Do you show your itemized price?

[Jerseydaze]

Residential Bid 3000 sq ft addition builder want to know what i am charging per outlet per HH ect I was thought to just show a total.How else is this handled?

 

[Daja7]

I would just provide the quote then itemize each item if the customer wants to add. these are not used for deducts.
My experience has been , if a GC wants everything broken down he will beat you up piecemeal making you justify.
Price is the price., it does not matter how you got there.

 

[kwired]

Give them a breakdown with inflated individual item pricing making sure that if they summed everything up the net result is higher than what you quoted. Then tell them that you are giving them a break for the total project, over what the usual item pricing normally would be.

 

[masterinbama]

I have a friend that does the plumbing on a lot of the same projects that I do. He had a builder insist on a detailed itemized estimate before he would approve his bid. So he sat down over the weekend and wrote up a 45 page detailed breakdown for a kitchen/bath addition. He showed me a copy of it and it was hilarious. The builder got mad at him for wasting his time and my friend asked him why he thought it was OK to waste his time, if time was so precious.

 

[Rewire]

"Our estimating software does not have the capability to break down item costs " this is my answer to anyone seeking a breakdown on price. It has been my experience that no good comes from itemizing a quote.

 

[mike7330]

Yes! And keep it simple. On. $2000.00 job that would be 20, $100.00 bills

 

[petersonra]

Give them a breakdown with inflated individual item pricing making sure that if they summed everything up the net result is higher than what you quoted. Then tell them that you are giving them a break for the total project, over what the usual item pricing normally would be.

The thing is that is not far off from the truth.

 

[kwired]

When they want itemized they are looking for the opportunity to come back with "I can get xxxx for $$$ at HD" and expect you to either come down or offer to purchase it themselves.

That is when you need to tell them there is no warranty for items you did not sell and there will be extra labor charges - especially if the wrong item is purchased and it ends up holding up the job.

 

[jmellc]

No doubt, a lot of these GC's are the same ones who cover boxes and damage boxes and wire with roto zips. Also don't patch close around boxes so devices don't grip well. Former boss & I did a lot of work for 1 such GC. Supposedly a "high end" contractor, only thing high end was the price of his work. Few jobs passed that he didn't damage our stuff or bury it. Yet nothing was ever his fault.

 

[growler]

Residential Bid 3000 sq ft addition builder want to know what i am charging per outlet per HH ect I was thought to just show a total.How else is this handled?

For a remodel or addition the contractor is normally working for an owner and the job is subject to change or additions.

Once he has a price pr unit ( fixture, fans, receptacle) then he will try to up-sale to the customer and make as much as possible. If you add 10 recessed fixtures don't be surprised if the GC makes more on it than you do.

 

[renosteinke]

I'd like to present two differing opinions.

First off, as a customer doing a complete-gut remodel of my house, I want DETAILS.

I would not deal with anyone whose bid, and bill, simply said "Finish bath floor $400." What does that mean? Is he planning on terrazzo - or stick-on vinyl tiles?

This is mirrored by Mike Holmes. Say what else you might, but Mike was a real contractor long before he discovered TV. His view: Details, details, details, details. Specify what you will do,how you will do it, and what you will use. Then give a price.

One price. Too much? Then it's time to look at the details. What can be changed?

So, for example .... if you specify using back-wire pressure plate devices, and the customer says 'too much,' you can offer a lower price for using back-stabs instead. You have a chance to sell the upgrade.

Maybe the customer can handle the demo, or the clean-up, or the patching. You won't know unless the proposal brings these things up.

 

[Rewire]

I'd like to present two differing opinions.

First off, as a customer doing a complete-gut remodel of my house, I want DETAILS.

I would not deal with anyone whose bid, and bill, simply said "Finish bath floor $400." What does that mean? Is he planning on terrazzo - or stick-on vinyl tiles?

This is mirrored by Mike Holmes. Say what else you might, but Mike was a real contractor long before he discovered TV. His view: Details, details, details, details. Specify what you will do,how you will do it, and what you will use. Then give a price.

One price. Too much? Then it's time to look at the details. What can be changed?

So, for example .... if you specify using back-wire pressure plate devices, and the customer says 'too much,' you can offer a lower price for using back-stabs instead. You have a chance to sell the upgrade.

Maybe the customer can handle the demo, or the clean-up, or the patching. You won't know unless the proposal brings these things up.

I have no issue with giving a detailed scope of the work what I wont do is a cost breakdown of each item. If I am adding receptacles I will give details like location ,color,style but if asked for the cost of the box,receptacle,plate, wire,staples and labor for each then I draw the line.

 

[kwired]

I have no issue with giving a detailed scope of the work what I wont do is a cost breakdown of each item. If I am adding receptacles I will give details like location ,color,style but if asked for the cost of the box,receptacle,plate, wire,staples and labor for each then I draw the line.

Exactly. What some also don't realize is that your markup also has to help cover any items you may have missed that are otherwise necessary to do the job.

Contractors are not retail stores that sell goods, they are selling installed products systems, buildings or other items that essentially become part of real estate in most cases. If there is a contract up front with a price - it is the installed price of whatever the job is. If changes are made as project rolls along, then comes the change orders, otherwise the contract price is the price and if items were missed in determining that price the idea is that hopefully nothing too significant was missed and we still turn a profit. Contractor also allowed for a certain amount of time in the original proposal and if job ends up taking more time than estimated, it can lessen the profit.

Most of us all know this, but the people we do work for don't always understand that. They also have a tendency to think when you tell them you need to install certain items because of codes it is just a way to make more money, which is somewhat easy understand their side of this, as they really don't know what things that AFCI's or GFCI's are all about and all they see is dollar signs attached to those items.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Residential Bid 3000 sq ft addition builder want to know what i am charging per outlet per HH ect I was thought to just show a total.How else is this handled?

"here is what it costs to do what you want done."

"i will provide a detailed accounting of where every
dollar goes after receiving a detailed accounting
from you of where every dollar you are going to
pay me with comes from."

there are three things a customer usually asks:

how much will it cost?
how long will it take?
how soon can you start?

any other questions usually means it's not a customer,
it's a time sinkhole.

when someone asks me about can
light prices, i usually say.... if i'm doing a whole house
of them, $100 a hole. if you want ONE of them in the
middle of a two story entrance foyer, lots more.

it's called flat rate pricing, not "lets haggle over this pricing".

 

[kwired]

Actually there is no laws that say you can not negotiate a price. Even retail stores that have so called set prices on items or at least on the shelf tags can negotiate prices. The typical cashier may not be authorized by management to do such negotiation, but customers are still welcome to negotiate with whoever management gives this authority to. Management is also not obligated by any laws to negotiate if they do not wish to do so. So even though many complain here about PITA customers wanting to beat down prices, it is somewhat human nature for many people to do so and is nothing illegal or anything like that, it is just something one has to deal with. In some cases if you give them a price up front that you are maybe willing to back off a little, you just might make everyone happy. There are also those that will not be happy with your price even if you are doing the job with a net loss.

A good salesman may take the customer that wants to negotiate a price and actually end up selling more than the customer initially was going to purchase, you have to convince them they are getting a good deal and some will buy just about anything if they think that

 

[mjf]

Actually there is no laws that say you can not negotiate a price. Even retail stores that have so called set prices on items or at least on the shelf tags can negotiate prices. The typical cashier may not be authorized by management to do such negotiation, but customers are still welcome to negotiate with whoever management gives this authority to. Management is also not obligated by any laws to negotiate if they do not wish to do so. So even though many complain here about PITA customers wanting to beat down prices, it is somewhat human nature for many people to do so and is nothing illegal or anything like that, it is just something one has to deal with. In some cases if you give them a price up front that you are maybe willing to back off a little, you just might make everyone happy. There are also those that will not be happy with your price even if you are doing the job with a net loss.

A good salesman may take the customer that wants to negotiate a price and actually end up selling more than the customer initially was going to purchase, you have to convince them they are getting a good deal and some will buy just about anything if they think that

I like to give a price and stick to it. I don't need customers thinking I was trying to "overcharge" them or charge "too much" from the start. Most of my work comes from referrals. . I don't want a referral to come with...."He did a great job and he quoted me a price of $1250.00, but I got him to do the job for $1100.00"

For the OP........ no, I do not break down every item to a price.

If there are several "seperate parts" at the same location I will assign prices to the seperate parts, if asked. As an example....To wire and install the new motion sensor floodlight will be $XXX.XX, Wire and install the new over the range microwave will be $XXX.XX, to wire and install the new exhaust fan in the bathroom will be $XXX.XX

 

[kwired]

I like to give a price and stick to it. I don't need customers thinking I was trying to "overcharge" them or charge "too much" from the start. Most of my work comes from referrals. . I don't want a referral to come with...."He did a great job and he quoted me a price of $1250.00, but I got him to do the job for $1100.00"

And you have that right to do so. If you anticipated being talked down most of the time your starting prices likely would be higher. Exactly what many used car dealers do, as they expect to have people negotiate on pricing. They also plan to push extended warranties, maintenance agreements or other accessories with the car when they sell it.

 

[jim dungar]

"here is what it costs to do what you want done."

:thumbsdown:

it's called flat rate pricing, not "lets haggle over this pricing".

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Not picking on any one, but you guys that won't provide details, probably won't be doing work for me.
I really don't care that you purchase things at one price and then sell them for a stupid price, often because you can't really figure out how to sell based on your actual labor costs plus profit. I f I cared abput specific partnumbers, i would have made them part of the spec.

But, i just got bids to have central air conditioning added to my house.
Got one bid which had only a price and a very basic description of: (1) central air installed in attic, includes electrical.
As a consumer am I supposed to trust that this guy is actually going to install a system that works? Heck, I don't even know if he is quoting anything we discussed.

A different bid at least listed the manufacturer of the quoted system and had a reference to the number of outlets they included.

Over the many years of justification, I managed to collect seven bids, only 2 mentioned the size of the unit they were quoting.
I have know idea if anyone was planning to install lighting and a receptacle installed in the attic.

There comes a point where if you can't trust me with a breakdown of your quote, then I can't trust you will do all of the work that needs to be done.


I have been involved with providing quotes for +35 years, I am totally against itemized pricing.

 

[frankft2000]

Give them a breakdown with inflated individual item pricing making sure that if they summed everything up the net result is higher than what you quoted. Then tell them that you are giving them a break for the total project, over what the usual item pricing normally would be.

The only problem with this is that if you are asked to deduct something from the quote, they are expecting you to deduct the inflated price.