latest bid results - getting worse?

[Dr.Sparks]

I attended a pre-bid meeting yesterday for a small retail upfit and there were over 20 EC's present. This job can't be more than 30K and at least 4 of the big dog outfits were present and drooling....My competetive nature has taken over and my bid will most likely be in the $10 range

 

[Rockyd]

It is said that copper wire was invented by two EC's fighting over a penny...


Copper Spot on the big board is at $1.59

There is a lot of ways thebig boys can be competitive in their buying power that the little guy can't.

Then again, a small contractor used to be able to survive on the stuff the big boys tossed out the window.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

Then again, a small contractor used to be able to survive on the stuff the big boys tossed out the window.

Yea, no scraps in hard times.

 

[SEO]

Yea, no scraps in hard times.

I agree the scraps look pretty appealing in hard times.

 

[gregmhitx]

No estimating software needed here, huh?
Just a sharp dart and a dartboard!

 

[sparky76]

Just got results back on a small park expansion job. The 3 low GC bids were:

164,426
164,500
165,368

I'd hate to be the guy that lost the bid by $74.00 because he rounded up to the nearest $500.00

 

[hardworkingstiff]

Just got results back on a small park expansion job. The 3 low GC bids were:

164,426
164,500
165,368

I'd hate to be the guy that lost the bid by $74.00 because he rounded up to the nearest $500.00

Now that is TIGHT bidding. I think the job is worth about $164,500

Yea, if he rounded up, omg.

 

[SEO]

Those are some really close prices for a job of that price range. What were some of the other prices?

 

[sparky76]

There were 14 bidders. The highest bid was 206,791.

 

[Greg Swartz]

Been there...
I've been that close on some of our bids... only to get beat out in the last 1/2 hour before bidding closes.

I will say, though, that I usually only compete against 2-5 other ECs.

I just give my numbers to all the GCs... usually upwards of 20 or so.
And, so are the other ECs.

I call and talk to the GCs and they call me too... we want to make sure that each other can handle the job, and are not missing anything.

But 18 ECs... that's a lot.

Here in COS, I got a call for a FPE changeout. My basic price is $1100... back to back meter / panel... The guy hung up saying that the other price he got was $950...

It must be tough. I am ok losing jobs like that. I do NOT want to underbid myself. I'll run myself out of a business if I do!

 

[bradleyelectric]

I will say, though, that I usually only compete against 2-5 other ECs.

I just give my numbers to all the GCs... usually upwards of 20 or so.
And, so are the other ECs.

I call and talk to the GCs and they call me too... we want to make sure that each other can handle the job, and are not missing anything.

But 18 ECs... that's a lot.

You don't think 20 GC's is a lot? Are you saying you bid with 20 GC's and they only use between them 2-5 EC's?

 

[Greg Swartz]

You don't think 20 GC's is a lot? Are you saying you bid with 20 GC's and they only use between them 2-5 EC's?

In Colorado Springs, there are 154 registered ECs.

On commercial projects, I only bid against 2-5 others.
On every job walkthrough, it is different ECs.

So, it's a different set of ECs each time.

Granted, there are a couple of larger ones that I see more often.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

Been there...
I've been that close on some of our bids... only to get beat out in the last 1/2 hour before bidding closes....

How often does this happen? How do you know you got beat out in the last 1/2 hour?

 

[bradleyelectric]

In Colorado Springs, there are 154 registered ECs.

On commercial projects, I only bid against 2-5 others.
On every job walkthrough, it is different ECs.

So, it's a different set of ECs each time.

Granted, there are a couple of larger ones that I see more often.

But it's not 2-5 EC's bidding to 20 GC's on projects is it? Are different GC's having walk throughs at different times? Are you bidding to 20 GC's on these projects? Around here it used to be normal to have 4 GC's and they may have maybe 4 EC's bidding to them, maybe some cross over in bidding. I'd pick who I liked or heard good things about and bid to them. Now a job might look like an ant hill of GC's and who might be bidding to them.

 

[Greg Swartz]

How often does this happen? How do you know you got beat out in the last 1/2 hour?

On 2 projects that I know of:

1 - Owner - Builder - GC (Owns good portion of downtown CS) - I know his Superintendent very well. In fact, I do the work at his house...
Talked to him throughout the whole process...
"We're good, we're low..." Next higher bid was about $1k more...
7 page $130k + bid... (I know... I was still new...)
Talk to him at 4PM, and we're still low...
I figure I got the job for sure... go home...
Next day, Super is actin' a little weird... I ask him... Owner got another EC's bid at 5:05... 5 min after deadline (so, I really got beat after the deadline...) But owner looked at price and took it.
Guy came in at mid $90k range.

2nd job - CSFD Administration Building -
I know the CSFD projects guy... (In fact, we're doing a bunch of little projects for him right now.)
Similar situation...

So, when you know people, they tell you things.
I want them to be open and honest...

 

[Greg Swartz]

But it's not 2-5 EC's bidding to 20 GC's on projects is it? Are different GC's having walk throughs at different times? Are you bidding to 20 GC's on these projects? Around here it used to be normal to have 4 GC's and they may have maybe 4 EC's bidding to them, maybe some cross over in bidding. I'd pick who I liked or heard good things about and bid to them. Now a job might look like an ant hill of GC's and who might be bidding to them.

I bid a lot of different jobs: Public and private sector.

All public sector jobs have a common walkthrough... all contractors there or they don't get to bid. Prime and sub... few exceptions... ECs are not one of the exceptions.

On most of the public projects, I count between 14 and 20 GCs.
I know a couple of my competitors. Sometimes I don't bid, and walk away... because I know / respect a company here or there.
But, it is commonplace to bid to every GC...

Whether or not they take your bid price, is up to them...

So, I have submitted up to 14 GCs... only a couple that I know better will call me back and ask for "preferred pricing."
Sometimes I give... sometimes I don't...

Oh, and yeah... it does look like an anthill... One of the projects was a DMV remodel...
Think of the DMV... still in service... and 100 people with paper and prints start coming through... man that was hideous... I was beat out by $400 on a $20k job... contractor asked for preferred pricing... I knocked $600 off... it wasn't enough for him to get the job... they were #5 / 14...

All prices reflect EC bid... not job bid.