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Does anyone have a secret as to how best to bid jobs through general contractors and then actually get the job.
I hate the whole bidding process. I just throw a number to a general contractor and then hope that he is low bid and hope that I am his low bidder on signs (which I never am and actually don't want to be).
I also try to find out all the g.c's bidding and send them all a quote.
I hate the whole system, yet we are asked to bid a lot (which I usually pass on) but there seems to be a lot of work done that way and I hate to not get my fair share.
Anyone have success going this route?
-------------------- Richard Swartz DeNyse Signs 4521 Industrial Access Road Douglasville, GA 30134 Posts: 101 | From: Douglasville, GA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Most shop that I know simply throw a high figure at them, in case they get it. I just about quit "bidding" jobs altogether! Enjoy it or don't do it. . John
-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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Ya gotta hang around with them. Golf, meetings, events whatever. Ya ust gotta hang around with em to get the numbers they like.
Also, there are so many jacklegs around they will not use just any body unless they see you can do a good job. They usually don't care about the lowest possible price. Just getting it done when promised and within budget.
And then timing. Usually a job is already allocated by the time a salesman walks by or gets a chance to bid. Some will ask for bids just to fill the bank rquirements. You will never get the job.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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We bid a local library project and got it. From the time of bid to finish was a full year, but we came in under our budget, and the money was promptly paid. Not bad!
""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3494 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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.....I look at bidding jobs or writing up "proposals" the same way as I would any other customer. I figger what $$ amount of materials I have, and what I have to have to make my profit.
I tell them I can't leave them room to "mark-up" my work. I gotta have what I gotta have.
Most the time I'm not even on that job with them, I'm in shop and they just pick up the sign or I go out on installation day.
If the contractor don't like it, too bad, so sad. However, I ain't ever heard 'em complain.
I don't play golf or drink on the river with 'em, but every so often they'll say "Is this what you gotta have??", (and I say NO, by all means, let's make it more LOL) Really, they just say, "OK. I'll see what we can do..." and I usually get it.
WHY you may not be gettin' the jobs: The thing is they need to learn to get their prices together BEFORE they give their over-all bid . I find they try to "guess" what the sign is gonna be, or don't even think to figger it in at all, then they choke when they find out the sign is actually gonna to be a considerable expense.
Sometimes they say, "This'll work, but I'm gonna see if I can get you a little more...."
Then I know they are in a big money contract and hot-doggin' with the $$ and, hey, that's OK too.
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