Mike Holt labor units, and getting supply prices

[khixxx]

I purchased Mike Holts estimating program, and i was wondering if anyone uses his labor units for estimating, and if so how accruate are they after you adjust them for your company.
My other question is how do you guys get prices for equipment such as conduit, romex, devices, ect. do you call the supply house, home depot, lowes for these prices? Does any one use an outside source and pay fees weekly annually. or do you just wing it?

 

[highkvoltage]

Re: Mike Holt labor units, and getting supply prices

For pricing I use Tracer. Pretty close on their pricing except for equipment. Always get a quoted price from supplier. Secong if his software is like others you adjust you manhour units to fit the job by %. If it is an easy commercial job 70% to 75%. Industrial jobs sometimes go as high as 120% depending on what you doing. Bid a job using 100%. Ask to GC or owner how close was you with your bid. The first job I bid came in at $135,000. I was at $220,000. The next time I was closer. The first bid I recieved I was $500 lower then the other EC and I have been right with everyone ever since. Start high and adjust. You normally can not withdraw a bid if you go to low with out paying a penalty. Depending on what you are bidding one bad bid when starting out and it could be your last. Always take the safe route and bid alot. I try to bid 3 to 4 commerical jobs a week. I fiqure the more I practice the better I get. Out of the last 5 project won 3 lost 2.