Accurate bidding

[Treeaddict]

How long/many jobs did you need to bid jobs before you had an accurate (mostly) quantity of hours?

So far I’ve done 39 removals, 41 prunes, and 15 storm cleanups. I’m not so much worried about the dollar values as I am with the time values. I’ve had a few jobs take 50% longer than anticipated. Many have taken 25% longer, and a few went quicker. I’m trending towards underbidding. This is not disastrous in my situation as it’s not my primary source of income but I’d like to get it as accurate as possible.

I’m sure it takes time to develop the sense of time involved, but how long? Any tips or tricks you use?

 

[Nutball]

I think of past jobs that were similar, and adjust for the difference in size, difficulty, distance to move brush, ect. It may help refresh your memory to keep pictures of each job before starting it with a dollar amount in that picture name of how much you did it for, and how much you should have asked.

 

[flushcut]

I’ve lost count of how many removals, pruned, planted, and consulted. Bid on the higher side. If you are getting every job you are too low. If you are not getting anything you are too high. 60/40, 70/30 is a nice sustainable work load. But be aware of the jobs you shot the moon for price and get, they will either make you money or you’ll lose your ass.

 

[SeanKroll]

Track all your time, bidding, maintaining equipment, communication, drive time, job time.

Note the skill set of employees on jobs.

Note expenses

Calculate profits per type of job.



Wish I had time to do all that.

Kinda chicken and egg.

 

[flushcut]

It’s a duck not a chicken lol

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[WoodCutr]

View attachment 129999

treetards

 

[SeanKroll]

Another component is quote versus estimate.

Yesterday was a quote price for a tree care project. Once up the western redcedar, i kept wanting to get more deadwood down for aesthetic reasons. I put in more time that I bid, as I chose to do so. Definitely added a 0.5 crew- hours for us (climber and ground worker), without compensation. My choice.

The joke: I can stop anytime I want!


Removals are always quoted at a set price.

Some pruning is hourly, some is fixed price.

Fixed price makes room for training.
Hourly-priced is straight production.

 

[friedrich]

Fixed price makes room for training.
Hourly-priced is straight production.

i know people who do it the opposite way

 

[SeanKroll]

How do you mean?

Working the system against the customer?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I've come to the point in my career that my estimates and bids are my way or the highway. Don't like my price? Go find a 1/2 Harry to do a shoddy job of it.
I like the position of really not needing anymore customers. But I do like taking on "new blood" each year if I like the fit.

 

[SeanKroll]

I hear you about the customers. If you're in a treed areas, repeat customers just keep needing things.

I may make a mess for someone away from my service area, on referral, but don't chip/ haul/ clean-up. Cut to manageably safe pieces' go.

My next bid is 2 miles up the road. Good relationships with other-industry contractors on the peninsula got me a bid with a new customer about 2 miles up the peninsula from my house. Working around the corner, tomorrow...can almost see the trees from my house.

Used to be, pick up every call...now, the phone just happens to ring as my backlog drops, steady simmer.

Having a mini-skid, instead of manpower is so much more chill, flexible, low-stress, higher safety, and still profitable. The mini needed $500 a month, working or not. Employees need a lot more than that, with payroll taxes, worker's comp, payroll/ taxes/ accounting expenses, etc.

 

[flushcut]

I've come to the point in my career that my estimates and bids are my way or the highway. Don't like my price? Go find a 1/2 Harry to do a shoddy job of it.
I like the position of really not needing anymore customers. But I do like taking on "new blood" each year if I like the fit.

Another thing is word of mouth advertising that weeds out a lot of tire kickers. When you get to a point of people saying “he’s the guy you want” is comforting.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

And that is where we have been for a while now. I stopped advertising years ago. Mostly word of mouth. I have a google, yelp, facebook and angies presence and can be googled at any time.
Or you can be like Gerry and inquire in town