# Business Owner Blues



## MacDry (Feb 1, 2010)

Hey everyone!

Having a rough one today. underbid a job quite severely. Had to get rid of an estimtor as I wasnt doing enough work to afford his services. starting doing the bids myself. definetly lacking in experience. I forgot to add for the engineered certification. and a few other things. One thatI just through whatI thought was a high number at, to avoid getting it, actually made me the bidder by about 500 bucks. which is not bad for a 19000 dollar job. But still.

I think i am just down on myself.  

how did you contractors out there do it? I want to get into commercial stuff, residential bores the hell out of me, and the money is the ****s since people dont have the smarts not to backstab each other. but the estimating illudes me. all these little expenses, when do you need what? the drawings just dont cut it anymore apparently, when do you need engineered shop drawings? when do you up the price of labor for certain jobs? and by how much? you know what i am saying? all these little variables that seem to be pulled out of peoples butts.

where did you guys learn this stuff? is there a book or a course or anything? I was a taper before i went out on my own, so stee in and of itself is a little over my head but i can figure itout and do it. i went through the BC wall and ceiling association training and got all that under my belt now.

in a nut shell what i am trying to say is  know what i mean?

MacDry


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

Well for me was, Stuff it up, do the job anyway the best could, backcost, Reprice, stuff it up again, reprice, stuff it up, Ask for help, got told lies about competetors prices to screw me down, stuff it up again, and on and one for years till i got a name for myself and grew a pair of balls to stand up to people, then it gets better, slowly, It was different for me going self employed at 21 years old, I had no expences so i didnt need much money still living with the parents, Its different in your country i know but if you ask around all of us struggled with this, The longer you stick at it the more you learn and the easier it can slowly get. I hope some local people have some good advice for you.


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## joepro0000 (Jun 14, 2008)

Yea its a learning experience, but sometimes if you don't have time for a job, don't overbid it, because you might never got an ITB again. They will think of you as a high priced contractor and avoid wasting their time. Everything is through trial and error. Picture the job while estimating it, and picture how much time for each things, and add a couple of extra days, because something always gets pushed back. Also watch out if you bid commerical, cause alot of commerical jobs are done in stages. Like 1 side the drywall, and come back in a week and finish the rest.


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