# tight bidding today



## stcunlimited (Aug 23, 2012)

Bid on 3 sewer line projects today. Missed a $27,000 job by $180. Missed a $18,000 job by $200 and got a $12,000 job by $90.


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

15 yrs ago, lost a $440k storm sewer job by $320.00


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## stcunlimited (Aug 23, 2012)

dayexco said:


> 15 yrs ago, lost a $440k storm sewer job by $320.00


That would make you bang your head against the wall.


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## stcunlimited (Aug 23, 2012)

The letting before mine was a 1.5 million dollar street project and was won by $4500.


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

I don't know anything about that, but I'll tell you a story from about 20 years ago. I was walking in front of one of the Smithsonian buildings in downtown DC late one summer day. A gritty guy was lazing on a park bench and asked me for some local guidance, etc., like places to eat. He turned out to be an excavator from upstate PA who was living out of a jobsite trailer a couple blocks down the street. He claimed it was his first time in a major city like DC, but he took a shot on a sewer contract and won it. They were doing work under I- 395 a couple blocks away. He was the proud, talkative type and said it was a 70k job that he expected to take 3 months. Said he planned to own a Nascar team one day, too. I should have kept his name to see what happened.

(Maybe it was b.s, but seemed authentic enough.)


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

Thats either very similar thinking people or contractors who pay attention to what the competition is doing.


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## TLHWindows (Jan 5, 2012)

I lost a 20k dollar window job because my competition gave them their obscure windows for free. That cost was $75.


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

2 years ago a buddy of mine lost a $80,000 paving contract by ...... $0.12

Talk about a kick in the nuts.


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## slowsol (Aug 27, 2005)

I'd rather lose jobs by $100 all day, than win a job by $20,000.


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## QCCI (Jan 28, 2013)

Bidding is extremely competitive right now, especially public projects. Everything seems to be won or lost by just a few percent. But the good thing is bidding has picked up tremendously.


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## backhoe1 (Mar 30, 2007)

Last summer I won a lime removal job by $0.02/yd. About as close as you can get and still get the job!


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

So i assume there's a "going rate" in this line of work? When ever i see quotes from other contractors in this area bidding the same work as me they can be up +/- 150% difference. Crazy you guys can all be bidding so close to each other like that.


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## slowsol (Aug 27, 2005)

BCConstruction said:


> So i assume there's a "going rate" in this line of work? When ever i see quotes from other contractors in this area bidding the same work as me they can be up +/- 150% difference. Crazy you guys can all be bidding so close to each other like that.


Whether people here want to admit it or not, there is a "going rate" for every trade. At least for those people that competitely bid projects. I always hear the talk about, "there is no going rate, just charge what you need to make money", and I agree with the fact that every contractor is different in the OH and speed. However when I bid out a building with subs and my finish carpentry numbers are $55,000, $57,000, and $65,000, you see there is a going rate.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Are these city jobs for the lowest bidder?


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## stcunlimited (Aug 23, 2012)

Inner10 said:


> Are these city jobs for the lowest bidder?


Yes


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## JDavis21835 (Feb 27, 2009)

BCConstruction said:


> So i assume there's a "going rate" in this line of work? When ever i see quotes from other contractors in this area bidding the same work as me they can be up +/- 150% difference. Crazy you guys can all be bidding so close to each other like that.


Pretty hard to not have a going rate when everyone has specs that require a bid based on specific material. 6 contractors bidding a job that requires 12 inch C900 pvc water main are going have damn near the same material cost for the pipe. The granular material supplier, be it a sand pit, or gravel pit closest to the job is going to have those same 6 contractors calling for a price per ton of material. If the job is a Prevailing Wage job, everyone has the same labor costs. 

The only way you can be more competitive is to have your own material pit, or a cheap alternative pit that the other guys dont. You can have a crew that is more productive than the competition. Also, an alternative source for pipe will help your numbers. 

In the civil business, having a material source or supplier the other guys dont, is the only way you will see much of a different price. I have done this with certain items such as valves and pump equipment for lift station/water treatment plant projects. A lot of guys in this area dont know, or havent considered checking suppliers in the oilfield world. Shipping is going to be more, but if you find a good priced source, and have time to plan the shipping, it can be a big winner.


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