Lowballer? who knows?

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EBFD6

Senior Member
Location
MA
iwire said:
There is at least one large Massachusetts EC that always underbids public work, gets the jobs then from day one starts logging anything that slows things down and goes after compensation for that. By the time it's all said and done he has made much more then the fair bidders. :mad: This is one job after another.

HMMMMMM, rhymes with Stiffen maybe? :roll:
 

iaov

Senior Member
Location
Rhinelander WI
LarryFine said:
And the low-baller is probably saying "I could have asked for how much more?!"
eek2.gif
There is a Lot of money sitting on the table here!!
 

iam14sure

Member
Location
Allentown
Low Bid

Low Bid

I've lost numerous bids to a company that was family owned and the brothers did most of the work. Found out later that because they were principles of the coporation they did not need to pay themselves prevailing wage or have workman's comp. Can't compete with that.
 

ohm

Senior Member
Location
Birmingham, AL
iam14sure said:
I've lost numerous bids to a company that was family owned and the brothers did most of the work. Found out later that because they were principles of the coporation they did not need to pay themselves prevailing wage or have workman's comp. Can't compete with that.

I still don't understand why anyone would want to work free, unless they wanted to eliminate the competition?:confused:
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
iwire said:
There is at least one large Massachusetts EC that always underbids public work, gets the jobs then from day one starts logging anything that slows things down and goes after compensation for that. By the time it's all said and done he has made much more then the fair bidders. :mad: This is one job after another.
He is doing to a larger extent what virtually every contractor does to a lesser extent on every job. Its just a matter of degree. I don't like operating that way, but I understand the attraction some places have to the low bid. Its part of the game. Just like the way female and minority bidders get preference.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
petersonra said:
He is doing to a larger extent what virtually every contractor does to a lesser extent on every job. Its just a matter of degree.

You really have no idea at all about this company.

It is like saying the person doing 36 mph in a 35 zone is the same as a drunk driver going 120 mph.
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
iwire said:
You really have no idea at all about this company.

It is like saying the person doing 36 mph in a 35 zone is the same as a drunk driver going 120 mph.
Perhaps, but as long as they are playing by the rules, I don't see you can do much about it. If the rules are that badly written, they need to be fixed.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
petersonra said:
Perhaps, but as long as they are playing by the rules, I don't see you can do much about it. If the rules are that badly written, they need to be fixed.

You would have to ask his lawyers if he plays by the rules.
 

tyha

Senior Member
Location
central nc
iwire said:
There is at least one large Massachusetts EC that always underbids public work, gets the jobs then from day one starts logging anything that slows things down and goes after compensation for that. By the time it's all said and done he has made much more then the fair bidders. :mad: This is one job after another.

whats funny is that same Mass lowballer is here in nc and is doing the airport expansion. We have landed 7 stores and restaraunts at the expansion and I hear almost daily from the construction manager about some of thier tactics. It has actually made bidding our projects inside more difficult. they have made the construction manager so upset that we have to go through huge hoops to get anything passed off. The regional manager that this Mass company has hired here locally is someone I used to work with and he is a serious scum ball. so I am sure he fits right in.
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
tyha said:
whats funny is that same Mass lowballer is here in nc and is doing the airport expansion. We have landed 7 stores and restaraunts at the expansion and I hear almost daily from the construction manager about some of thier tactics. It has actually made bidding our projects inside more difficult. they have made the construction manager so upset that we have to go through huge hoops to get anything passed off. The regional manager that this Mass company has hired here locally is someone I used to work with and he is a serious scum ball. so I am sure he fits right in.

Small world as they say. :roll:
 

ohm

Senior Member
Location
Birmingham, AL
tyha said:
whats funny is that same Mass lowballer is here in nc and is doing the airport expansion. We have landed 7 stores and restaraunts at the expansion and I hear almost daily from the construction manager about some of thier tactics. It has actually made bidding our projects inside more difficult. they have made the construction manager so upset that we have to go through huge hoops to get anything passed off. The regional manager that this Mass company has hired here locally is someone I used to work with and he is a serious scum ball. so I am sure he fits right in.

When some contractors say there going to hire more people...they mean lawyers:mad: Even the people in their own company can't stand them.
 

Brady Electric

Senior Member
Location
Asheville, N. C.
Lowballer? who knows?

Hate the term lowballer
Your price should always be the amount you need to do a good job and make a resonable profit.
All of us have different overheads, so our profit margin is different
I'm never the lowest and most of the time the highest because if I don't make a good profit I'd rather sit at home
Don't know how long you have been in business but I have found that a mans reputation and personality has more to do with you getting the job than the price.
Also I do a worksheet on what I will do and a sheet with a load calculation
I always mention about workers comp , liability insurance and how long you will guarantee the job (I warranty a job for one year from the final inspection)
Always write up the bid in detail so they can compare apples to apples
Don't really see that you are doing anything wrong if its a price you can deal with at the end of the day (no matter what I think your better off than the lowest bidder)
Those so called low ballers will be out of business soon enough
At the end of the day if its a price you feel good about, I think you have done your job
Most of my work comes from recommendations
I belong to Carolina Real estate Investors Association and they keep me busy
If work does get slow I get on my local Yahoo group and announce that I have a small opening for new work and the phone rings.
Sorry this was so long but good luck
One last thing is that everywhere I go somewhere in the conservations I mention I'm a Electrical Contractor and everyone usually ask for a card and sooner or later they call.
Feed store, grocery store, gas station, doctor's office, hospital and so on.
Yes the other day at the doctors office three of the nurses and even my doctor wanted my business card. Turns out one of my nurses husband is a GC
SORRY GUYS FOR THE LONG POST
I love what I do and it shows.
Just hang in there
Semper Fi Buddy
 

emahler

Senior Member
brady....you are comparing apples to oranges...you are talking about general electric....this thread is primarily focusing on public works....totally different ball game...
 

ohm

Senior Member
Location
Birmingham, AL
Brady Electric said:
Hate the term lowballer
Your price should always be the amount you need to do a good job and make a resonable profit.
All of us have different overheads, so our profit margin is different
I'm never the lowest and most of the time the highest because if I don't make a good profit I'd rather sit at home
Don't know how long you have been in business but I have found that a mans reputation and personality has more to do with you getting the job than the price.
Also I do a worksheet on what I will do and a sheet with a load calculation
I always mention about workers comp , liability insurance and how long you will guarantee the job (I warranty a job for one year from the final inspection)
Always write up the bid in detail so they can compare apples to apples
Don't really see that you are doing anything wrong if its a price you can deal with at the end of the day (no matter what I think your better off than the lowest bidder)
Those so called low ballers will be out of business soon enough
At the end of the day if its a price you feel good about, I think you have done your job
Most of my work comes from recommendations
I belong to Carolina Real estate Investors Association and they keep me busy
If work does get slow I get on my local Yahoo group and announce that I have a small opening for new work and the phone rings.
Sorry this was so long but good luck
One last thing is that everywhere I go somewhere in the conservations I mention I'm a Electrical Contractor and everyone usually ask for a card and sooner or later they call.
Feed store, grocery store, gas station, doctor's office, hospital and so on.
Yes the other day at the doctors office three of the nurses and even my doctor wanted my business card. Turns out one of my nurses husband is a GC
SORRY GUYS FOR THE LONG POST
I love what I do and it shows.
Just hang in there
Semper Fi Buddy
Great post Brady! I think your advice is good froma one horse outfit to the multi-national. Keep up the good work!:D :D
 
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