When you give an estimate for a project how detailed do you get?

version 1.
Labor, material, total.

version 2.
Labor, rough material, finish material, wiring, conduit,...total.

Version 3.
???

How do you do your estimates?

Edward

It's best to give as little information as possible to minimize haggeling and providing a "shopping list" for the customer to shop the job with.

If you can get away with it just give a total price for material and labor. After that you can give separate prices for material and labor. Stay away from itemizing any material because customers will compare your prices with Home Despot and say you are screwing them.

-Hal

I think Hal's right.

If the customer wants a breakdown, let them ask for it, lest they nit-pick the price of each and every screw in your estimate.
After all, they're buying the complete job.

My estimate has every little detail and breakdown that I can think of , but my customer only sees a contract price with a breakdown of payments for the contract.

You "unbundle" at your own peril. A good negotiator will ask you to unbundle to talk you out of some money. I have a few answers for these people, but none of them involve an actual breakdown. Lets face it, we never really know how it's going to work out until it's over and we can see the T&M numbers.

Dave