Bad estimate

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arnettda

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I gave someone a verbal estimate and came up quite short now that I am finished. I went back over my estimate and can see where most of it came from. I do not expect to get all of it from the custumer. What do most people do. Explain nicely what I did wrong and ask for a few dollars more? Or should I just eat it and go on with life? Thanks
 
Take your lumps like a man.

You win some you lose some, but either way the only thing I ever tell my client, is "I did ok".
 
Verbal estimates are a bad way to go but probably everyone has made one at one time or another. You could mention to the customer your dilema and maybe they will feel sorry for you but probably not. You will probably have to live with your estimate.
 
I tell customers "up front" that estimates are estimates, and quotes are quotes. We advertise free estimates, but I tell the customers that if they prefer a "Hard Quote" the price will include the time to produce one. In general, I also tell customers that estimates are generally +/- 10-15% and I have come up short like your self on occassion. When this happens I find that about 20% of the time customers are flexible, while the balance are naturally tight with their funds. So I try to first meet them in the middle on the estimate difference, and get a feel for their attitude toward it and then go from there. But, occassionaly you have to "lick your wounds" :smile:
 
You are going to have to eat it. I have a good Idea! Learn how to become a better estimator! You're the professional !You give a price for what they want. Thats what they expect! If you want to up sell on something that you see that needs to be done thats fine. Just because you did a lousy estimate, or you missed something, thats not the customers fault. This is the school of hard knocks sometimes.

If you have some uncertainty's, then add 5% or what ever number you like to the estimate. The customer doesn't have to know.
 
jmsbrush said:
You are going to have to eat it. I have a good Idea! Learn how to become a better estimator! You're the professional !You give a price for what they want. Thats what they expect! If you want to up sell on something that you see that needs to be done thats fine. Just because you did a lousy estimate, or you missed something, thats not the customers fault. This is the school of hard knocks sometimes.

If you have some uncertainty's, then add 5% or what ever number you like to the estimate. The customer doesn't have to know.
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Time to become familiar with another term, Out of scope,field conditions can alter an estimate and the customer should always be made aware of this possibility.When you pull off a piece pf sheet rock expecting a hollow wall and find concrete instead you need to bring the customer up to speed on the needed changes.If it is a matter of just not getting the hours or material correct then I say break out the mustard.
 
Rewire said:
Time to become familiar with another term, Out of scope,field conditions can alter an estimate and the customer should always be made aware of this possibility.When you pull off a piece pf sheet rock expecting a hollow wall and find concrete instead you need to bring the customer up to speed on the needed changes.If it is a matter of just not getting the hours or material correct then I say break out the mustard.
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I'm familiar with those terms, thats why I said add a number at the end of the price. He said he really messed up on his estimate and when he was done he realized where. He didn't leave enough info in my op.

As far as finding concrete in the wall. What kind of application are you Talking about. Allot of our work is common since. When you couple that with experience you should be OK.

I did a rewire on a house back in January. It was very old. On my estimate I added 5% for out of scope work. Also I had a clause in the contract that I would put hole's in the walls if necessary and that I was not responsible for the repairs. Come to find out, some of these old Florida cracker homes had studs running diagonal in the walls. So we had to make holes and drill. Point is 5 or 10% to cover unforeseen.

Customers want up front pricing. Try to give a bid on a store or bank with out a definite price.
 
jmsbrush said:
Come to find out, some of these old Florida cracker homes had studs running diagonal in the walls. So we had to make holes and drill.
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that's common on every house i've worked in built before the '60's, but where they're at depends on when the structure was built.

sometimes they're only in the corners as some type of wind bracing. but i've worked in some built in the late 19th century and early 20th that had 'X' wall framing; studs going verticle and diagonal 'X' figures built between the vertical studs.
 
brantmacga said:
that's common on every house i've worked in built before the '60's, but where they're at depends on when the structure was built.

sometimes they're only in the corners as some type of wind bracing. but i've worked in some built in the late 19th century and early 20th that had 'X' wall framing; studs going verticle and diagonal 'X' figures built between the vertical studs.
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Both are wind bracing.
 
480sparky said:
Both are wind bracing.
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i think some i've worked on were just overkill because I see that 'X' bracing done on interior walls.

overkill framing is done today as well. i did a house a while back that had interior non-loadbearing walls framed at 10" centers and ceiling joists on 16" centers. rafters were 16" centers as well.

HO thought he was doing himself a favor by adding all that lumber.
 
jmsbrush said:
I'm familiar with those terms, thats why I said add a number at the end of the price. He said he really messed up on his estimate and when he was done he realized where. He didn't leave enough info in my op.

As far as finding concrete in the wall. What kind of application are you Talking about. Allot of our work is common since. When you couple that with experience you should be OK.
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You stay in the trade long enough you will see it all,concrete, steel,logs.
I did a rewire on a house back in January. It was very old. On my estimate I added 5% for out of scope work. Also I had a clause in the contract that I would put hole's in the walls if necessary and that I was not responsible for the repairs. Come to find out, some of these old Florida cracker homes had studs running diagonal in the walls. So we had to make holes and drill. Point is 5 or 10% to cover unforeseen.

Customers want up front pricing. Try to give a bid on a store or bank with out a definite price.
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A bid is a bid and an estimate is an estimate ,not the same
 
Rewire said:
You stay in the trade long enough you will see it all,concrete, steel,logs.A bid is a bid and an estimate is an estimate ,not the same
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In Mike Holt's Estimating book He explains the words Estimating a Bidding
.
He says that the first component is called the estimate, which determines the cost of the job. The second component is the bid, which determines the jobs selling price.
So I think my words are correct.
Anyways that's not might point.

Yes you are right! in time I could imagine you could find anything in walls
 
Bid- to offer (a certain sum) as the price one will pay or charge.

estimate-a statement of the approximate charge for work to be done, submitted by a person or business firm ready to undertake the work.
 
electrician

electrician

jmsbrush said:
You are going to have to eat it. I have a good Idea! Learn how to become a better estimator! You're the professional !You give a price for what they want. Thats what they expect! If you want to up sell on something that you see that needs to be done thats fine. Just because you did a lousy estimate, or you missed something, thats not the customers fault. This is the school of hard knocks sometimes.

If you have some uncertainty's, then add 5% or what ever number you like to the estimate. The customer doesn't have to know.
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well put, i do not give them a break if i finish well under budget
 
arnettda said:
I gave someone a verbal estimate and came up quite short now that I am finished. I went back over my estimate and can see where most of it came from. I do not expect to get all of it from the custumer. What do most people do. Explain nicely what I did wrong and ask for a few dollars more? Or should I just eat it and go on with life? Thanks
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Reverse the situation, if you figured out wrong and made 200% profit in lieu of 45% (or what ever you would normally make) would you give a rebate?
 
you have never stated how far off you were,I have shot from the hip and given verbal estimates that were close but over like $1000.00 estimate that was actually $1150.00 and I billed and was payed with no complaint.
 
Rewire said:
you have never stated how far off you were,I have shot from the hip and given verbal estimates that were close but over like $1000.00 estimate that was actually $1150.00 and I billed and was payed with no complaint.
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When you shoot from the hip you usually get wounded.:)
 
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