In business now for about 6 months,completed 4 residential jobs and 7 small commercial jobs material costs for residential have been between 45 & 50% of total job price per job ,commercial projects have been almost bang on 20% for every job.I have had positive profit results on every job so far. Realising this 30% difference I am now adding 30% to all my residential estimates. I have not received one call back on 4 estimates for residential since raising the bar. I am holding out on this new pricing strategy.

Trevman, I do a lot of residential. My materials for those run about 20%. I do not supply lights on resi work for the most part, nor smoke detectors. If you supply the cans for recess, then that percentage could go up a few points. You should be pricing your work based on a calculation of all your costs, your overhead, your profit, and your future. You can only have a future if you build that cost back into your jobs. If residential won't provide you enough to have that future you wish for , then dump it and go commercial , service, or something else.

macmikeman,out of 10 quotes how many would you get on average.

Trev, I have been with the same General's for about 2 decades. I get everything they do. I would say there hit ratio is about 50 percent of the bids they have me submit.