Bidding a HUGE job

I am bidding on an apartment complex.

aproximately 900 squares, 2 layers, 6/12 pitch.

They want a 3 tab shingle.

Do you guys discount your per/sq pricing with jobs this big?

unfortunately, if you want to win the bid, you are going to HAVE to lower your prices.

I don’t price per sq… But I would think that the job will go to whoever discounts the most

I disagree, Jason. The nature of a large project naturally leads to a lower per square price. One thing to keep in mind is this, there is less setup time involved in one 900sq project than is involved in nine 100sq projects. Second, call your local distributor and get job specific material pricing. These factors alone will reduce your per sq. price.

Also, show that you care. I was recently awarded a 1000sq project (480 flat, 520 shingle mansard) where I was the highest bidder. I got the project by working closely with the property manager and took the extra time to ensure that he got exactly what he wanted.

ive bid dozens of 1000+ sq projects, and only gotten a handful.

EVERY single time, they said “someone came in cheaper than you”, no matter how much time i spent with the decision maker, no matter how many times i proved i was the better person for the job… it always came down to money.

the last one i lost, someone came in $100,000 cheaper than my bid… which was less than my direct and bottom line COST for the project. I dont have any idea how people do this.

this was just a few months ago, and i even negotiated with the supplier, and ended up getting the 30 year shingles for $60 per sq, and all nails/felt/acc at 40-50% off.

I agree with Jason. 95% of the time those contracts go to the guy with the lowest price. It is that simple.

Absolutely, call your supplier, explain the situation, get a bottom-line price (the other guys will be doing the same).

People right now are so focused on price, you need every advantage you can get. Put your labor prices way down low. Think of all the advertising you can take advantage of if you get the job! (signs, trucks, etc.)

A low-dollar project like this might just lead to other things.

IMHO.

Apartments and management companys have lots of work for you if your willing to lose money doing it.After you do this project i have another huge one for you to lose money on.

premium is right.

they get bid low, because set up, and clean up are easy.

if you can do 50-60 squares a day, and finish it in 2 weeks, even if you only profit $25-30 per square, at the end of the job you will have an extra $25-27,000 in your pocket.

on top of that, you have a HUGE job on your resume’ …other apartment complexes like the experience with big jobs, and people will see your trucks, crew guys (make sure they wear your company shirts), dump trailers, and all of your stuff everywhere on the property for the whole time. make sure to make everything visible.

i’m probably going to start being on the lower end of these bids, just for these reasons alone.

would that be gross profit Jason?

Yes sir

then it won’t go 'in your pocket" :wink:

Sorry Gus… i wasnt thinking, and meant that as NET profit. Not gross.

im sayin $25-30 per square… net net net profit on a 200k-ish job. its not great, but its better than a sharp stick in the eye.

You have missed my point. My point is bid the job in a manner that works for you and your company. If you constantly worry about what the other guy bids, you will end up screwing yourself. Just bid what you need in the job and sell your price. If you lose it, oh well. It is much better to lose a project than to lose on a project. There will always be another job down the road as long as you don’t put yourself out of business trying to beat the other guy.

Do you really think that anyone even has enough sense to sell for 30-40% GP anymore, let alone 25%? About 20- 25% is what they sell, er, I mean giveaway small jobs for around here. So I’d have to think that it would be even less w/ this size job.

Still better than a stick in the eye if all you got to do is measure, call Pedro and stick 'em w/ a tailight warranty.

3-tabs, cheep felt, drip and some nails would be what–$70 sq. w/ a discount (?) Add disposal of about $15 per sq (just guessing!!!) looking at $85 per sq. Add in $5 for whatever. Pedro’s crew for about what–$50?-- (just guessing!)
and you have $140. direct job costs.
And maybe they don’t use drip edge in TN.

GP rate of 20% and you have $175 per sq. selling price
$35 per sq. GP x 900 sq= $31,500 GP
Company overhead of $400 per day x 20 days = $8k
(wild guess on co. o/ h!!) = $23,500 net-- for 1 month

I guess that it works out OK. I don’t know, I’ve only priced one job in this range, about 11- 1200 sq., and I never stood a chance.

Price this big dog @15% GP and you’re looking @ 24K GP

I just finished a 360 sq job @ 40% GP. I was told that I was the high bid.

just FYI, i recycle my shingles here for about $1 per square.

SO about $30 for the avg. house Jason?

If so does this include time to separate materials? or does the disposal co. take care of that?

Ive been trying to talk to local waste managment/recycling folks about getting shingle recycling here.

We don’t seperate anything. And yes $30-40 per house per layer here is average.