bid-large re

I have been asked to prepare a number for re-striping two large office/distribution complexes. One complex has 63 buildings and the other has 32 buildings. Each building is in excess of 50,000 sf, yes they are all big with plenty of parking and loading docks. Does anyone have this type of experience for this size job? If you do can you pass along info. about special pricing, scheduling etc. It took me 3 hours today, just surveying 11 of the parking lots. I am well equipped for the job. Four Graco 3500's, one speedflow and a linedriver. And the balls to tackle this project. Any stories about past experience will be helpful. Thank You

My suggestion would be to get some help putting the quote together. 1st make up a generic estimate form with no pricing info on it (you don't need your helpers knowing what you charge) the sheet should include a list of items like: lines, handicaps, speed bumps, ft of cross hatching, ft of curbing...etc. If you have helpers get one or two to drive around and fill out one sheet/site (with the address of each building on the top). Obviously you should do a couple with them to show them how, then cut them loose. When they're done you will have all the info on paper and you just put the pricing numbers together. It will cost a bit of money but now you will have the info for each site forever, you will never have to drive to all the sites again to quote this work. One other thing to consider is if all these sites are close together then you might want to "sharpen your penci"l because you wont be spending a lot of time travelling all over like you would if you got the same number of jobs form 50 different companies spread out all over the city or state your in. Thats just my 2 cents, hope it helps. Frank

Frank has a good point about getting help. You could go nuts counting that much by yourself. Even the wife or friends could help. Better yet, if your lucky enough to live in a metro area, Google Earth is perfect for this. You can go to the site to count things you cant see with Google Earth or things that might have changed since the 2/3 year old picture was taken, like stencils, handicaps, fire lane. But you can count lines sitting at your desk. I use it all the time. As for pricing, if you get most of the work you bid now, maybe stay at your current prices because you could be a little cheap, if you have to fight for jobs, maybe start out a little cheaper on this one. A job like that can be a big confidence booster once its done (and the check comes in). If you do get it and you have helpers that push machines around, I bet this job would more than pay for another line driver, plus you'll finish it that much faster.

We were contacted about doing several large parking lots each in excess off 400 and 600 stalls. The word was needs an immediate price to stripe. After spending the whole day and making a second trip to bid property missed the day before, we were told the work wasn't going to be handed out until the next year, which was 2006, then in the end-up someone else is bidding low, we are still in the works with this one but it is doubtful we will get it. The point is, after taking advice from one of the asphalt guys we sub from, we now charge a fee to bid large properties that are just putting together their budgets for the following year. If we get the job the cost for estimate is counted off the invoice. We were led to believe from the first person we spoke with at the company that we were the only ones bidding and would be awarded the job after the bid was received, to bad we didn't get that in writing. So people be careful and protect yourself from companies looking to exploit the "Free Estimate" process.

Unless they supply the layout I do the same as ASI for future bids. I do give free estimates. I can stand at the entrance of the lot and look at it and say, hmmmm someware between 10K and 15K. If they want it any closer then that or in writing it will cost them $150.00 per hour to prepare. That will be credited to the job if I get it. I bill it out as a consultation fee. Estimates do not brake down to line item numbers. Unless they are willing to pay for them. I learned that when I found my numbers used for someone else to figure pricing. Dwan

we bid ed on 6 jobs last year took all day submitted the estimates and the guy called me with four more jobs to look at i thought the guy was full of crap so we tould him we where not going to bid any more unless he was going to give us the work he called us back in a couple of days and said he would like us to start all jobs and finish them right away as fast as we can. every day we got to the job he handed us our check before we even got started. it turned out we did 16 jobs for him and they where all seal and stripe so you really never now if you are wasting time or not if you put a couple of bids in and then call them at that time they now if you are going to be the man that does the work. he is human to he will understand just my two cents

Is this a restripe or new layout. Be straight up and ask the man if he is wanting cheap or if he is wanting a good quality job. This will let you know on the front end what he is looking for. Suggest if he wants the cheapest price you will provide him with a half of dozen stripers that do cheap work. Price is relative to quality. Let him know you are insured. Finally, ask him how many bids he's getting. If he's getting 4 or more he is probably looking for cheap. Good luck!