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.
Build it all into your price.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.