silverstilts

Have most of you found yourself bidding the same job multiple times only with say perhaps with 3 or more GC's..... Are you using the same pricing for all or do you switch them up some , like I do depending on the GC ?

d-rock

Happens to me quite a bit. I usually keep the pricing the same to help keep a level playing field, or in case I get caught double dipping. Sometimes if I know one of the GC's well, I'll give him a heads up that I can tweak it. But anyway I'm still green so don't take my advice..

eastex1963

Yep, happens here too. Mostly because of the lack of drywallers and my reputation. I ALWAYS give the same price......EXCEPT like d-rock says, if I know the particular GC and have done alot of work for them. Then I'll cut it a bit. You start giving bids that are not consistent and it catches up with you. Gives you a bad name. I don't have one and don't want one. Just my two cents.

rockdaddy

sounds to me like there are multiple guys getting you to do thier job for them. If I run into that situation I tell all partys involved to get the job before they ask for my estimation time. Then I bid it once.

silverstilts

you are right on that point.... but any good contractor will factor in his own pricing before getting pricing from subs .. If a GC basis everything on all his subs word it could be a good way of missing out perhaps on some of the little details causing them to loose lots of money ....

alltex

I usualy use the same formula for everyone ,up or down as difficulty dictates. but if i know the guy to be a pain and don,t need the work i adjust accrdingly.

silverstilts

I don't think giving different pricing to different Contractors is double dipping that would be paid more than once on the same job or giving nothing for money , however giving different pricing for completely different contractors is a personal decision that we all make I feel that there is nothing wrong with it... I base my decisions on how fast they pay (risk factor) , how are they to work for , how organized their jobs are , and sometimes it depends on how I get along with them in general .... I don't think that most GC talk between themselves when it comes down to the actual money they pay out to their subs , it is not in their best interest any more than most discuss here on this site what we charge except in a general way .... I would rather give a strong & firm bid and not negotiate by so called tweaking that only opens up a whole new can of worms , such as haggling with them on every other job offered to you. If you budge once they will expect it all the time. Very bad business practice ... and most times if you budge in the beginning before you start a job they will (trust me on this) will try to offer less when you are all completed with your work they will always try to find an excuse to shave more money from you . There is no such thing anymore as a level playing field , everyone is on his own ..there is no such ethics among GC's anymore .... Just in the last few months I bidded a golf club house , the contractor that was awarded the job only got it because he started shaving his pricing down after the bids were all in so he could compare and lower his where necessary with the head honchos ( his bid should have been thrown out for this since it was money involved directly from the city, another instance where government can do what they want this instance it was just local politics so much for a level playing field) , I was given a call and told the job was mine if I wanted but declined since I was to meet the low bid on the hanging taping and supplying all the board .. I am sure I will get a call again to haggle but wont ...

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aka the rock doctor

Darren@Partners

Silver just described a really perturbing practice GCs use. Rebidding after the GC wins the bid with your numbers. You've given them your best number, they got the job, now they want to line their pockets at your expense.

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www.partnersconstruction-drywall.com

silverstilts

The general contractor that was awarded the bid did not see my numbers because i did not bid for them , but one in his company wants me to do the work at someone else's low bid . Which could be done but still not really what I normally get... the only way I would do it is to piss off the competition that was low which we have a standing rival I usually end up repairing his work , something I don't like to do but because of it have gotten some of his contractors over the years .... the general contractor that did end up with the bid I have know for many years and I have yet to really give any thought of sacrificing my profits for lining his own pockets...so with that in mind you are so right about contractors using our numbers for their pricing...

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aka the rock doctor

d-rock

This happened to me, and a friend of mine that is a flooring contractor. The GC won the job with my numbers, then got other numbers from hacks and made me compete. I caved, partly from inexperience and partly from just wanting to get my business started. My friend didn't cave, he walked away.

rebel20

Happens all the time here I usually add 10% on top of quote that when this happens I give them 10% and it makes them feel good. And I still have my price. Kinda pisses me off spending the time to do the quotes then have a contractor tell me if it were 10% lower I would get the job so I have done this from the beginning and we both are happy.

silverstilts

I will not add any extra percent on the job just to take it back off just to make the contractor think he is getting a deal out of me , they are not that ignorant ... rather than that just give them the bid and tell them it is what it is ... If your a little higher than some but lower than others that is a good place to be and the contractor knows this... also I found that perhaps doing some extras as long as it isn't to much does not hurt to just throw in for free , the contractor will make extra money on the changes from his customer / client , that is of coarse if it isn't a major change ... the next time you bid with the contractor on a job he may remember that you will go above and beyond to get the job done...even though you may be a little high ... just my perspective ...

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aka the rock doctor

rebel20

I only have two contractors that do this the rest are standard bids my pricing for here in Germany is pretty much in the middle. And believe me there are always a few freebee's sometimes it takes more time for the paperwork as just to do it as long as its just minor things. I've had purchasers tell me to add 10% so they can discount to make them look good. To each his own.