Re: job quotes

["Frank Olson" <feolson@xxxxxxxxxx>]

"mikey" <someone@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:feydnYCN3JyGHYLeRVn-pA@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Any of you chaps that don't sub-contract care to share how you quote your
> average res jobs? This is driving me batty. I find I spend more time
> dicking
> around with mark-ups and estimating time (and these friggin things ALWAYS
> have surprises (whathefuck is a check 100 ?!?)) than I do installing the
> friggin' alarm. Do you price per point type thing or actually check the
> place out and guesstimate your time? It may sound funny, but yes, I am
> making money but I wish I could simplify the quote process.


There is no easy way to estimate a job.  When I first got into the industry,
Chubb used a standard "price book" that included a labour and material
allowance for "cable" that was calculated by the foot.  The sales guy had to
lay out the job and estimate the amount of wire it was going to take.  I was
impressed with how accurate the sales guy's estimate often was.  On some
jobs we lost, but with Chubb's markups (in the 80's we could still charge
$4000.00 for an install) that was rare indeed.

ISTR it was $2.22 per foot.  We don't do residential except as a "favour" to
existing customers.  The market's just too crazy and I postively refuse to
play "down there".  Besides, I much prefer re-arranging all the sales
literature on my counter...  ;-))