*OUCH* Got lowballed by 1/2!

[spraymasters]

Remember the @#$%^&* big brick building and concrete? Well, we charged the .18 per sq ft for the brick. That was pretty much on target...alittle high for the "other guy" but close. NOW, the concrete is a different story. New concrete, 22,000 sq ft. The guy said he would do it for $400. MAN!!! That is less than .02 per sq??? I charged my standard .10 per sq. How in the *&^% can he do the job for that? Am I way off base here guys? I would love to get this job and it is my brother-in-law doing the building but has to report to "his" boss about the pricing. He has several more buildings going up and would love to give them to us as well. Any advice would greatly be appreciated. DON'T THINK I COULD GET GLORIA OUT OF THE TRUCK FOR .02 PER SQ!!

Dennis

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Dennis A. Cormier and Gloria A. Wagner
North Georgia Spray Masters, Inc.
spraymasters@hotmail.com

 

[Jon]

Dennis,

I to have been underbid and found there is really not much you can do unless you want to work for free.

You two are to good to crawl that low, besides what would you bid a penny a sq. ft? you know you would not make anything on the job so why bid that low. Say you get the bid and the two of you start doing the work, before your half done your going to mentally wish you did not take it, your mind will start thinking "We are not making any money on this job so lets cut corners".

Bring your price down but keep in mind your quality of work also. Hey you would do better back at the nudist club!!!!

Jon

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Beep beep, the OPC Roadrunner coming through.

Jon Fleischer
Oasis Pressure Cleaning
(909) 792-2247
Fax (909) 792-5633

 

[AUSTIN'S AQUA-CLEAN]

hey dennis,i know just how you feel there was a guy last week that wanted me to go and look at his car lot there was 22,320 sqft of concrete and i figured it out it was about 15-18hrs of work there it needed to be sweep before hand cause of all the sand and rock. i bide it at .07 a sqft and he about **** he had figured about 500.00 i told him there was no way i could do it for that..i did not get in to this business to have someone else dictate what my price was going to be,and im not in the market on doing a half*** job.


scott

 

[JR Wood]

Although I am just getting into the commercial aspect of pressure washing.I think that "ten cents per" is a little much for an area that big.Thats how much I charge residential customers.If I am getting $100 to power wash a pool deck there is no way someone should expect to pay $500 for a half an acre of concrete!!!Nor have the balls to suggest it!!!

 

[Randy]

i bid a complete house, pool deck and driveway for a friends sister the other day at $225 that even included removing a buttload of vines from the back wall. she told me that the last guy only charged her $65 to do the same. i went to bid my freinds house that same day and after telling him what she said he brought up a good point (as a builder of many luxury homes in this county)he said "I WOULD RATHER BE HOME BROKE THAN AT HOME TIRED AND BROKE". when the guy calls you back and ask you to do it right keep the same price.

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Randy Futch
Taylan Property Maintenance Inc.
(352)489-8909

 

[Richard]

Hey Dennis ,
I've got to agree with Randy, About 3 years ago we lost a rather large quarterly account,the contact person told us that "a friend" of his said he could do it for a third cheaper, I told him go ahead and I hope he didnt get what he paid for..anyway 1 year later the contact person called us back and asked if we could start maintaining there stores again ,he said "his friend" only did one store once, we said yes plus got 25% more and we have had no problems with them since. So dont sweat the stuff it all comes around it's like a garden you got to sow alot and work it if you want a big harvest.

just my 2 cents
Richard

 

[spraymasters]

Thanks guys for all your responses....I respect each one. I have felt the same that we do an excellent job for our customers and that maybe our bid was not too high but the others was just too low. Still have not heard from the other pressure washer bid so will keep you informed. Thanks again my friends.

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Dennis A. Cormier and Gloria A. Wagner
North Georgia Spray Masters, Inc.
spraymasters@hotmail.com

 

[Rick]

Originally posted by spraymasters:
Remember the @#$%^&* big brick building and concrete? Well, we charged the .18 per sq ft for the brick. That was pretty much on target...alittle high for the "other guy" but close. NOW, the concrete is a different story. New concrete, 22,000 sq ft. The guy said he would do it for $400. MAN!!! That is less than .02 per sq??? I charged my standard .10 per sq. How in the *&^% can he do the job for that? Am I way off base here guys? I would love to get this job and it is my brother-in-law doing the building but has to report to "his" boss about the pricing. He has several more buildings going up and would love to give them to us as well. Any advice would greatly be appreciated. DON'T THINK I COULD GET GLORIA OUT OF THE TRUCK FOR .02 PER SQ!! :ee}
Dennis

Dennis, Dont sweat the small stuff!! OR big stuff for that matter... We bid on a job like this one-time some other outfit cut us down with a ridicuously low bid....They couldnt even finish the job.. Then they called us back to finish & straightin-out the mess they made WE ended up makeing more $$$$$ than the original bid we gave because the job had a deadline....Rick...R&R.......)

 

[Mike@Everclear]

I got underbid last week by $100 on a house washing job....That's a big difference, but I stuck to my guns.....I dont allow price haggling.

It is quite likely that she will not be happy with that $185 job and end up calling me anyway, or at least will call me the next time she needs it done.

Best of luck Dennis/Gloria.....we all have to suffer though this from time to time!

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Mike Hughes
Everclear
Souderton, PA

<FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by Mike@Everclear on April 18, 2000 ]</font>