Wag

[satcom]

So true, so true! I guess we're doomed from the get-go!

Our state laws, as many other states require to give the customer a fixed price for the job, that law came into effect here back in the 70's because the consumer affairs department were receiving so many complaints about billing for work, when a customer knows the price up front there are less problems, no guessing, no T&M unknowns

 

[growler]

Well I guess if he will supply the fixtures I will wire 10K Sq ft of commerical office space to code minimum for $48.5K, power only, service not included. That's the best SWAG I can come up with.

Is that for the office space on the 10th floor? and will do all the core drilling for the floor recpt's and does that include the server room, and kitchen area?

Satcom, what I think they are talking about here is just doing the core work on these office spaces and leaving the finish work for the tenant that leases the space.

It would be worth looking at to see if the numbers would crunch. Core work goes pretty fast on a large building ( the bigger the better ) because there are only certain areas that have to be finished to get a CO on the building. During bad economic times this is often done to get a building finished cheap and wait it out, just do the shell of the building and then try to lease the space later.

 

[George Stolz]

Just got done with a WAG. Now I have a letter wanting to know why my WAG, which they agreed I would not be held to and they acknowledge in the letter, was so far below the actual costs.

I've got that t-shirt around here somewhere.

My former boss pulled a number ($25,000) from behind him, and when I sat down to do the estimate three months later it came to $88,000. The customer was sure to test to see just how many circles we'd run with numbers (for punishment) before handing the job to somebody else.

Always do a real estimate, get real numbers, and inflate them a touch for a "WAG". They don't want a WAG, they want a budget number, whether they realize it or not.

 

[hardworkingstiff]

They don't want a WAG, they want a budget number, whether they realize it or not.

Exactly, and they always expect you to do it for that budget number (or at least within 5%-10% of it).

 

[satcom]

Exactly, and they always expect you to do it for that budget number (or at least within 5%-10% of it).

I would question the experience, and ability of any GC's that ask for a guess on a price.

 

[George Stolz]

I would question the experience, and ability of any GC's that ask for a guess on a price.

Indeed. In the case I described, they said they were going to be done by Thankgiving of last year, and it's still not done.

 

[stevenje]

Always do a real estimate, get real numbers, and inflate them a touch for a "WAG". They don't want a WAG, they want a budget number, whether they realize it or not.

So true George. When I am asked to give a WAG on the spot, I use a little humor by replying, "It should be under a million." Then I explain that I need to sit down and do a complete bid so the number that I give is a number that we can both realistically use. Nobody likes pricing surprises later.