Estimator

[cusaba]

That's ok if you guys can't bid big jobs in a couple of days right now. When you get better you can come play with the big boys and we will show you how its done. (just Kidding). I have a lot of experience in the field and on the computer putting my bids together. I am not saying I hit all the big jobs I bid but I have a few select contractors that I quote to all the time and I never want to say no to them. You can throw your comments out there about how it can't be done and it would take 2 weeks and what about this and that but when you get down to the nitty gritty it always gets done. If you have the mindset of it can't be done than for you it will never get done. When you know it can get done you will get it done. I am not sure what kind of work you guys do or size of the projects. I do a lot of custom work that other contractors probably do not want to do or do not even know how to do it along with regular electrical projects. I have never said no to any electrical bid no matter what the scope involved.

We all know what you are saying (do we?); we just wanted to pick on you and have some fun :lol:..... now that we all had our fun time I hope we can free the thread for some good ideas for Kelly and he's hiring process. Perhaps, he can hire us all :roll:

 

[Strathead]

So are you flat rate or square footing?

Hahaha!!!!

flat footing:angel:

 

[JRW 70]

The weight of the drawings

The weight of the drawings

That was a profound statement for me recently.
We had to get a bid on a replacement for bar screens
for the make-up water pumps at one of our plants
that are inbeteeen the river and intake pump sets.

Must have been 500 pages. Bar screens are not
that complicated.

Now the real expense was the actual intake
pumps (4) being rebuilt. I was bracing for impact....
Bid consisted of five pages. (Both prices were very
reasonable, both screens and rebuilds)

In bidding, volume of paperwork < quality of contents.
both won but I still am slightly recovering from the
reading.

A really good estimator ( in my opinion, at least)
is one who can condense everything essential, while
maintaining the greatest clarity without feeling the
need to write in excruciating detail. A fine balance of
clarity, yet not burden on the staff or contractor keeps
good morale and ultimately a successful project.

Just my $0.02 ( adjusted for inflation, of course )

JR

 

[JRW 70]

Estimating

Estimating

One thing I failed to say in the previous post
is the estimators are the filters between the
designer or engineer and the customer. I have
learned a lot from very good estimators that
have condensed the project to an understandable
level for those who are not completely knowledgable
in the subject area. There can be a beautiful plan
come out of engineering but is not going to win
the project because of the gap in communication
that the estimators and reps. from the contractors
can bridge.

JR