Does anyone charge for doing job proposals?

I had a sit down restaurant call and will only accept a striper that is willing to give them a written proposal for the cost of re-striping all 21 restaurants. I did a streets and trips itinerary of all the locations and will put on 500 + miles and 10 + hours of driving not counting the time at each and any delays like rush hour, accidents and construction zones. Do any of you charge by including on the proposal cost of doing these? I was thinking of my normal price plus so much for each written proposal added to the figure before I submit it.

That or add to the proposal that if you are awarded the job, the proposal fee will be deducted.

You could have them provide the drawings for each site. Explane to them how much money they wil save if they do. Provide an estimate off thoes drawings with stipulations that site visits may add or subtract from that estimate. If they want a ferm bid then like Gauxt charge for your time then subtract it from the invoice if awarded. Be sure to expalane this to the owner. Good luck.

I have a similar situation. We have been asked to provide "regional" striping for 11 malls in Michigan and N. Indiana. We will have to travel anywhere between 1000 - 2000 miles to visit and count them all up. I will try to do it via site plans and not visit them if they have adequate site plans. But to answer your question, we never charge to quote jobs or provide proposals. The cost is included in our striping proposal. Remember that many of us don't do true marketing, have a marketing budget or have much marketing expense. I consider the cost of these trips a marketing cost. It is just another overhead cost but more accurately, it is marketing.

Just hire a salesmen who wants to get paid what the IRS allows for mileage (44 cents/mile) and you'll quickly realize what it costs to do estimates. I think we should charge for estimates and give back the charge if they hire you. That would encourage property owners to not shop like 6 companies for quotes.

Check with your accountant Larry. Unless I live in an alternate universe or my accountant is wrong, I believe that the allowable rate changed to $0.485 per mile effective 9/1/05.

I go with the alternate universe theory....

Not sure what area your in Fine Line, but try Google Earth. If the area has good resolution, you can see most markings, and you can visit the closest few to get an idea of how they do other markings that are not visible. Then you can do a little creative math and price the jobs as worst case. Just remember the image can be a couple of years old. Anybody else use Google Earth or Live Local?? I use it all the time. What a time saver.

Hey Stripingfool, Microsoft Windows live is up and running - you get much sharper resolution - I have checked the on-line sat photos several times after I visited a site for an estimate and found I could've done it just using the on-line. But.....as you said the images can be years old!!! Tiny..............LOTMARKER

holy crap it works! I just saved hours. google maps clicked on satellite and could see the lines. Awesome!

ain't technology grand?? Just remember - the images can be 2-3 years old!! That may cause some problems. Tiny

lotmarker wrote on Mar 28, 2006:Go to #11

ain't technology grand?? Just remember - the images can be 2-3 years old!! That may cause some problems. Tiny

Submit a proposal based on date of photos, disclaim "price to include not more than X number of feet" etc. I also add a per unit stencil charge and/or per ft. curbing price on locations I cannot see or am unfamiliar with. I am lucky to be familiar with nearly every location and have excellent resolution.

Never.

RandyV wrote on Mar 28, 2006:Go to #6

Check with your accountant Larry. Unless I live in an alternate universe or my accountant is wrong, I believe that the allowable rate changed to $0.485 per mile effective 9/1/05.

Hey Randy quiet. It's a secret.

Try both together... Windows Live Local has the "birds eye" thing which is crystal clear, if the area is covered. Google Earth has a GREAT measuring tool so you can measure road lines, curb, etc. sd... me too. I also use it to update quotes for jobs being rebid. Being in a good resolution area is definitely a bonus.

Quoting \\\STRIPES///, March 28, 2006 (that post is not in this thread):

Never. ever.

We don't charge for estimates, however your situation is a bit different as you will be adding some miles. Here is what I would do, if it were me, I would have no problem at all driving, if I new I had a good shot at the work and wanted it, however, if the request was from a national maintenance company or someone I really doubted wether I would get the work, then I would use the sat photos and then add some extra money if the photos seemed dated to cover your self for changes.

I have never tried the photo birds eye thing what are the web site addresses? This is a local franchisee that owns 21 sit down chain restaurants. I have noticed the 10 I did yesterday 4 did not meet current ADA standards. I am not sure if that could be picked up on the web view. I am going to try it if someone e-mails me the web sites and the steps to get me to where I need to be. Thank-You

I like Google Earth: http://earth.google.com/ Here's Microsoft Live Local: http://local.live.com/

Thank-you for the sites, when it rains or slows down I will try to see how they are compared to the actuals I measured. I am not sure they would show the missing handicap signs and posts.