Getting on contractors lists for bidding...

[crfmario]

Hey guys , im partnering up with a coworker to start a small electrical shop and trying to get any and all relationships that I can get with builders/contractors etc... I am hungry to "pound the pavement" and hustle,make calls to contractors, drive around to find new projects popping up.... , looking to specialize in residential because there is a ton of it in my area (pacific nw). Is there a site or anywhere I can go to find projects happening and possibly be put on a invite to bid list? also, would it seem like solicitation to email local builders telling them that we are looking for projects to submit a bid on. I know there is such thing as advertising but Im just curious to see if there are better ways to get the word out that we are in buisiness, I appreciate your input.

 

[chris1971]

Check out this website:

http://www.thebluebook.com

Good place to find contact information and for networking.

 

[Ravenvalor]

I think pounding the pavement helps tremendously.

 

[George Stolz]

also, would it seem like solicitation to email local builders telling them that we are looking for projects to submit a bid on.

"What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;"

Spam written by warm human hands is spam. Don't waste your time. I delete a lot of mail coming in from really awesome sounding people hawking awesome stuff. Got no time for it. Eye contact and a two minute talk will go a lot farther.

 

[jumper]

Eye contact and a two minute talk will go a lot farther.

And a business card for pete's sake.

As a customer it is irritating when I ask for one and a contractor does not have one handy. It is a PITA to have to try and write the info down on a piece of scrap paper, assuming I even have a pen.

My old boss had every employee carry cards to hand out if there was any chance of getting business.

480Sparky, an EC on this forum, has mentioned this multiple times.

 

[petersonra]

And a business card for pete's sake.

As a customer it is irritating when I ask for one and a contractor does not have one handy. It is a PITA to have to try and write the info down on a piece of scrap paper, assuming I even have a pen.

My old boss had every employee carry cards to hand out if there was any chance of getting business.

480Sparky, an EC on this forum, has mentioned this multiple times.

I suggest getting cardboard business cards and not the fancy new plastic ones that have become popular. You can't write on the plastic ones. What a stupid idea.

 

[cowboyjwc]

If you like service work, I would talk to some property management companies too.

 

[brantmacga]

There is a website elitepronet.com

I signed up an account a few months ago looking for more local work, but I haven't used it. Many of the jobs I get ITB's for are also listed there.

They offer a paid subscription but I did not sign up for that; we've just been too busy to even try and bid any of their leads. I think the paid subscription gets you in on negotiated contracts. You can see most of the project info with GC contacts without paying the subscription. I think they even have the project documents and plans for you to download.

Anyway, a lady from there called me and was super nice and set me up a profile that covered the states we work in, so I get emails daily showing projects that have been added.

It seems worthwhile if you're looking to get your foot in the door on bidding jobs.


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[brantmacga]

If you like service work, I would talk to some property management companies too.

Yeh....... This too. Make friends with some realtors. Inevitably they're going to have a property that needs work done for closing.

Just be clear in your payment terms. Most of them want to pay you out of closing fees, and that's ok if you can sit on it awhile, but set them up on a 15 or 30 day net; years ago I verbally agreed to be paid out of a closing that was happening "next week", and it took over 60 days; the bill was several thousand dollars. Lesson learned.


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[Fulthrotl]

Yeh....... This too. Make friends with some realtors. Inevitably they're going to have a property that needs work done for closing.

and they will need a bid, for closing, so they can adjust the price....
and that's the last i ever saw of all the quotes for service changes, etc.
i gave to realtors.

realtors finally fell into my "no bid" zone.

the customer, when faced with a service change versus new window treatments.... well....

 

[kwired]

Where does that leave you if the current buyers end up not closing for whatever reason?

IMO contract needs to be with seller before the transfer or with the buyer afterward.

 

[brantmacga]

Getting on contractors lists for bidding...

Having it with the seller is probably ideal, but a contract is a contract; just cover your bases and make payment terms clear. The realtor I had the one issue with, I cut ties after having other problems with them, but I've never had problems with any others. That particular company was struggling financially and eventually folded after bouncing commission checks. At one time they were one of the largest most respected companies here but stuff happens. We have some good relationships with other realty and property management companies.


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[George Stolz]

and they will need a bid, for closing, so they can adjust the price....
and that's the last i ever saw of all the quotes for service changes, etc.
i gave to realtors.

realtors finally fell into my "no bid" zone.

the customer, when faced with a service change versus new window treatments.... well....

If the seller shoots me pictures and I see what I expect to see, it's a five minute bid and fosters goodwill. Realtors are a decent source of repeat business.

 

[anthonyddjr]

Hey guys , im partnering up with a coworker to start a small electrical shop and trying to get any and all relationships that I can get with builders/contractors etc... I am hungry to "pound the pavement" and hustle,make calls to contractors, drive around to find new projects popping up.... , looking to specialize in residential because there is a ton of it in my area (pacific nw). Is there a site or anywhere I can go to find projects happening and possibly be put on a invite to bid list? also, would it seem like solicitation to email local builders telling them that we are looking for projects to submit a bid on. I know there is such thing as advertising but Im just curious to see if there are better ways to get the word out that we are in buisiness, I appreciate your input.

There are a few sites that have Leeds for service work. Usually they are credit based ( you buy say 50 credits at $1-2.00 a credit ) and then you can either set up the replies from the bid site for text msg, or email and often both. They send you Leeds, and you bid kinda on them . Depending on the type of work will often depend on how many credits it costs for the leed. I have friend of mine who made over 250k last year just off one site. I am starting my company this year and I am going to do the same . And you will, as word of mouth spreads and contacts with GC's bare fruit pick up contracts . But it all falls back to service for sure. Be blessed in your venture brother

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[Greg1707]

Realltor and home inspection punch list

Realltor and home inspection punch list

and they will need a bid, for closing, so they can adjust the price....
and that's the last i ever saw of all the quotes for service changes, etc.
i gave to realtors.

realtors finally fell into my "no bid" zone.

the customer, when faced with a service change versus new window treatments.... well....

I agree with this 100%. For awhile I was providing lots of estimates for home inspection punch lists. They were always at the request of the buyer's realtor. I finally had enough and told them i would only respond to requests from home sellers. I have heard from them since.

 

[electricguy61]

If the seller shoots me pictures and I see what I expect to see, it's a five minute bid and fosters goodwill. Realtors are a decent source of repeat business.

I got sick & tired of giving estimates to realtors just so a price could be negotiated down, then never getting the job.

Now I charge for the estimate ($150), and must receive payment before I release the estimate. I'll discount the full price if they actually perform the work.

It hasn't been a problem for the legit realtors, and the rest just find some other contractor to take advantage of. ?

 

[kwired]

Some realtors are also property managers for rental properties. But in many cases they want work done as cheap as possible and will question if about anything not obvious to the non electrician is necessary - even if it is something they have encountered before.

Commercial property management may have some instances where things work out better for the electrician, the simple retail strip mall manager however is still going to want cheap for most items. If the renter is paying for work on commercial property you may have more desire to get it done right.

 

[electricguy61]

I work for a property management company that has 100's of units, probably over 1K. Excellent customers, pay promptly, never try to negotiate me down. But they also have seen that I treat them fairly, never gouging them. Often times they'll send a handy man to the problem 1st, and if he can't fix it, they call us. Which is great for both of us.

I avoid out of area / out of state property managers. Slow to pay (if ever), always want to negotiate when they have no clue.

 

[troberts2007]

1. search for local home builder Associations. join and become a member and go to the meetings, there will always be atleast one contractor not happy with who he is using that will give you a try.

2. homeadvisor is pretty good but you need to be quick to respond to there calls. usually the first electrician to take the call get the job. if you cant get to the calls quickly do bother thier leed fee's will eat up your profits.

 

[Chamuit]

Realtors are hit and miss, in my experience. I had some that all they needed was a price for negotiating. Others, just call and say, fix it! Ones that manage property, as mentioned before, are more likely to use you.

GCs can be hit and miss. Get you a few and fire the ones that are poo-poo. I only had one GC that I stayed working for the entire time I was contracting. If one tells you the last electrician didn't work out, find out who it is and called them up and get their side of the story. Sometimes, it ain't the subs that are the problem.

Get hooked up with other contractors in other trades. One of my best sources of referrals were two different lady tile contractors. When a woman contractor tells a woman customer you can be trusted, you are in.

Keep yourself and your vehicles and equipment looking good. One of my GCs started using me after seeing me work at his neighbors house. Why? My guys and myself were uniformly dressed, "clean shaven", and the vehicle we were driving was clean and not beat to death. Image helps like George said, especially if you present well.

Eye contact and a two minute talk will go a lot farther.