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Electrical Estimating.

Zoomup
You have just visited a small house to look before providing an estimate for the cost of the work. It is a  small job and will cost between £1,500 to £2,000. Upon leaving, the householder says to you: "I will be getting other estimates".


Does this


a, Annoy you?


b, Not faze you?


c, Reduce your interest in getting the job?


d, Increase your desire to put in a really low estimate?


e, Make no difference?


g,  Other, please specify.


Z.


  • 0
    I rarely reduce my estimates, it implies that the original price given was too high and puts you in a bad light with the customer. But occasionally I reduce the cost slightly for genuine deserving cases or if I have a bit of luck and the job is easier than I had expected. Mostly the estimated price  stays. I am not into being the lowest in the estimating contest/gamble.


    Z.
  • 0

    Sparkingchip:




    Blencathra:

    Would you get more than one estimate for a job, I usually do




    How many times will you reduce your quote if someone tells you they have got a lower quote than your original one?


    Andy 


     




    I dont, its take it or leave it, but for a job like tarmacking a drive I did not  have a clue how much so got three quotes

  • 0

    Zoomup:




    Blencathra:

    Would you get more than one estimate for a job, I usually do




    I only got one estimate from a local double glazing installer to replace a few misted up double glazed units. He was recommended. I had seen his work elsewhere, and when his estimate came in it was so low I could not refuse. His plus points were awarded because 1. He turned up for the viewing of the work and measured the existing units. 2. He actually supplied an estimate quickly.

     I have had many local trades people not turn up to view or estimate for various other jobs, they seem to be a law unto themselves.

    You can go further and fair worse.


    Z.


    Z.


     




    Pray tell, how did you determine it was a low price?


    Jaymack

  • 0
    The price for the job is the price for the job.

    It has to be fair for both me and my customer.

    I am not going to work for nothing.

    I am not going to rip the customer off.

    If I am asked if I can reduce it then my answer is "yes, a different price for a different package" never reduce a price for the same job. If someone did that for me then I would think it`s been loaded to start with. Example, to rewire a house I can reduce price by providing less sockets, lights, switching arrangements etc etc.

    They can always get cheaper and they can always pay more and the sensible customer would not always nessacarily go for the cheapest or indeed the most expensive. I get 80% of my work by recommendation . Two specs can appear the same but can in reality be very different.

    A race to the bottom is no way to price work, I will never do that and I am rarely the cheapest I usually find out, occasionally I find out I am the most expensive. I get about 85% of all works I estimate for.

    The proper technical approved way to get a price if you have no recomendation etc to go on is:-

    get at least 5 estimates. Disregard (initially) the highest and lowest. Do an arithmetical average of the remainder then look, in the first instance, at those within 10% of that average initially. Ask yourself which one you have most confidence with.

    Customers who are obviously fishing for the cheapest price I politely fire `em off. The most infuriating thing I sometimes hear is "I want a competative quote" they get binned immediately.

    I do not (usually anyway) go into a shop and haggle about the price of a marathon bar! Marathon bar? don`t I a mean Snickers? No a Marathon Bar, I am that old!

    PS Kit Kats are four fingers not two, I remember when they first came out they were four fingers not two. A two fingered one is a half kit kat. And wagon wheel biscuits were massive things, more like the size of an actual wagon wheel (well not quite but you get my point).

  • 0

    Jaymack:




    Zoomup:




    Blencathra:

    Would you get more than one estimate for a job, I usually do




    I only got one estimate from a local double glazing installer to replace a few misted up double glazed units. He was recommended. I had seen his work elsewhere, and when his estimate came in it was so low I could not refuse. His plus points were awarded because 1. He turned up for the viewing of the work and measured the existing units. 2. He actually supplied an estimate quickly.

     I have had many local trades people not turn up to view or estimate for various other jobs, they seem to be a law unto themselves.

    You can go further and fair worse.


    Z.


    Z.


     




    Pray tell, how did you determine it was a low price?


    Jaymack


     




    It was an acceptable price for the work and value for money. It was o.k. with me. I am not necessarily interested in the lowest price. Other factors are involved as I said before.


    Z.

  • 0
    "It was an acceptable price for the work and value for money. It was o.k. with me." 

    Of academic interest, how would this be determined, if not by comparison?


    Jaymack
  • 0
    The cost of preparing a quote for a job between £1500 and £2000 is probably at least £80 with the site survey, writing a specification, obtaining quotes for specific materials, then compiling and submitting the quote to the potential customer.


    So at least 5% of the value of the job has been allocated to submitting the quote without any guarantee of getting the job.


    Accurate quotes are for serious potential customers only, not tyre kickers, they can only have a quick inflated quote to cover anything that may have been missed.


    Andy
  • 0
    Wise words Sparkingchip. I`m in agreement with you there.


    Jaymack, good question about how you compare.

    However, that reminded of our local council a few months back.

    They were deciding how much to charge to let out their rooms to various orginisations.

    Getting the whole of them to agree would be troublesome because they all had differing agendas.

    Some might want to do it at cost price, some might think of making a little profit for the town.

    From that some might want to deter certain groups or activities annd conversely they might want to actively attract others by reducing fees e.g charities for a start.

    So, they all had different ideas and causes.

    They hammered it out and came to conclusions the majority accepted.

    Fair enough.

    But one councilor remarked they must have got their prices right because two other neighbouring councils prices were quite simimlar.

    What a stupid remark that was. We might all have our reasons to arrive at the fees for our town but the others, different sizes, different costs and probably different agendas might produce different results.

    In fact the results might just prove that all three councils got their prices wrong. Just because you do something and others do similar does not prove you right.

    It ranks about on a parr with "It`s a welkl known fact" terminology.
  • 0
    So for a big job such as a re-wire, do you quote one price, or a range?
  • 0

    Jaymack:

    "It was an acceptable price for the work and value for money. It was o.k. with me." 

    Of academic interest, how would this be determined, if not by comparison?


    Jaymack 


    Being an estimator and a tradesman I use my personal experience and knowledge to assist me in deciding. The service offered was efficient, the fitter polite and helpful, the job was done well. I am very happy. I could not have done it better or cheaper myself. It is the same with my local garage when I get my vehicle repaired I do not even get an estimate in some cases as I know them and they are honest and economical. For major repairs yes I do get an estimate, but for small repairs no. I am happy with their service and have been for many years. Also the garage is sympathetic at MOT time as well. It is not all about money. Good service and efficiency are important too.


    Z.


     




     

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