latest bid results - still crappy out there

[CopperTone]

here is the latest bid results - the low company is a huge non union company that never used to bid these small jobs - this is a public prevailing wage job

177,777.00
238,000.00
240,600.00
250,000.00 * our bid
255,450.00
283,200.00
294,464.00

I actually though we had a great chance at being low as I bare boned the labor and hardly any markup on materials

I may stop bidding these jobs for awhile - I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels for nothing. There just isn't any work out there still.

 

[WinZip]

Toss out the high an low bids then average the 5 left an your right there

 

[Sierrasparky]

I bet that low ball bidder will have problems!

 

[readydave8]

I'd rather go broke staying at home then go broke working on a job I bid too low.

 

[CopperTone]

I'd rather go broke staying at home then go broke working on a job I bid too low.

I say that almost every day

It would be much more profitable to go work for someone else for wages and watch them go broke- at least you will get paid every week with no headaches to worry about at night and on weekends about cash flow, payroll, taxes, material ordering, everything basically. And - then worry about getting paid yourself from some GC you don't even know.

 

[milehiwire]

It's no different in Colorado.

Bid one last week and my very tight number was 500,50K. There were 5 GC's bidding and at least 15 EC's bidding. Low EC was 300,60K.

The lighting package alone was worth 240K.

The GC I bid with rolled with with a number around 500K which was below my cost.

Being a greeter at wally world is looking better every day. Or, I may be qualified to work in the electrical isle at big orange. And yup, I am seriously thinking about getting out of this gig.

I really have no complaints. Electrical construction was pretty good to me for over 30 years.

 

[DavidA]

Things are similar in California. My boss will show me the bid amounts and he is smack in the middle nearly everytime. And wouldn't you know it, but the GCs are no longer tossing the lowest but tend to go with it these days. I wish I could watch tapes of these jobs afterwards and see how these other contractors managed to finish the job for such a low bid.

 

[petersonra]

Or, I may be qualified to work in the electrical isle at big orange.

You would not be the first electrician or plumber to decide that regular hours, an inside job, a level of job security, and decent benefits is not all that bad, even if you might make a little less than you are used to.

 

[milehiwire]

You would not be the first electrician or plumber to decide that regular hours, an inside job, a level of job security, and decent benefits is not all that bad, even if you might make a little less than you are used to.

Actually I have not touched a bender, stripper (Wire stripper ) or a pair of lineman's pliers in years. But I did enjoy selling electrical work, doing estimating and project management for a long time.

To dang old to go back out in the field so you are right. An isle to call my own does not sound too bad.

 

[petersonra]

Things are similar in California. My boss will show me the bid amounts and he is smack in the middle nearly everytime. And wouldn't you know it, but the GCs are no longer tossing the lowest but tend to go with it these days. I wish I could watch tapes of these jobs afterwards and see how these other contractors managed to finish the job for such a low bid.

I think you will find a few things.

1. These guys know exactly what they bid down to the last wire nut.

2. These guys are doing things they have done many times before and know how to get it done with the bare minimum.

3. Many contractors do a very poor job of cost control on material purchases. If you are paying 10% more than the next guy for materials, you are going to get hosed on every job. And do not believe the lies from the supply house about how you are getting the best deals.

You can switch brands of wire nuts and get a perfectly acceptable wire nut for half or less than what you might be paying for a wire nut now.

It is possible to get deals on things like conduit and strut on a project by project basis. And the value of the projects does not have to be as high as you think. These days as little as five grand worth of strut can get you a heck of a deal if you just ask for it. You have to ask the right questions though. Certain items are often available at very good prices while similar items are not. For instance, it might be that slotted strut is 20% cheaper that solid strut (hint - this particular example is based on recent experience). Sometimes the zinc plated strut fittings are more than the painted ones and sometimes it is the other way around.

On a few occasions, I have found that McMaster Carr is willing to sell me parts cheaper than the supply house. Guess who gets the order?

Sometimes the big box store has better prices on some things. Guess where that material should be sourced from?

4. These guys will ding you for every extra wire nut they use.

 

[AV ELECTRIC]

The above post makes a good point we have a perception that the lowest bid will not make any money and will probably not finish the job . If your curious on how they could do it for this price check back ar the end of the job see if the electrical contractor is completing the job ask the gc how was his experience with the ec and leave your card .

 

[cdslotz]

I'm usually second or third in the pack. I was 30Khigh and third last week on a 950K job. I'm happy with my pricing. I'm bidding tight but not stupid.
We look at margin dollars per man hr (MDMH). A good job runs $20 and above. Right now I'm bidding around $12 to 14. This is much easier to hit on high mat/labor ratio bids.

Right now I'm just glad I made the choice 28 years ago to work in the office as an estimator or PM. My demand goes up when work is slow. It's real slow here in the Dallas/FW area, which is in a better market most of the country. I can only imagine how slow it is for some of you guys.
If I come on here telling you guys I have been laid off, you'll know It's pretty bad.
Here's for a turn around this year.

 

[WinZip]

I am thankful for the work we have with this one large pool builder/contractor.

We have been doing there work for 6 years now an there high tech an good to work with I mean the best,there jobs range from residential pools from 65k to 350k an large commercial pools I have heard as high as 2 mil, very elaborate pools and they use high tech equipment an control panels.

I think it helps when they want something done at there home ( electrical service ) which I rarely charge them for unless its time consuming and at that point they understand if there is a charge,if they were all like these guy's things would be great.

Best of luck for all of your bids!