How do you bid you jobs?

Business card, napkin, or whatever is available and a pen.

SWAG Method, Sophisticated Wild Ass Guess.....
Seriously,
Materials, # of days or hours, mileage charges, markups, then I add hours for project management depending on complexity of the job. Hourly rate is $85 Residential, $110 Commercial.

I usually pistol whip them into submission...:clap:

What is this "bid" you speak of?

I just show up at random houses and start doing work until someone pays me for it or pays me to leave.

:w00t:

true dat tinner666

I spent a lot of time over the last month, looking at excel and a couple of online estimating sites. Even made a spiffy worksheet on excel...

I did 2 estimates this week. One was complicated, Had to design it as well as price it (repeat customer, not a competitive bid). Did it all on paper...

Other job, was a small commercial Job, Replacing Floor Joists in an old mill and Sheetrocking (bid job, subbing sheetrock). Estimated that Job over the phone and In my head...

Guess I need to add color to my spreadsheet, maybe that'll encourage me to use it...

Estimates do not make money.

Estimates never have put too much money in the bank. Learn how to price the job at the table and turn that estimate into a contract. I don't give too many estimates because they get passed around to your competitors. Learn how to close the deal when you go to the house for the estimate and dont spend too much time making estimates. Unless your bidding on commercial work then disregard.

I use xactimate for remodelers too! Best program EVER! I always double check my bids but they usually come out making us a ton of money. Did you know you can customize categories?