Bidding / Estimating Process

Custom Drywall Svc.

hahhahahh me too my man. me too!

Custom Drywall Svc.

EXACTLY.

i had an estimator (when things were busy) and for some reason, i couldnt get the fkker to understand this concept!

especially on kerfed (non-casing) doors and windows......he would pu$$y out on charging for it, and i kept asking him WHY????

he would just answer "well boss, its just metal and mud.......how much more could the labor be??"

id tell him "listen buddy.....how much you think the damn GC is saving not casing out all the doors and windows in this house? can you imagine all the material and finishwork? i dont care HOW easy you think it is (and btw its not) you just gonna give away this stuff for free????"

i have a base price of nearly 200-250 bucks per door and window, depending on kerfed areas.

thanks for pointing this concept out Stilts.........it SEEMS obvious, but from a business standpoint, most people will over look it.

Darren@Partners

I don't overlook it, but the competition here all seems to throw at least the 1st three arches in for free. I only get an extra for it on owner/builder referral work. Thanks silver and Custom, I almost forgot how to spell the word EXTRA. It is rejoining my vocabulary, I hope.

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Darren@Partners

Oh and the hack repair....T & M + 50%. Only 576 feet, not really even that much wrong. One man two full days. Guy didn't even spot the screws prior to shooting acoustic on the ceiling in the bathroom. Entire job, every screw broke paper, durock looked like a five year old installed it, not one screw set properly.

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Custom Drywall Svc.

there ya go.....1 guy, 2 days...knock that sucker out for cheap!

it surely sounds amateur.

A+ Texture LLC

The builder here that was the "finish to the floor" builder is getting jobs done for about $1.10 a sq. ft. Kerf on every door, combo of 9, 10, 12' ceilings, a couple archways, hawk-n-trowel texture, patio lids and garage textured too. And of course finished to the floor. I figured about 11,000 bd ft. I thought $16k was fair, all inclusive. I saved their butts so they like me he told me he had a bid for $10.5, and $12K. I "adjusted" to $11.5. And I'm not the lowballer, I told him I never plan to be.

Custom Drywall Svc.

man......for KERF, 1.10 is not high enough (for my area), buuuuut........its not BAD either, for this market.......

that kerf alone though, jeez.....i hate this when builders think kerfed doors and windows are 'not significant.'

again, 1.10 aint terrible, but i feel a house like that.....kerf, 9-12' clngs, arches......HAND texture (jeez)........should at the min 1.30/sf..........during the boom, a house like that would be 1.40 minimum in California at least.

A+, are these jobs somewhat 'production?'......will he give you volume at that 1.10/sf?? or is this a 1 or 2 time thing?

Custom Drywall Svc.

btw A+, that last part........man you came down like more than 30%?
from a business standpoint i would never personally come down that low, i feel it makes you look bad to the builder that you can even have that much room even.......let alone he can kind of figure your profit margins easier now........

BUUUUUT ...its sad because as bad as things are now, i CANT say i blame you, let alone that i myself wouldnt do the same thing...........hahahhahha......especially after knowing the range of the other bids.

if anything, i would assume hes lying, and that the 12k bid is in actuality 13.5 or 14k. thats just me though, i can be one negative SOB when it comes to business and being paranoid of being taken advantage of.

like i said, i ALWAYS expect the worst.

Darren@Partners

Hate to see A+ take a hit. If you gotta do it though, try to tie it to prompt payment or the like. Try get them to give you a little something in return. Just my .02

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rockdaddy

include your bead, zip strip etc into your base bid either sqft/ sheet. No coat, bullnose etc. is a " high end " product and billed at a premium. At least $1000.00 on an average house.

A+ Texture LLC

The reason I went down that far was because I really didn't know where custom work was around here. I do know a 9' flats are about .90-$1, so I guessed from that. I won't get production work from these guys but I will get their work. The real hitch is their clients getting financing. But I am getting remodels from them so thats cool.

Custom Drywall Svc.

yea, good for u man...all the better. dont sweat it. right now, the best you can do is establish NEW relationships, and sounds like u are................no one is 'making money' rite now anyways.

9' flats, .90 - a buck/sf is not bad in this economy. but this in no way includes hand texture.