Bid sheets

[Greenhorn]

I am bidding/estimating progressively better but with diesel prices and the weather heating up I cant afford to underbid.

Was thinking of coming up with a template I HAVE to fill out at every job before quoting a # or filling out the estimate form. It seems as long as I do atleast a minimal pen and paper calculation I am always higher and better off than throwing a number out there while talking to them.

The template would also have a list of stuff to glance at to adjust the charges that might otherwise be forgotten - distance to chipper, long drive, extra yard art / cleanup, anal customer, lots of rigging, etc.

Perhaps I am over-analyzing but I want to be more systematic and less spontaneous. And more $ of course.

 

[Mr. Sir]

I like the idea of the "anal customer" surcharge.

 

[SkwerI]

Yeah, but you better call it something else on the bid sheet.

 

[NickfromWI]

If it isn't straightforward, I tell people I will email them that night with an estimate. I find I short myself a lot more often when I think about it more on the drive home.

Sometimes on the job, you just look at it from the perspective of the way it SHOULD happen, rather than what COULD happen.

love
nick

 

[sotc]

Yeah, but you better call it something else on the bid sheet.

i dunno, might be funny

 

[Canuck]

Me thinks most anal customers are aware of the fact...

 

[Frans]

I like taking the time to fill out my bid sheet with the customer there (complicated stuff I take home and email).

what I think is good about it is I get to ask the customer alot of questions. Like maybe how to spell their name, what is the best number to actually get ahold of them, best days for them to have us do the work, how did they hear about us, do they want the chips or wood,. etc. etc.

It almost seems to me that once they get in the mode of answering those questions, it gives me more credibility than the guy who breezes in and verbally throws out a number.
I use carbonless forms and the client gets a copy right there and then.