Bidding in San Francisco ?

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titan1021

titan1021

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Northern California
I work in the Northern California bay area. I have avoided working in San Francisco because of traffic and parking. However, I have an opportunity to bid on a large residential remodel in the city. Just wondering if anybody has some advice on bidding in San Francisco, I am told that it is an entirely different animal.
 
Not so much.... Not much different than say Oakland or Berkley - but there are some differences.

Depending on the length time the job will need and neighborhood that the project is in - you might want to think carefully about parking. You could do one of a few things....
  1. Move your truck to a different block every two hours, as the space across the street wont count depending on how 'by the book' the meter person is. They vary in both mood and enforcement day to day. Resi 2 hour parking starts at 8 in most neighborhoods, but the ticket freak wont come by until 10 which gives you until noon after you re chalked, but some wont chalk.... If they do it by the book, they already put you lic number in the machine, and the next time they come by they just fire off a ticket no warning, and you can not stay on the same block.
  2. Depend on the general mood of the local neighborhood ticket freak - this means you have already befriended them in some way. Believe it or not - this has saved me lots of money. Besides driving a large white van and look like it is there doing some work, and within sight of the job-site. So - what I do at the start of the job is, flag one down in front of the job, explain that we'll be working there, and then strike a conversation by way of a dumb question about parking - like: "So I need to move to a completely different street????" Although I know the answer - they often will say they'll leave you alone on that.... Never tick one off - or you'll see a power trip the likes of Adolf. Don't allow other guys on the job to do so either or you ALL feel the wrath.
  3. A $500 all inclusive Contractor Parking Sticker - This is the real way to go - if you're here all the time.... No need to feed meters, park all day anywhere - this wont get you out of street cleaning or tow zones, but does do the job if you and your vehicle qualify. http://sfgov.org/site/frame.asp?u=http://www.sfmta.com/ (Down near the bottom of the page)
  4. Finding an actual parking spot - you're on your own.... Show early - but most spaces wont open up until 9AM in some hoods.
Codes and enforcement: IMO there a number of places in Northern CA that have either/or Multi-inspectors, or just plainO spotty enforcement. What happens is IMO - that EC's and their workers get lazy in their practices working in other parts of the Bay - then show in SF and get hammered by dedicated Electrical Inspectors who take their jobs seriously. (Some too much so...) Give them a reason to doubt you or the quality of work, and they are on you like flies... (And rightfully so IMO. I have seen some real hack work out of some that I have been called in to correct.) Things to know;
  1. SF has amended some codes... Pay special attention to Chapter 2 and 3.
  2. Scheduling inspections has become more convoluted lately under a new Director... But you need to meet them out front of the job, and walk them in when they get there, or they're gone. Bill accordingly, most add a $250 - $500 fee depending on the job for EACH inspection to cover overhead and your time waiting - on top of the permit fees.
As for Bidding - that really depends on the GC... Like anywhere else some like their ducks lined up in various orders. But expect a faster pace, cost engineering, and do not be a fool and not visit the site to examine conditions before you price it - you could be in for some big surprises trying to tie it all in. Any unit pricing should reflect this. Otherwise - most of the SF remodel work is in the 'high-end' and some ultra-high-end.... Level 5 finishes are not uncommon, and cabinets will usually out price you 2-1, i.e. a lot of attention to detail and placement is required. But even the 'Jones mid-end project' will still be measured in the same way by the client - because they'll be measuring it against the "Smith's $2.5M remodel" across the street.

Anyway - good luck and hope the bridge tolls don't go up. :grin:
 
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From the outside looking in, it sure seems to me that you can put that 500 dollar contractor parking permit in the job someplace. A big enough rennovation can absorb 500 bucks or even 1000 bucks for a couple trucks.
 
I've been paying around $275 per year in parking citations without the parking permits. It has gone as high as $450 in the past, though. Almost all my work is within the city. My trucks are white Chevy Express' without advertising and are kind of nondescript. But they do have pipe and ladder racks.

I believe it may be possible to get a temporary parking permit for less than the $500. Not sure how that works.
 
don't you just buy a permission to cone off the sidewalk at your job when you buy your permit? :roll:
 
wyreman said:
don't you just buy a permission to cone off the sidewalk at your job when you buy your permit? :roll:
Click to expand...

I believe that's done through the Department of Parking and Traffic not Building Inspection.

To answer your question, no, I leave that to the general contractor or the client. I'm guessing the fees are substantial.
 
I just check it out and it appears the Department of Building Inspection has its own street space permit desk but you have to meet with a rep from the DPW onsite or it will not be valid. I've been getting my permits online almost from day one so I never noticed it.
 
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Special Traffic Permit (STP) Program,
Upcoming Fee Increases and Updates

Effective August 1, 2008:
A new Special Traffic Permit will cost $132 (base), plus $26 per permit working day (total $158 minimum). The minimum two full working days notice still applies.​
A renewal Special Traffic Permit will cost $66 (base), plus $26 per permit working day (total $92 minimum). The minimum two full working days notice still applies. The $66 base fee for Special Traffic Permits can only be applied to requests for which there was two full working days notice.

Applications for Special Traffic Permits (new or renewals) that are received with less than the minimum two full working days notice may still be processed and issued. In those cases, a late fee of $150 will be added to the cost of the Special Traffic Permit (total $308 minimum for a late one day permit). We discourage this practice and reserve the right not to issue the requested permit.
 
The rates quoted are for special circumstances the DBI ones are cheap in comparison. They get you coming and going don't they.... They also just raised a bunch of the other parking ticket costs. I think street cleaning is $60 now... But as what I last heard was street space was going for $90 per 20' per month at the DBI - up from $75. GC was whining...
 
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