# Sub Underbid Drywall... Should I help him out or?



## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

Well, hope this works out for all involved.

Nothing clears your thinking for future bids than shorting yourself on a job. It's like horseradish for the mind.


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## NYgutterguy (Mar 3, 2014)

meet him halfway if hes good and continue to have a good relationship with him .I'd personally never admit that i screwed up bad enough where i had to ask for more money. If its my mistake i deserve a few days of misery and hopefully ill learn a lesson..If the building changed after i bid the job then that would be a different story. Have shown up to jobs where things were added..Example" stone bump out was added to bottom of home all around needing the addition of 10 copper offset elbows that cost $50 each ..Plan never showed bump out


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## jhark123 (Aug 26, 2008)

I wouldn't give an extra penny, it is un-professional that he even asked you.


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## SailingandSuch (Mar 24, 2013)

"He asked for more money due to error before rock was delivered, yes?"

Yes, he had come to the job after framing to double measure and be sure he had enough material delivered. 

I just looked back at a previous job with the same sheetrock sub that was almost half the size and his price was $1500. Now we are nearly doubling the size of the job and it's only $200 more. I think it was an honest mistake and I'll meet him halfway.

I appreciate all the input gentlemen.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

mrcharles said:


> To be honest I don't think my subs would ever ask me something like this..... Some jobs are losers and some are home runs. The same goes for me. The more experienced I get the better I am at not setting myself up for a loser.



As a sub, I have never, & would never ask for the extra $700. Some of the best lessons I've learned, have been very painful. 

If I told you'd I'd do the job for $1700, I'd do the job for $1700 & take my lumps, even if it meant I took a loss on the job. I would probably tell you I F'ed up, when I handed you the bill, but I wouldn't expect you to pay me the difference.


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## mrcharles (Sep 27, 2011)

SailingandSuch said:


> "He asked for more money due to error before rock was delivered, yes?"
> 
> Yes, he had come to the job after framing to double measure and be sure he had enough material delivered.
> 
> ...



Sounds like a good way to conduct business.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

huggytree said:


> ive screwed up by $1,000 before.....i ate it
> 
> let him learn
> 
> ...


You aren't seeing the forest for the trees. 

Let me break it down for ya:

- Any good sub wouldn't ask for money, they would eat it.
(This shows he is unprofessional and I wouldn't want to ever deal with him again)

- At this point the job hasn't started and the guy could walk away at any point.

- Any other company would come up with the subs latest price, as that is the actual going rate.

So we are left a semi prisoner's dilemma. 

1. If you don't pay him the $700 he will likely bail on the job and you will have to hire someone else. Net result -$700 plus finding a replacement.

2. If you give him the $700 you are out -$700 but still on schedule.

3. If you meet him in the middle, you are out a few hundred bucks.

Therefor the safe solution is to throw him a bone and meet somewhere in the middle.


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## tedanderson (May 19, 2010)

If I were in this situation I'd probably give the guy whole $700 if his full price came in less than what I was expecting to pay. I had a couple of situations where the GC helped me out after he knew that I underbidded. I was doing a small rough-in gig for $900. He said, "Are you SURE that you can do it for that price? Well I'll tell you what- I am going to the owner to bid $1450 on your behalf." and he wouldn't take a finder's fee for my ignorance after I got the final payment.

:clap::thumbup:


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## flashheatingand (May 3, 2008)

Things happen. I don't think I would ask. But, can't say for sure, depends on how much I was short. I can eat labor, but materials?


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## huggytree (Nov 3, 2013)

Inner10 said:


> You aren't seeing the forest for the trees.
> 
> Let me break it down for ya:
> 
> ...


if he's a steady sub why would he bail?

i never did....if im the one who screwed up why would i blame the builder? if i want future work why would i bail when its my screw up?

doesnt make any sense....

im glad you guys all care about your subs to this level.....i have good gc's over all and id never expect them to pay for my screw ups

i think the sub. isnt good as business because he let the gc know he screwed up....why would you let someone know you made a mistake? i prefer to look perfect in the eyes of my gc's......


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

huggytree said:


> if he's a steady sub why would he bail?
> 
> i never did....if im the one who screwed up why would i blame the builder? if i want future work why would i bail when its my screw up?
> 
> ...


That's my point, if the guy goes back to the well and starts begging, chances are he will jump ship if you say no!


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## brhokel606 (Mar 7, 2014)

I like the way you handled it, but I would have never asked in the first place. I have taken losses on jobs before and thats all my fault on the bid. I NEVER up the bid because of my screw up and only up it if there is an unforseen (covered and unknown) thing that rears its ugly head. Minor rotting and others "patches" are usually figured in and I just take care of, this is one of the major reasons I get so many repeat and word of mouth customers. 

I built a large garage last year, my right hand guy ended up making more on the project then I did! I under bid, had way more excavation and grade work then anticipated, but that was my fault and why should anyone else suffered from my dumbass mistake.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

I have helped my drywall guy out more than once, always at the initial bid, if my estimate was higher. I always ask if he is looking at everything that I am. He is not the best business guy, or estimator. He is getting better though. He has never asked after he bid, I would likely decline to help, if I did I would meet halfway because he is very responsive to my "emergencys" and prompt on scheduling. 

The paint sub I use I did pay more to on one job, he didnt ask though. It was a tough remodel done in stages, and I had done better than expected on the trim and tile showers. I could tell he was taking a bath on the job, and I asked how much he was out. His number to be whole was less than I would of thought, and I told him to put it on his invoice. He referred me to a nice addition and kitchen remodel soon after that. :thumbsup:


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## wellbuilt home (Oct 22, 2007)

If im building a job I know what it cost to build it . 
I would known the Dry wall sounds lite . 
If that is so I would pay him the extra $$$ .
If you met him half way @ 350 it would be a good gesture .
If you gave the guy nothing , it should be the last time you called him. 
My dry wall guys are great I pay them anything they want .
They come out and hang and spk any POS job I give them . 
I sent them to a house 4hrs away this winter .
not a whimper or a wine , the guy tells me If im going to work. He is going with me .


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## jamestrd (Oct 26, 2008)

SailingandSuch said:


> I'm building a small photography studio and my drywall sub miscalculated his bid by $700 so his price went from $1700 to $2400. The miscalculation occurred before the building started when I gave him the dimensions of the building and all interior walls. Nothing has changed since he put in his bid and he knows that, he just said he miss calculated it.
> 
> He has let me know the error and by the way he talks he hopes that I can pay him the full amount. I do have a little extra money figured in the job where I could pay him but I think it may be a mistake as it could happen on jobs in the future to and I could be taken advantage of.
> 
> ...



how do you mis quote a $1700 by 700?

if I did that I wouldnt do the job..its a 30% F' Up..


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## owattabuilder (Sep 2, 2013)

I would ask yourself, if he over bid by $700, would he offer you half of that, that should give you your answer.


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

Is there a normal sq.ft. price or board price that is normalized? 

If he brings it to your attention before delivery then it is appropriate imo. Its not like your got estimates for this thing and submitted your bid based on his 1700 board quote.....

You more then likely called him, "I got another one for ya ill email you the plans"

I love you GC;s act like all your pennies are accounted for based of a quote when you had the job regardless of a quote to begin with.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

JBM said:


> Is there a normal sq.ft. price or board price that is normalized?
> 
> If he brings it to your attention before delivery then it is appropriate imo. Its not like your got estimates for this thing and submitted your bid based on his 1700 board quote.....
> 
> ...


What you talking about , hoss? You think there is an endless amount that can be charged for every job? Lol


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## JBM (Mar 31, 2011)

Jaws said:


> What you talking about , hoss? You think there is an endless amount that can be charged for every job? Lol


No thats not what I meant. I would suspect a bid for this project was submitted without knowing the drywallers quote based on typical estimation numbers. If he didnt mess up his quote where would the balance sheet be? Would it be in the red? I doubt it because using napkin math an experienced contractor should know approximately how much a *** sq.ft. unit costs to remodel.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

JBM said:


> No thats not what I meant. I would suspect a bid for this project was submitted without knowing the drywallers quote based on typical estimation numbers. If he didnt mess up his quote where would the balance sheet be? Would it be in the red? I doubt it because using napkin math an experienced contractor should know approximately how much a *** sq.ft. unit costs to remodel.


Like I said earlier, I have helped a couple subs out ( I have a lot of sympathy for painters, lol). But for the most part, the times my estimate was high, covers the times its lower than the subs bid, if I am lucky.


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