[[email protected]]

I am currently in an awkward situation where I have just finished bidding 5 homes today and I still have 2 to do who knows when this week. So, here is the situation: I only have enough time to go to each home, scope it out and say "I'll email you a proposal in a few days" and leave. Now, I hate to do that. I am set up where I can print out a proposal on site if I have enough time. BUT! here is an assumed delima. People call and want a bid ASAP.. Most people do, there are some who will wait a week to see me but I hate to wait that long when I am sure I could fit them in somewhere... OK... so back to the situation. Now that I have seen 5 homes, Where do I find the time to evaluate my pictures and send out the proposal if I have to be in the field working the next day? I simply do not have enough hands to cover me while I am doing office work or I just simply put to much work in front of myself to get proposals out in a timely manner. A two man operation doesn't seem possible during this busy part of the season. We have a helper but he is not reliable atm..... (a personal resource, do not inquire about it please....).

So.... any suggestions? I think simply hiring another helper would be a relief. I am certain we could afford it. Actually 2 more would be good. I figure about 1 house per week is sufficient for 2 men, so 2 houses per week works for 4 men. But that still keeps me in the field instead of bidding. Each house we do is an average of $3500 each or more. The math tells me I can hire at $15hr easily.

Should I hire or should I schedule less in a day for bidding? I think I know the answer but I want to hear form you.

J

 

[ProWallGuy]

I do them at night. Like right now I should be writing a bid, but instead I'm surfing painttalk. Seriously, being a small 1-2 man show means you do the labor at day, and the paperwork at night.

 

[MAK-Deco]

I think most good clients can wait for your proposals Jason, email that evening or the next day is acceptable, don't let the client dictate what you should do ASAP, probably not a good client to be working for.

 

[tsunamicontract]

I hear ya Jason, I am up against the same thing. I email mine in a couple days. Or better yet drop by and give it to them in person.
Jason what kind of houses are you doing that your doing 1 a week? Interior or ext? Good to know that you are getting plenty of work.

 

[[email protected]]

I hear ya Jason, I am up against the same thing. I email mine in a couple days. Or better yet drop by and give it to them in person.
Jason what kind of houses are you doing that your doing 1 a week? Interior or ext? Good to know that you are getting plenty of work.

Exteriors from 1900sqft - 2500sqft. We can do 3 in 2 weeks. That's provided I am not bidding a whole lot. but enough to keep the schedule about one month ahead. I land about 1 out of 3-4 jobs. I'm trying to book up August right now and am not worried about it. If a perspective customer falls through the cracks... oh well... almost dropped one last week, but I prefer to keep to my word having already looked at the house... So sometimes I can be a week late.... lol... UGH!

BTW... one a week keeps the books up to par and isn't too heavy of a work load as I like to have time to do my bids during the day rather than at night when the five children wanting my attention! lol.... I take the sacrifice and trust that God sees the heart toward my children and blesses me with work anyways... hehe..

 

[tsunamicontract]

Do you get mostly maint. coats or are these peeling paint jobs?
I totally understand about not doing it at night, I do most of mine then as I have no kids, but I added another person so that I can have two out there doing work while I can take care of my office work. I get them started in the morning, if the job is in town, I stop in at lunch, go do more office work, then spend the last hour of the day at the job making sure everything is wrapped up all right. I do this about 2 days a week, the other days I am in the field all day.

 

[[email protected]]

Do you get mostly maint. coats or are these peeling paint jobs?
I totally understand about not doing it at night, I do most of mine then as I have no kids, but I added another person so that I can have two out there doing work while I can take care of my office work. I get them started in the morning, if the job is in town, I stop in at lunch, go do more office work, then spend the last hour of the day at the job making sure everything is wrapped up all right. I do this about 2 days a week, the other days I am in the field all day.

It is a variety. Most of the homes I bid today are because of heights. The typical home is maintenance or peeling fascia boards. Rarely do I run into a home that has peeling siding or is just changing color although the latter option does show up now and again and so does that early 1900's home that implies lead paint (wont bid it). The cement style horizontal siding keeps the house in good shape for the most part. Most of our prep is on the fascia and columns, some caulk separation at corners and joints but nothing too bad or labor intensive. We often prep the first day, spray the second and trim the third. Sometimes we prep and start spraying the first day, finish the spraying the second day with almost the trim done and use the third day to finish up by noon. We work a 6 day work week so 2-3 homes in 2 weeks is plenty for the two of us. We are not workaholics or I'd be rich and divorced! LOL....

 

[ProWallGuy]

I should have been more clear in my response. I actually go do the takeoff during the day, but do my figuring/typing/emailing at night, after the young'uns go to bed.

 

[GMack]

I am currently in an awkward situation where I have just finished bidding 5 homes today and I still have 2 to do who knows when this week. So, here is the situation: I only have enough time to go to each home, scope it out and say "I'll email you a proposal in a few days" and leave. Now, I hate to do that. I am set up where I can print out a proposal on site if I have enough time. BUT! here is an assumed delima. People call and want a bid ASAP.. Most people do, there are some who will wait a week to see me but I hate to wait that long when I am sure I could fit them in somewhere... OK... so back to the situation. Now that I have seen 5 homes, Where do I find the time to evaluate my pictures and send out the proposal if I have to be in the field working the next day? I simply do not have enough hands to cover me while I am doing office work or I just simply put to much work in front of myself to get proposals out in a timely manner. A two man operation doesn't seem possible during this busy part of the season. We have a helper but he is not reliable atm..... (a personal resource, do not inquire about it please....).

So.... any suggestions? I think simply hiring another helper would be a relief. I am certain we could afford it. Actually 2 more would be good. I figure about 1 house per week is sufficient for 2 men, so 2 houses per week works for 4 men. But that still keeps me in the field instead of bidding. Each house we do is an average of $3500 each or more. The math tells me I can hire at $15hr easily.

Should I hire or should I schedule less in a day for bidding? I think I know the answer but I want to hear form you.

J

You find the time, Jason. You do what you have to do whether you're tired, stressed, can't spend as much time as you like with the fam., whatever . . . Prioritize your time. It looks like you spent a while on the board last night. You could have just as easily spent that time writing up your bids, no?

 

[vermontpainter]

I dont think Jason should do the extra bidding for more work and take on employees. It seems that would set him on a path of material gain which breeds greed. This would be very much out of character with his faith. It would be more prudent to stay small, keep spreading paint and "put our hands to work and our hearts to the Lord."

 

[chrisn]

Jason,I wish I had your problems,if I could talk the wife into leaving Maryland,I would come out there and releive you of all your stress,:whistling2:I would think Or would be a beautiful place to live.:yes:

 

[vermontpainter]

So anyways, back to the original post...what do you do? What do you do? Jason, are you kidding me? You rent Glengarry Glen Ross and you get to the part where Blake is talking about selling and when he says: "Only one thing counts in this world: Get them to sign on the line which is dotted."

Write this down and everytime you go to an estimate, read it to yourself before you get out of your truck. Then, when you get back to the homestead, read it again, go to the computer and get it done.

What do you do? Get them to sign on the line which is dotted. A guy dont walk on the lot lest he wants to buy. They're sitting out there, waiting to give you their money. Are you gonna take it? Are you man enough to take it?

Good movie. I am going to start calling you Jason "The Machine" Agape

 

[GMack]

So anyways, back to the original post...what do you do? What do you do? Jason, are you kidding me? You rent Glengarry Glen Ross and you get to the part where Blake is talking about selling and when he says: "Only one thing counts in this world: Get them to sign on the line which is dotted."

Write this down and everytime you go to an estimate, read it to yourself before you get out of your truck. Then, when you get back to the homestead, read it again, go to the computer and get it done.

What do you do? Get them to sign on the line which is dotted. A guy dont walk on the lot lest he wants to buy. They're sitting out there, waiting to give you their money. Are you gonna take it? Are you man enough to take it?


Good movie. I am going to start calling you Jason "The Machine" Agape

Remember also to, "Put that coffee down; coffee is for closers only."

 

[vermontpainter]

Here you go, J. There are alot of f-bombs in it so make sure the kids are tucked safely away. This is one of the best movies ever about salesmen...

 

[vermontpainter]

Remember also to, "Put that coffee down; coffee is for closers only."

Thats right, no coffee for Jason "The Machine" until he closes all 5.

 

[crow]

Jason, sounds like you musta increased your seed? gettin the cup over the rim? I think your seekin your advice in the wrong sector? I notice when I put more seed out the more there is to harvest, and thats just the way it works. I use wends. that my day to do my runnin and biddin. dont care whats going on. and Im a one man show, just let them all know wends I dont paint! its works for me. and creates a nice mid week brake from the brush!

 

[premierpainter]

I use wends. that my day to do my runnin and biddin. dont care whats going on. and Im a one man show, just let them all know wends I dont paint! its works for me. and creates a nice mid week brake from the brush!

What day exactly is that???? Does that come after Teus?:no:

 

[[email protected]]

Today is the day to finish up them bids. I'm take-n the computer to the coffee house and crank-n em out.... I'll prioritize them; basically finishing the ones I want to do with where the lead came from. Word of mouth leads will finish first, Angie's List leads will need to wait if they all do not get done for whatever reason....

Really, all I was looking for in this topic was some suggestions as to; how do others handle their bids from seeing the home to getting the bid out the door? Provided that you do not give the bid onsite. I know some folks have a system down where they can crank out a bid on the spot, unfortunately I like to spend some time considering ALL issues of the home before handing the bid over. I have done the bid on the spot before and I have learned that my memory does not serve me well under pressure. Sure, I can give an estimated figure but it will not be nearly as close to an actual figure if I just do it on the spot. I have taken the computer with me and done bids on the spot, which is effective to some degree if the sun isn't too bright... my monitor on the laptop is almost black in the natural light and I can hardly see anything, so I tend to keep the bidding at home in the office. Hmmmm maybe I could tint the windows... Well... anyways... So yeah, learning some effective ways to handle an onslaught of bids is what I am looking for or just suggestions as to processes in general. What I do works, but maybe it's more about time management than anything else.

Thanks for those that have constructively answered my inquiry.

 

[ewingpainting.net]

How to know when its time to raise your prices. This is it Jason you have a decision to make. If your desires is to grow your buis. Hire, because this "the customer will wait." is small minded thinking. This is your first appearance to the client and you don't want to appear that you don't care or have the time for them. If your desire is to stay small and sling paint. Then raise your prices. So you are getting paid for your long days. And if "the customer will wait." it pays off.

 

[[email protected]]

How to know when its time to raise your prices. This is it Jason you have a decision to make. If your desires is to grow your buis. Hire, because this "the customer will wait." is small minded thinking. This is your first appearance to the client and you don't want to appear that you don't care or have the time for them. If your desire is to stay small and sling paint. Then raise your prices. So you are getting paid for your long days. And if "the customer will wait." it pays off.

Thank you for the suggestion. It is note worthy.