Estimating Extrodinaire
New member
Hi everyone,
I heard about the Forum and thought I'd join to discuss all aspects of the Estimating game.
Estimating isn't just about knowledge of Scaffolding-it's a people business. Repeat business is essential to improved rates and the continuity of turnover to a firm.
Our biggest problem currently is customers demand the highest of standards and services for the absolute lowest- rock bottom prices. We've been throwing in additional hire and scaffolding inspections for the past 18 months.
All contracts these days seem to be all risk and if you even mention an extra to a QS your company is immediatley frowned upon.
We've found the housing market is gradually starting to pick up, with sites that were 'mothballed' 2/3years ago, starting up again.
New companies are incredibly hard to break into as they have there 'pet scaffold firms'. As I'm sure estimators from all over the country will agree, I find myself promising the earth to the potential new customer, throwing in all kinds of things FOC. By the time you've picked up a job you may have priced and been in negotiations for weeks, you feel the job is now that cheap, one mistake on site- late delivery of materials etc and the labour ratio is out of the window.
We should all make a stance, bring rates upto where they were 06/07, stop submitting 'silly' quotations and let the customers know that WE decide how much a job costs NOT the QS.
Each time we try and improve our rates we are always battard down to rediculous prices- our scaffs moan about the rates and perform porly on site. This agitates the customer and before you know it... no repeat business!!!
On another note.... Has anyone else found the online auctions that customers are now using to 'sell' scaffolding jobs an absolute insult to us. Basically putting us in a ring and asking us to 'fight it out' for 15 mins?! You have your lowest price set out and before you know it your in fifth position. If these people actually cared about quality and safety these 'price' auctions wouldnt exist. The HSE should be appauled at this way of offering work out, any two bit, fly-by-night firm can enter into an auction and get the job.
I win 90% of my jobs if I visit site, visit the QS and demonstrate my knowledge of scaffolding, attention to safety and submit a keen price first time. It's only the old school QS's who seem to care about safety and performance- all the younger QS's are all about cost and putting a smile on there line-managers faces. Through the recession QS's feared for there jobs- driving quotations down through 'dutch auctions' this has lead to crap quality on site and profits being no existant.
If you like what your reading please comment below-if not then please note this is a scaffolders Forum NOT A QS's!!!!
I heard about the Forum and thought I'd join to discuss all aspects of the Estimating game.
Estimating isn't just about knowledge of Scaffolding-it's a people business. Repeat business is essential to improved rates and the continuity of turnover to a firm.
Our biggest problem currently is customers demand the highest of standards and services for the absolute lowest- rock bottom prices. We've been throwing in additional hire and scaffolding inspections for the past 18 months.
All contracts these days seem to be all risk and if you even mention an extra to a QS your company is immediatley frowned upon.
We've found the housing market is gradually starting to pick up, with sites that were 'mothballed' 2/3years ago, starting up again.
New companies are incredibly hard to break into as they have there 'pet scaffold firms'. As I'm sure estimators from all over the country will agree, I find myself promising the earth to the potential new customer, throwing in all kinds of things FOC. By the time you've picked up a job you may have priced and been in negotiations for weeks, you feel the job is now that cheap, one mistake on site- late delivery of materials etc and the labour ratio is out of the window.
We should all make a stance, bring rates upto where they were 06/07, stop submitting 'silly' quotations and let the customers know that WE decide how much a job costs NOT the QS.
Each time we try and improve our rates we are always battard down to rediculous prices- our scaffs moan about the rates and perform porly on site. This agitates the customer and before you know it... no repeat business!!!
On another note.... Has anyone else found the online auctions that customers are now using to 'sell' scaffolding jobs an absolute insult to us. Basically putting us in a ring and asking us to 'fight it out' for 15 mins?! You have your lowest price set out and before you know it your in fifth position. If these people actually cared about quality and safety these 'price' auctions wouldnt exist. The HSE should be appauled at this way of offering work out, any two bit, fly-by-night firm can enter into an auction and get the job.
I win 90% of my jobs if I visit site, visit the QS and demonstrate my knowledge of scaffolding, attention to safety and submit a keen price first time. It's only the old school QS's who seem to care about safety and performance- all the younger QS's are all about cost and putting a smile on there line-managers faces. Through the recession QS's feared for there jobs- driving quotations down through 'dutch auctions' this has lead to crap quality on site and profits being no existant.
If you like what your reading please comment below-if not then please note this is a scaffolders Forum NOT A QS's!!!!
