Bidding against other Ec's

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Back in the early 80's I bid a sizable house for a possible customer. We were slow and I wanted to keep my employees working until future work came in. I spent more time estimating this job for it's size than any other job. I bid the job at cost. The owner came back to me and said that I was $50.00 high and that if I dropped the $50.00 bucks the job was mine. I declined the job and ended up getting other work anyway. About 2-years went by and I got a call from this same person asking me if I could come out and finish their house. They had bath fans that were of poor quality and didn't work and many other unfinished problems. They said that the other contractor was no longer in business and would like us to finish job. I told them that I had priced quality fans that I could guarantee (as well as all of our work) that I was still in business and had we done their job It would have been completed for the estimated price and work. I declined the completion of their job stating that we were to busy. I learned that even your lowest price can be beat so now when I bid jobs if I am the lowest price I start to worry.
 
ARF said:
Sometimes the ones you don't get are the ones you stay ahead on !!!;)
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How would you know if you don't get it?

Place I used to work there were often jobs we would hear things back about that made it clear the guy that got the project had some problems. But if we had gotten the project, at our price we would have been fine.

The place I work now almost never has to bid projects. Most of our work the price is negotiated, although there is some work we have to bid and often lose out on.

There is a good chance I will be headed out soon to finish up some software another company beat us out on by having a lower bid. :)
 
SEO.. Sounds like you took it personally. Unless they insulted you or something I'd have gone out and fixed that other companies work. You still get paid for it. Can't see turning down $$ because you didn't win a bid from someone one time.
 
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