck back into the parking garage add up the time moving crap around and it gets expensive quick, let someone else lose money doing that
I'd rather just throw a couple extra hours of labor on the quote or up the hourly rate by a couple bucks. That line item seems unnecessary.
Joined
·
13,224 Posts
If someone complains about the delivery charges, just tell them it helps you save them on labor charges and time. I pick up a lot of my materials, mainly because the lumberyard chicks are cute, and I do a lot of small repairs.
However, when it gets into lumber packages, window packages, or a larger load of just about anything, I'll have it delivered. I can be on the job tearing out and the stuff arrives and I install it, or I can be chillin' at home, order it and it is there the next day. Lots of time and aggravation saved.
However, when it gets into lumber packages, window packages, or a larger load of just about anything, I'll have it delivered. I can be on the job tearing out and the stuff arrives and I install it, or I can be chillin' at home, order it and it is there the next day. Lots of time and aggravation saved.
Thank you brother. The weather here cleared and we got back to work and I got a little behind on one the aformentioned bids (the complete downstairs remodel). I previously stated on this thread that a lot of customers down here in southwest Lousiana want itemized bids. Anyway, the "downstairs" guy called me up asking me where was my bid? Even though he already had 4 bids, 3 of them were'nt itemized and he asked me for an itemized bid. I told him I would give him a bid separating labor from materials but not for every nail. I fully understand why you shouldn't itemize. Too many potential customers want us to tell them what every little thing will cost, blow us off and try to contract the job themselves. Little do they know that when they do that some of the "subs" smell "blood in the water" if you know what I mean. They also don't realize that contracting a large job isn't a "part time" job. BTW, I don't know why I didn't join this site years ago. Thanks everyone.
If I itemized bids then customers would get to see my markup percentage in the "bat-chit crazy" column. Most customers don't have an entry in that column, but some do.
I give a lump price but am very detailed and specific about the work and materials provided. When you order a steak at a nice restaurant they don't tell you how much they charge for the seasoning and gas, you either want a steak, or you don't.
I give a lump price but am very detailed and specific about the work and materials provided. When you order a steak at a nice restaurant they don't tell you how much they charge for the seasoning and gas, you either want a steak, or you don't.
Don't even break out labor and materials. It's irrelevant on a $10,000 project if it's $1 material and $9,999 labor or $9,999 material and $1 labor they still total $10,000. Quit breaking out material and labor it's completely pointless.
Some contracts require it.
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
Join the discussion
