# Bidding Commercial Jobs



## McClary’s Electrical

AaronJ said:


> Hi everyone, I have a question about bidding work. This is the way I do my bids:
> 
> I break down all items (Unit Pricing) each plug, switch, pulling wire, etc. I put everything in a spread sheet that I created and then it gives me a total number of man hours.
> 
> I than times the man hours by my company rate, add in my overhead to do the project and how much labor it will cost the company. Now it will show me a “True Number” let’s say $10k for a 2 month project. Now to be competitive in today’s market, I’ll drop it down to a more reasonable number to try and give me more of an edge to get the project, so I’ll drop a the net profit down to like $4,500.00. But while doing this, keep in mind that I’m trying to archive 2-3 projects a month.
> 
> 
> Do you guys normally reduce your overall net profit in this economy?
> 
> Also whats the average amount of jobs everyone bids on? I bid 15-20 and will be luck to get 1 or 2 out of it. Does anyone ever contact the owner to get a bidders list?


 


My bid/retention ratio is about 85/15, meaning I get about 85% of what I bid, and lose about 15%, but I don't bid to just anybody, and most are repeat customers.


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## AaronJ

That is a great bid to award ratio. Mostly commercial jobs?


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## knowshorts

Do not lower your price to get more of an edge to get the project. Sell yourself on every other factor there is, but price.


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## Mr Rewire

unless you are increasing volume lowering your profit makes no sense.


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## McClary’s Electrical

AaronJ said:


> That is a great bid to award ratio. Mostly commercial jobs?


 

It took years and years to get that high and it's mainly because it's mostly repeat customers that have me throw numbers at them. When I first got going, I went up and down from not winning any bids, to winning every bid, back and forth several times before fine tuning my bidding skills, and fine tuning my customers. I think if you are bidding to the general public, and new customers, be prepared to lose at least half your bids.


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## Salvatoreg02

Live and learn. Believe in your gut instinct. Let that be your guide. What you lose today you don't gain tomorrow. Being a businessman means taking on responsible risks. Sometimes we need to remove ourselves from this comfort zone and take chances.

Sent from my iPhone using ET Forum


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## nitro71

I think you need to look at your numbers in a different way. Since you're reducing your bid. Are you sure you can do the job for that number and make money? If not how much can your company lose and still be solvent? Bidding to low is the kiss of death..


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## AaronJ

Thanks guys, yes I'm trying to increase my volume and that is why I'm lowering my over net profit, because hopefully I'll pick up a few more jobs.
Yeah I need to figure out a few more ways to give me an edge on selling my company to these General Contractors.

One thing I do know is these General Contractors seem like all they care about is the lowest number


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## macmikeman

AaronJ said:


> Thanks guys, yes I'm trying to increase my volume and that is why I'm lowering my over net profit, because hopefully I'll pick up a few more jobs.
> Yeah I need to figure out a few more ways to give me an edge on selling my company to these General Contractors.
> 
> One thing I do know is these General Contractors seem like all they care about is the lowest number


Ah, young Padawan, now you have reached that astral plane it it time to proceed into the next level of enlightenment and learn a new way to make a living.......


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## AaronJ

lol, Already?? I just started this business!


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## Mr Rewire

AaronJ said:


> lol, Already?? I just started this business!


 What you have are a lot of guys bidding for no profit. It pays the bills and nothing else so the first major problem and they go under. If you are having difficulty getting work to the point of cutting profit then maybe you need to re evaluate if thier is truly a need for another cheap EC in your market.


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## Tiger

AaronJ said:


> Yeah I need to figure out a few more ways to give me an edge on selling my company to these General Contractors.
> 
> One thing I do know is these General Contractors seem like all they care about is the lowest number


General contractors prefer if you will bid below your cost. They will have a LOT of work for you below your cost. When you go out of business they will find some other guy to work below cost. When that guy goes out of business...


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## McClary’s Electrical

AaronJ said:


> Thanks guys, yes I'm trying to increase my volume and that is why I'm lowering my profit


 
Some Ec's around here are bidding at 1-2 % profit. Some less. Be careful. 1% profit is pretty darn close to almost nothing. Think about it.


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## B4T

I have one account where I have been servicing them for 24/7 365 and (15) years..

The new policy is every job costing more than $1000.00 goes out to bid.. (3) of them and low man gets the job..

Really sucks when what ever you did for them yesterday doesn't count for today..


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## McClary’s Electrical

B4T said:


> I have one account where I have been servicing them for 24/7 365 and (15) years..
> 
> The new policy is every job costing more than $1000.00 goes out to bid.. (3) of them and low man gets the job..
> 
> Really sucks when what ever you did for them yesterday doesn't count for today..


 

I just noticed your idiotic signature. That man has declared bankruptcy 3 times:huh: He couldn't successfully manage a company let-a-lone an entire nation's economy.:huh: I think you get sillier with age.


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## RePhase277

I don't care anymore about what the other guys' profit % is. It has ZERO bearing on MY bottom line. How much he makes on his jobs ain't paying my bills. 

At some point in the profit cutting game we run dead afoul of a fundamental mathematical barrier, the fact that when a larger number is subtracted from a smaller number, the sum is negative.

I refuse to be negative in the ledger book.


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## B4T

mcclary's electrical said:


> I just noticed your idiotic signature. That man has declared bankruptcy 3 times:huh: He couldn't successfully manage a company let-a-lone an entire nation's economy.:huh: I think you get sillier with age.


All that from a man who gets a woody posting bikini pics on an Internet forum for electricians.. :no:

Simple minded people like you should make sure the power is off when installing wall plates..


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## RePhase277

mcclary's electrical said:


> I just noticed your idiotic signature. That man has declared bankruptcy 3 times:huh: He couldn't successfully manage a company let-a-lone an entire nation's economy.:huh:


You think so? To me that means he has real experience. He filied bankruptcy, and came back swinging with billions in both fists each time. That's exactly what the American economy needs. We are bankrupt, but we still have enough umphh to make a Morning in America 1985-style kick-ass come back.

Maybe a guy who has demonstrated the ability to fall and stumble back to his feet, then get back on top, can trump the community activist when it comes to the mechanical aptitude to steer the country back on course.


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## Mr Rewire

mcclary's electrical said:


> I just noticed your idiotic signature. That man has declared bankruptcy 3 times:huh: He couldn't successfully manage a company let-a-lone an entire nation's economy.:huh: I think you get sillier with age.


 



talk about idiotic signatures :whistling2:


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## BBQ

B4T said:


> Must see TV tonight.. Donald Trump is on the O'reilly factor.. 8:00 EST.. If ever there was someone to get us swimming in hundred dollar bills again.. he is the man..





mcclary's electrical said:


> I just noticed your idiotic signature. That man has declared bankruptcy 3 times:huh: He couldn't successfully manage a company let-a-lone an entire nation's economy.:huh: I think you get sillier with age.


It is a amazing, all Trump has to do is say the things people want to hear and he has them eating out of his hand.


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## Mr Rewire

BBQ said:


> It is a amazing, all Trump has to do is say the things people want to hear and he has them eating out of his hand.


 Your fired :laughing:


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## HARRY304E

BBQ said:


> It is a amazing, all Trump has to do is say the things people want to hear and he has them eating out of his hand.


I bet real money he can do a much better job then the crowd that is in charge right now..
:thumbup:
In fact you could do a better job BBQ,,,:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## HARRY304E

Mr Rewire said:


> Your fired :laughing:



"Your fired" :laughing:


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## B4T

BBQ said:


> It is a amazing, all Trump has to do is say the things people want to hear and he has them eating out of his hand.


Great point BBQ.. 

People running for office have never said "_READ MY LIPS NO NEW TAXES" or "HOPE AND CHANGE"_..

EVERY politician says things people want to hear..

Trump is saying things never heard before and that is why people are listening.. 

Even more important.. he has an ego the size of Texas to back up his words..

Did you watch him on Oreilly??


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## Mr Rewire

B4T said:


> Great point BBQ..
> 
> 
> Did you watch him on Oreilly??


 Tell him to get off Oreilly unless of course Oreilly is in to it.:laughing:


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## B4T

Mr Rewire said:


> Tell him to get off Oreilly unless of course Oreilly is in to it.:laughing:


Simple joke for a simple mind.. :no:


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## Magnettica

Great interview with O'Reilly.


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## Sparky3

Good interview he makes alot of sense but he needs to get of that birther bull****
if he wants to make a serious run for the white house.


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## HARRY304E

Sparky3 said:


> Good interview he makes alot of sense but he needs to get of that birther bull****
> if he wants to make a serious run for the white house.


He is stiring the pot to put the oponent on defense..:laughing:


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## Mr Rewire

B4T said:


> Simple joke for a simple mind.. :no:


 Are you insulting me or are you insulting yourself?


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## B4T

Mr Rewire said:


> Are you insulting me or are you insulting yourself?


Insulting you NO.. taking a shot.. YES.. :laughing::thumbup::laughing:


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## McClary’s Electrical

Mr Rewire said:


> talk about idiotic signatures :whistling2:


 

You're one to talk. Just click on yours and look at that Doofus standing in front of that van.


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## controlled

mcclary's electrical said:


> I just noticed your idiotic signature. That man has declared bankruptcy 3 times:huh: He couldn't successfully manage a company let-a-lone an entire nation's economy.:huh: I think you get sillier with age.


 
Did Trump file personal bankruptcy, or did some of his many companys?
Its a BIG difference


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## B4T

controlled said:


> Did Trump file personal bankruptcy, or did some of his many companys?
> Its a BIG difference


Doesn't matter in the big picture since he turned things around and now is worth billions..

Our country would of been bankrupt long time ago if the rules about that item were evenly enforced..


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## McClary’s Electrical

controlled said:


> Did Trump file personal bankruptcy, or did some of his many companys?
> Its a BIG difference


 

Before I answer, Why would that make a difference?


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## Mr Rewire

mcclary's electrical said:


> You're one to talk. Just click on yours and look at that Doofus standing in front of that van.


 You just wished you looked that good. :whistling2:


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## Mr Rewire

B4T said:


> Insulting you NO.. taking a shot.. YES.. :laughing::thumbup::laughing:


 It may have backfired "Simple joke *for* a simple mind" that should have been *from *


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## McClary’s Electrical

Mr Rewire said:


> You just wished you looked that good. :whistling2:


 


:laughing::laughing:


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## controlled

mcclary's electrical said:


> Before I answer, Why would that make a difference?


If he filed for personal bankruptcy, it may be an indication of poor money management. 

Lots of companies file for different reasons, usually not because of low cash flow. 

If it was just some of his companies filing, and not himself personally, I dont see it being any kind of an issue. It just different ways of restructuring.


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## McClary’s Electrical

controlled said:


> If he filed for personal bankruptcy, it may be an indication of poor money management.
> 
> Lots of companies file for different reasons, usually not because of low cash flow.
> 
> If it was just some of his companies filing, and not himself personally, I dont see it being any kind of an issue. It just different ways of restructuring.


 
I kinda see you point in a way, but it doesn't fly and her's why. Ther are plenty of companies that use bankruptcy. They file and crank back up under a different name and still operate. This is not a repectable business practice, nor is this an option for the United States. We cannot file bankruptcy and crank back up as USA II. So what he did is not respectable, he used bankruptcy to dodge bill paying for some of his companies and dumps it off on the federal gov't. What a dousche


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## controlled

mcclary's electrical said:


> I kinda see you point in a way, but it doesn't fly and her's why. Ther are plenty of companies that use bankruptcy. They file and crank back up under a different name and still operate. This is not a repectable business practice, nor is this an option for the United States. We cannot file bankruptcy and crank back up as USA II. So what he did is not respectable, he used bankruptcy to dodge bill paying for some of his companies and dumps it off on the federal gov't. What a dousche



Didn't GM file last year, and then restructure?


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## Mr Rewire

Donald Trump is just a Ross Perot wannabe.:laughing:


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## McClary’s Electrical

controlled said:


> Didn't GM file last year, and then restructure?


 
The only good from that is the jobs saved. ANY company could turn a profit if they didn't have to pay their bills:laughing: please


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## macmikeman

controlled said:


> Didn't GM file last year, and then restructure?


They didn't restructure, they were redistributed to favored criminal parties under the guise of government salvation... Basically we taxpayer's bought it, and then Washington gave it to Union bosses and campaign donors.....


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## RePhase277

Mr Rewire said:


> Donald Trump is just a Ross Perot wannabe.:laughing:


Which is still better than these ass-hats who don't wannabe:laughing:

We have to try something to turn this country around, and Mr. Obama has yet to pull it off. Unless we resurrect FDR or Reagan, Trump may be the next best thing to try. And if he fails, well, at least we tried something different.


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## B4T

Mr Rewire said:


> Donald Trump is just a Ross Perot wannabe.:laughing:


You can call him all the names in the book.. just make sure one of them is Mr. President.. :thumbsup:


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## kaboler

We'ren't we talking about bidding jobs with no profit?

I don't know about you guys, but I'd rather do nothing than squeak out a living doing something KNOWING I'm getting screwed.

I'm white, so I figure if there's no money left in doing this kind of work, I'll get re-educated and do something different. Or, work for a company that wants to squeak out 2% and pay me hourly.


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