Bidding from prints

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Fred B

Fred B

Senior Member
Location
Upstate, NY
Occupation
Electrician
Anyone with experience making bids from electrical spec sheet and prints? Words of wisdom, or caution invited.
Was just approached to submit a bid on a smaller new construction store. Given all the spec sheets and prints that also include other mechanicals and even shelving layouts. Ground hasn't been broken yet.
 
Read the specifications, general notes, and sheet notes. Make sure you are clear with any exclusions or exceptions you are taking.
 
Make sure you understand exactly what you are supplying. Many "chain" stores supply their own lighting, gear etc. on national contracts. You are just supplying labor and misc materials....the risk items
 
We often have to bid from vague plans and specifications. I hate doing so because I never know what it is we are really bidding to. We sometimes end up with a few pages of exceptions and clarifications for a simple control panel.

Best advice came from BH08742. Make sure you know and express exactly what it is you are supplying.

This is good advice for all projects, IMO.
 
I do it every day. What are you bidding? Some jobs, specs are more like guidelines.


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brantmacga said:
I do it every day. What are you bidding? Some jobs, specs are more like guidelines.


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Small chain store that are adding new locations. It appears they have a list of material suppliers for different items like lighting.
 
One thing for certain make sure you bid it exactly as presented, any alterations or easier methods need to be confirmed before they'd approve it.

If they want 3/4" pipe for 3 #12's then bid it that way.
 
How do you deal with the price volatility we are dealing with right now? Particularly given it seems breaking ground may a few months out and electrical installation even farther out.
 
Fred B said:
How do you deal with the price volatility we are dealing with right now? Particularly given it seems breaking ground may a few months out and electrical installation even farther out.
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Escalation clause, and 100% material payment with the contract and list it all as stored materials. Most customers are pretty unhappy with that, but the alternative is taking a chance on escalations.


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Fred B said:
Small chain store that are adding new locations. It appears they have a list of material suppliers for different items like lighting.
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If it’s something like a DG, those guys aren’t building to spec. I can tell you that for a fact.

Price per plans, then give every VE alternate you can think of in your proposal.


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Fred B said:
VE?
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Yes value engineering.

Let’s say the plans call for every single circuit to be in EMT, or even IMC/GRC and there’s no NEC requirement for it. You can offer an MC cable installation at an alternate price. Explain what it is, allow the customer to decide.

Same with secondary feeders; I almost always give an aluminum alternate. Common on lighting fixtures also to give a competitive alternate. I would give a fixture alternate if there is a national account you’re required to purchase from, because it wont be accepted.


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I would give a fixture alternate if there is a national account you’re required to purchase from, because it wont be accepted.
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You mean you "wouldn't"....? Because I wouldn't bother
 
I’m peeved and this thread hits me in the feels... Just lost a job where plans clearly called for, and I bid, PVC Coated Rigid… they quoted rigid with pipe wrap. There’s no way to combat this negligence
 
follybeacher said:
I’m peeved and this thread hits me in the feels... Just lost a job where plans clearly called for, and I bid, PVC Coated Rigid… they quoted rigid with pipe wrap. There’s no way to combat this negligence
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It is not negligence. I can't recall very many bids in my 40 some year career where we did not take exception to something in the spec.
 
My thought would be, some investor paid a designer to come up with a solid guideline which maybe an insurance company or other liability bound organization requested. The people that deviated from the "PLAN" are the ones that will need to deal with the courts if an issue ever comes up and hopefully no lives are lost due to the "value engineering" Unless signatures by the general contractor architect or engineer gives consent for such alterations I personally would not cut corners to save a buck. Its the sub contractors word and belief that their way is justifiable.

Good luck fighting that one when there's a multimillion dollar lawsuit.
 
Another C10 said:
My thought would be, some investor paid a designer to come up with a solid guideline which maybe an insurance company or other liability bound organization requested. The people that deviated from the "PLAN" are the ones that will need to deal with the courts if an issue ever comes up and hopefully no lives are lost due to the "value engineering" Unless signatures by the general contractor architect or engineer gives consent for such alterations I personally would not cut corners to save a buck. Its the sub contractors word and belief that their way is justifiable.

Good luck fighting that one when there's a multimillion dollar lawsuit.
Click to expand...


VE’s are only accepted when the owner signs off.

VE isn’t “cutting corners”. The job still has to meet NEC requirements. It’s pipe vs. cable, Brand A vs Brand B, aluminum vs copper, etc.

No one is dying because of a VE proposal.


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