What are some of the ways everyone is bidding jobs, residential & commercial. How much per opening, etc.

Most comm is done the old fashioned way, a take off from the plans.....
The per opening thing works for a "plain vanilla box" type job, but anything with any detail gets the take off.

We don't do resi, so I can't comment inteligently. Most of the resi guys I know do the "piece" for the builders and $$$ for the "extras".
John

I'm with Hotline. The only way to do it right is by doing a detailed take off.
I can't speak for resi because I haven't really been involved with it that much.

Regards,
Doc

OK guys,
I've seen this mentioned several times about detailed take offs. When we do commercial bids we count openings for lights and general use receptacles. When you do a detailed take off for general use ckts. do you estimate conduit and wire by the foot, plus openings???

Our current project has approximately 8,000 openings. It took two men two days just to count the openings........I can't imagine the time it would take to try and detail this stuff.

We do detail out special equipment, ckts., HVAC, feeders, etc.

Just curious,
GJ

GJ,

Estimating is a full time job!!

When I was learning to estimate, each "opening" would be taken off and entered into the estimating program as an assembly. For instance, 1 receptacle would include one 4" box with strap, mud ring, 2 #10 screws, a ground pigtail, a receptacle, plate, 40' 3/4"EMT (or MC cable, depending), and 120' #12 THHN.

So yes, in my experience, every foot of conduit and wire is counted.

Hope this helps.

Peter

I work commercial like GJ. I figure degree of difficulty on the general openings (exposed work, ceiling height, structural design). Then I adjust my price scale to fit the job.

Line item on the rest, service, AC, motors and so forth.

Resi is priced by 120v openings, low voltage, 240v drops and service entrance. No pricing by the sqft.

"When I was learning to estimate, each "opening" would be taken off and entered into the estimating program as an assembly. For instance, 1 receptacle would include one 4" box with strap, mud ring, 2 #10 screws, a ground pigtail, a receptacle, plate, 40' 3/4"EMT (or MC cable, depending), and 120' #12 THHN. "

CT,
OK, you then have figured your material cost for an opening assembly. How is that different than pricing by the opening? I guess it makes the computer happy?

GJ



[This message has been edited by golf junkie (edited 12-20-2002).]

Arseegee,

That is exactly how we do it too. Works for me.

GJ

GJ, yeah, I guess I misinterpreted your question. Oh well...


Peter

[This message has been edited by CTwireman (edited 12-21-2002).]