This is why I LOVE UA-cam. People like you! Come on here on your own time and dime and share your knowledge to help others. For nothing more than joy knowing you are helping someone. Man, I will never do what you are even talking about here, I just stumbled on your video and I couldn't do this for a living even if I wanted to..lol (Got no carpentry talents) BUT I just watched you explain in detail how and why you do what you do to help someone you don't even know. I just say I wish there were more of "you" in this world! I look up there and see 11 dislikes and think, WTF?? Dislike someone sharing information that they do for a living to others for FREE and someone dislikes it.. I come from a time before UA-cam and internet where if someone wanted to find out how to do something it was buy a damn book and trial and error. Expect a competitor to train you for free on how to do what took them years to learn...YEA RIGHT..lol Man, just wanted to say THANKS! Not because I am trying to do what you are teaching, just THANKS for giving your time to help others! Curt
People complain on my channel too because I didn't show them the free information in the exact manner they wanted, lol. Or they'll comment on how they don't like my shirt, or say I "smack my lips" and so on. Basically anything to complain about something. People are assholes. In this case I'd suspect the dislikes are from competitors who charge more and don't want people thinking it should be cheaper. A bit like a magician giving away the secret of the trick. I like it though, it keeps everyone honest.
Photo314159 , If the guy does pretty awesome woodworking, and he prices it to make his profit margins, and all the time the customer is getting awesome customer service.??? Yeah, copy this guy. He will help you learn more than any Guru on YT. He saved me a few thousands of $$ already, and my biz is in something else, (not case mo”U”ldings, etc.) The basic idea is the same. ( Transferrable techniques ). You sir, R a beast !
If all contractors were as honest, clear and concise as you the industry wouldn't have such a bad rapp...you rock Rick...!!... Thanks for your vids bro.!!
If I were a young man again I would LOVE to work for you as your helper! You are a professional with an eye for details and pride in the finished product. Trustworthy, reliable, confident. There are so few people like you these days. It would be an absolute joy to learn the craft under your watchful eye! Thank you so much for sharing your world with us!
Came in a couple months ago on another video to trouble shoot a crown issue I had , and man I have over 20 years experience in general contracting , and you young man are a seriously amazing guy , I have seen them all and you are a cut above . I which you were up here in Canada , you wouldn't have to worry about jobs for years to come, your ethics and passion in your craft is inspiring ,even to an old guy like me. All my employees have to watch your videos now . Just to show them what I expect from them . Thanks a lot for sharing your craft and your talent .
You are a true representation of what every contractor should be. Honest with great craftsmanship. I wish you were here in California. I would hire you in a heart beat. Thank you so much for your videos. I have taken your teachings and applied them to my home with perfection. I owe it all to you taking the time to share your tips and tricks. Keep it up man.
My dad has been doing finish carpentry for 30 plus years. He told me to tell you that he’s glad to see someone honest in the industry and the respectfulness is nice to see. He also said to tell you your pretty fair with your prices 😂😂
Your videos are great -and very helpful. I'm a subcontractor for a larger kitchen company right now.. I do trimwork everyday and at a point where I'm considering starting to take on small side jobs with the hope of eventually going off on my own.
Hello, I really enjoyed your video. I'm a 24 year old Carpenter looking to start my own business. I build cabinets and do trim work. Thank you for this video.
Thank you for letting me live vicariously. I retired almost two years ago, thinking nobody could care about this trade and all its details as much as I did. I stand corrected. Also, I charged $7/ft Canadian just to supply/install 4 1/4" mdf. You are a really giving guy.
I've been giving this a lot of thought lately. After watching many of your videos I installed crown moulding in my brother's bedroom. After fixing a couple of mistakes it turned out pretty good actually. While installing crown with a friend of mine, who is a contractor, I started thinking how long it takes to make a corner, how long it takes to make a (seamless) seam using CA, Activator and a small piece of backing for support. So I was thinking that if I started doing the estimating I would count every corner and give it a price. Any runs longer than 16 feet would have a charge for a seam etc. It probably over complicates things, but if you've never done the estimating before I can see how it would be easy to screw yourself on time if you don't factor how long it takes for all of the different "operations."
I see a lot of contractors bidding projects instead of allocating hours to do the job. This mindset pushes the contractors to move too fast and leaves a lot of sloppy work. If you the worker were getting an hourly rate, what rate do you think a 4 hour job would be if you charge 360 for Supplies and your time. I think by the time you figure it all out johnny at the fast food hop makes more per hour then you do. Gotta look at how long it takes a job, estimate the time it takes, add the supplies to the quote at cost or 3% for coverage and get the job done. You cap out at those hours on a bid so the more time it takes to do the job the less you make on a Bid. This also leads to contractors not being honest. Floating the cost, pocketing the extra and paying shit rates to their guys. A quality craftsman charges over $50 an hour. Food for thought!
Thanks dude. Been using this for about 6 months for my cabinet making business because of this vid. Works great without issues. Also, if I need to get paid fast you have the option of getting paid with a credit card
This is Great information I really appreciate it. Just a little suggestion because I am a computer person. You can type everything into a word document or Excel, open the document and then open wave. You can cut and paste between the two apps. This should save a tone of time... Hope this helps.
I also include in my estimates, removal and disposal of all new and old construction debris. Any way that you can include steps that the client wouldn't even consider being a part of the proposal works wonders for job acquisition. I'll include things like "mask off and quarantine all rooms from main work area with plastic to eliminate dust." I'm also a Fort Worth guy and have saved your number under "custom trim carpentry". I'll be hitting you up next time I need some custom work. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge!
Here is the thing!! I have watch this specific video lots of times for about a year now, and I knew by now it was an amazing example of how to create professional invoices, so I needed it to have my first invoice done for about three weeks ago now, but I wanted it to look good, so I went out to look for some other videos and could not find anything, in fact I ended up more confused and with not invoice, here I am again realizing this one was the one. Thanks for your videos man!!
Thanks man. I appreciate this a lot. I’m 17 yrs old and still in high school. Im getting ready to start in this field so I’m learning all I can right now. Thank you very much once again
Very professional and detailed. You don't know how many hand written estimates and invoices I've seen. I like that you specifically call out the material types. I'd probalby get more specific with painting and include how many finish coats are included. I wish you were in my area. I'd be happy to hire you. I would add an extra cost for additional mobilizations into their homes if the customers want you to split up the work.
Contractors are making BANK right now. I make ~150k and my friend who’s a GC is killing it right now! More power to you guys. It takes BALLS to be a small business owner in such a volatile market.
Thanks for sharing this. From what I see in the videos, you need to charge more. Don't forget to cover your overhead and misc stuff that is hard to fit into a category, like bits, blades, maintenance, sharpening, masking materials, etc. good job!
I only break down quotes for return customers, or if it was a referral. Time is money and I found it brought up more questions from the customer, which in turn meant more time. My quotes give a total and tax, that's it. I list off all materials and services but I do not include pricing. I general contract jobs, so we do everything from small renos to new houses. Trim carpentry I use the same approach when quoting because it just seems to work well. Anytime I have broken down costs its usually a change in work order and there is usually an issue. I had to take a full load of concrete on a 3/4 ton truck away, I charged $250.00 which was cheap really and at the end I get the "Oh I thought that would be free". Anyone that is starting out never give material costs out if you are supplying, its your time, insurance, fuel to go get it and bring it to the job. I can't count the number of times people ask me how much something costs, they want it at cost with the cheapest vendor they can find. The other big one is when there is left over material for any type of job, they ask for a refund for 2 pieces of trim and when you say no, the look on their face is like you had two heads. Large renovations, new houses are estimates, I always make it clear that it is a ballpark figure that could be higher or lower. You get that based on experience. A good way of looking at it is how long will it take you, what material cost is, what level of skill are you, what are the rates in your area, what do you think you are worth. This is a great way to learn because you will likely under estimate how long it will take you, you don't make as much at the end of the day but you get better each job.
Gracias viejo por tu tiempo y tu dedicación. Debería haber más personas como tú. Sigue adelante papa y que Dios te bendiga y te de las fuerzas y la motivación para seguir haciendo lo que te apasiona.
Hey Richard, I love your videos bro. Very informative and professional. I'm 34 and have a small remodeling business myself. It's helpful to see the way others do business as well. Wish you were closer as I'm in Philadelphia suburbs in pa. Would love to work with someone who takes as much pride in their work as I do. Keep up the awesome work bro! I always look forward to your new vidz!!
A tip, you can put all the special terms like FJP and MDF explained in a separate PDF or sheet that you tack onto every job , call it a glossary. Then the customer doesn’t need to ask , it’s all laid out
Great, great video. I love the way you do your quotes etc, I normally do it like that also with a different program, the waveapp looks real good and easy. it truely is amazing how customers don't realize what goes into a project, all they see is nothing, then something but not the thinking it through part, measuring etc, etc. so detailinhg the quote leaves no room for disagreements...everyone is happy. Great job, and I gotta check out those apps you mentioned. Have a good one!
This was great. Better than most tutorials of this nature where they're just riffing about how they price stuff but not much detail. So I imagine, drilling deeper, that you've figured out how much time a LF of crown takes to install. And you must have a fully burdened rate which says how much you're worth per hour for your labor, liability insurance, health insurance, cost of doing biz, travel/fuel. I do like that this brings the focus with the client away from what that hourly rate is and why. Although I would love to learn to grasp that for my own purposes.
Excellent video Richard! I really appreciate you sharing this behind the scenes business stuff with us. I'm always curious how this type of work is priced. Thanks again!
WOW! wish I had seen this video earlier. I just spent half a night making a Invoice on microsoft word using a template where this would have been better. Will definitely check this out. Thanks so much for taking the time to present all the info you provide. I know you are helping many people!
Hey Richard, Lovin' your videos. I use to be in custom trim years ago. I have a tip for you to speed up your quotes. If you have two monitors on your computer, this would even better. The tip is, set up a word document on your desktop with all your (canned) statements for material and service and that way you just copy and paste and you don't have to write everything out each time. You may already do this so disregard if you want.
Is your business setup as an LLC, S corp, sole proprietor, etc? More videos about taxes and finances of running your own business could be helpful to a lot of new contractors.
Honestly your best bet is to consult an accountant or lawyer in your area. I used to try to find answers for this before starting my business. If you completely describe to them what you plan to do, your goals and so on they can show you options and to help you better understand the differences between each type.
@@edwardschmitt5710 That is false, you can sue the owner of the LLC, but like the name states you don't have unlimited liability if everything is done correctly.
Thanks so much man. A lot of insight and ideas. As a younger guy working on old colonials almost all the time your tips and tricks are so helpful. Great video.
Very helpful and inspiring too.High level of customer service,saves time and avoids loads of repetitive calcs.It must also help avoid lots of potential disputes with customers too.No more lost scraps of paper either. Thankyou very much for sharing your skills,experience and wisdom.
No way, in the beginning i did it a few times but handprints, filling nail holes, sanding and caulk.....way more professional to paint anything after installed......more uniform and caulking turns yellow after it dries.....so it will show
I really enjoyed and appreciate the info. There is nothing better than real world examples. Guys just starting out will benefit from this kind of information and your expertise. Great job!
Being more detailed and descriptive gets you more jobs? ABSOLUTELY. We're in the process of renovating our kitchen and the guy who "won" the job painting the new cabinets got it largely because of his attention to detail and his ability to explain everything to his potential customer. 👍
When you say you are painting the material, are you spraying or brushing? I usually charge $100 extra per door to paint but that is because I spray and it requires me to take the doors home to my spray tent for best results. My door bids just come in a lot higher than yours do if I paint. I Appreciate your videos man.
MAN, I SHOULD HAVE FOUND THIS VIDEO 2 YEARS AGO! I'm all signed up now. I have all my customers, vendors and products entered and just have to link my bank acct to start 2020 fresh with it. I've been doing QB Online at 28 bucks a month (336/yr) with questionable reliability and horrible customer service. I do my invoices much more generic as the materials are covered in depth in the plans or contract. I just do "Flooring" Per SOW or "Cabinetry" Per SOW, etc. Great find on the Wave software thanks to you video!
Kool! In Florida you need 4 licenses to do that job. Class A, B, or C to deliver, some sort of carpentry license, a painters license and a municipal and or county license. You also need to carry insurance on all licenses. Did I mention you need a license to breathe in Florida? Keep up the good work!
I just found your channel today, I think your videos are awesome and it looks like you do incredible work. I see that this video is two years old so I am sure prices of changed by now. To supply install prep and finish the crown moulding for just $6 a linear foot is to low of a price. That is a lot of work, even as a customer that just doesn't seem to be enough money.
Hi Richard. thanks so much for making this vid. i have been watching to see if i can do this myself. i could but dont have the time or tools. so i got a guy comming out tomorrow to give me a quote on some wains, door trim, paneling in great room. now i know what to expect. and i really appreciate the video. just in time sir. im in houston. keep it up. good looking work.
Thanks Richard! Your videos continue to inspire me. I have already started using Wave & found a logo program too.This was the missing piece to my business puzzle. Keep up the great work!
Great information . Tanks for sharing no one usually shares what they charge and make. One great a piece of advice I got when quoting is don’t think with your pocket on your quoutes what may feel expensive for you may not be for your cliants
Well done. When i do my quotes, i state what i will do (if there's any demo) and then do as you've just shown. By the way, i use excel for my estimates--i love excel and have been using it for over 20 yrs.
A finish carpenter I used to work around with always told me when people asked how much it would be, he always answered twooo thoouuussand dollars. Seemed like a good round number to start with. I tried it with my tile business and I always made a good living for 40 odd years.
good video dude..im starting a painting\trim company in the near future..once i get my income taxes back..and i had alot of questions on how to write up an invoice. this was simple to understand and helps with my future jobs. so thank you for putting this up..much appreciated!😄☺
I do the same thing for handyman service, show up on time, take good notes and ask the right questions, email a quote later, everything is black and white, good for them and good for you.
Richard, thank you so much for your work on these videos! I run a door and trim fabrication and installation company in Tampa, FL...just in case you ever need a job in sunny South West Florida... Regarding your estimating, do you do much contractor work where you have to recall past pricing or is most of your work retail where you can quote, as you mentioned, job by job? We do several hundred homes a year in new construction and saving and recalling consistent pricing for different builders at different price points drives me crazy.
I used wave when I was just starting. I now use quickbooks online. I like its reporting and accounting better. How do you come up with your linear foot or unit pricing?
I'm a painter, and about doors, I remember being told: You're just not going to ask for 100€ to paint a door when the door alone can be bought brand new, already painted for 20€. In those cases, I offer to go get a new door if it's damaged, when the cost of repairing it will be much higher. I also apply different prices depending on what kind of door it is, if it's a hollow one, full hard wood, stain, if it has molding ... etc.
Fantastic insight from behind the scenes. Great care an attention to the details, shows professionalism and pays off ( not just with on site work).lots of success to you , cheers.
Richard, just for the record I think $55 LF is a steal! I have done one and it was $95LF. I know you are getting your MDF in 1X4 1X6 already primed, I can't find a supplier for it like that, so I am cutting it from sheet goods, a lot more labor. Thanks so much for all the tips on how you run the business, big help. When you tackle something new like the hybrid wainscot how do yow price that out since you have not done it before?
Thanks for the video , it was helpful to see how you break it down . I like that part and the software you use looks great and being that its free is even better .
Great video, you seem like a nice bloke, just an observation with your quoting. Where is your margin? Your margin is usually a % from 20% up. It is what you bank on each job to increase your business. Without margin you are effectively working for a wage. Margins can be adjusted depending on how much work you have or haven't, the type of details and degree of difficulty involved, access to site etc. And can be placed on materials as well if for example you have to travel 1 hr to get them etc . after all it is your or your employees time you are chewing up. LM (lineal meter, you call it linear foot) rates are okay to quote to builders and developers on larger jobs because of greater meterage involved, but on residential jobs here in Australia it is ... COST OF LABOR (this is your and your employees break even costs), COST OF MATERIALS , COST OF EXTRA TRADES REQUIRED, TIPPING AND RUBBISH REMOVAL FEES, MARGIN, All these figures are added up to arrive to the final price quoted, all quotes are EX GST (govt tax). It is ok to break down costs but you have to be careful the client doesn't pick e choose from these e accepts a reduced/revised scope of works that is not worth you doing. Ps as I said, you seem like a decent guy, just dont sell yourself and your knowledge/expertise too cheaply. As a fellow tradesman, I understand you have worked too hard to do that. Good luck
your prices are reasonable. Have you ever have people ask for it to be installed and they would do the rest? I did that with my master bedroom. That was a long time a go. I've since learned how to in stall it myself.
Thanks for sharing the knowledge bro...... lots of people won’t show stuff like this,almost like we don’t want others to win, we live in this selfie generation all about me me me , thank you for videos like this
thanks man very good vid ..just some fyi, we're getting 5 bucks a foot in Michigan for 4 1/4 fjp crown, material and labor only , we only glue are cuts , no paint and very little caulking/adhesive..
You rock! thanks for such great insight and the invoice was a great plus will be using that going forward. what are your feelings about putting a clause in there about duration of time?
Hey Richard, Thanks for this info, I'm an out of work plant operator and getting into some handyman work. I already have a large van and many tools, so hopefully this will be a smooth transition. Watching many of your very informative videos and also got a couple of Starrett miter guages ( $14 online ). Also watching Chris ( paint life )with great info. This invoice will work for me. Thanks Mike L Rogers Pasadena, TX PS why do you prefer a pick up over a van ? You said you had one before and they do keep tools secure and dry. Thanks
Well said !! another comment i hear alot from customers, that pisses me off , is when they say the project will only take x amount of time... If you cant do it yourself, dont tell me how long it takes !!!!
thank you for the invoice software idea free software download after watching video using it for my business. you do great work from all the videos the I have seen I love learning new tricks and tips. you have a great talent thank you for sharing it. keep up the great work you and your buddy worker. I love seeing the ideas that you bring to life.
I'm building an app for quotes and invoices and would love feedback on what other features you would like to see these apps have ? Thanks for your time.
Your videos are dope! Thanks for the info. I would think the prep and paint portion would be pricy. What would you charge for just the labor to install?
My father was a finish carpenter. How much do you charge was asked a lot, he would not reply at all. When that was asked when he started he did reply, most of that resulted in maybe 1out of ten jobs. The time it takes to travel to job then take measurements, cost of materials, hourly wages for helpers, etc. They couldn't believe that quote!
Nice video!!! I wish you were located in NYC, I would hire you in a second. You should see the so called trim carpenters here that charge an arm and a leg for workmanship that is no where near yours!!!!
This is why I LOVE UA-cam. People like you! Come on here on your own time and dime and share your knowledge to help others. For nothing more than joy knowing you are helping someone. Man, I will never do what you are even talking about here, I just stumbled on your video and I couldn't do this for a living even if I wanted to..lol (Got no carpentry talents) BUT I just watched you explain in detail how and why you do what you do to help someone you don't even know. I just say I wish there were more of "you" in this world! I look up there and see 11 dislikes and think, WTF?? Dislike someone sharing information that they do for a living to others for FREE and someone dislikes it.. I come from a time before UA-cam and internet where if someone wanted to find out how to do something it was buy a damn book and trial and error. Expect a competitor to train you for free on how to do what took them years to learn...YEA RIGHT..lol Man, just wanted to say THANKS! Not because I am trying to do what you are teaching, just THANKS for giving your time to help others! Curt
People complain on my channel too because I didn't show them the free information in the exact manner they wanted, lol. Or they'll comment on how they don't like my shirt, or say I "smack my lips" and so on. Basically anything to complain about something. People are assholes. In this case I'd suspect the dislikes are from competitors who charge more and don't want people thinking it should be cheaper. A bit like a magician giving away the secret of the trick. I like it though, it keeps everyone honest.
Photo314159 how much do you charge for installation Cabinets
Photo314159 ,
If the guy does pretty awesome woodworking, and he prices it to make his profit margins, and all the time the customer is getting awesome customer service.??? Yeah, copy this guy. He will help you learn more than any Guru on YT. He saved me a few thousands of $$ already, and my biz is in something else,
(not case mo”U”ldings, etc.) The basic idea is the same.
( Transferrable techniques ).
You sir, R a beast !
Curtis Collins right on!
Curtis Collins I
If all contractors were as honest, clear and concise as you the industry wouldn't have such a bad rapp...you rock Rick...!!... Thanks for your vids bro.!!
you are single handedly helping your entire industry
As an up and coming finish carpenter, I appreciate the free information given in this video. Years of bidding experience given for free. Thank you.
If I were a young man again I would LOVE to work for you as your helper!
You are a professional with an eye for details and pride in the finished product.
Trustworthy, reliable, confident.
There are so few people like you these days.
It would be an absolute joy to learn the craft under your watchful eye!
Thank you so much for sharing your world with us!
I second this, well said!
Came in a couple months ago on another video to trouble shoot a crown issue I had , and man I have over 20 years experience in general contracting , and you young man are a seriously amazing guy , I have seen them all and you are a cut above . I which you were up here in Canada , you wouldn't have to worry about jobs for years to come, your ethics and passion in your craft is inspiring ,even to an old guy like me. All my employees have to watch your videos now . Just to show them what I expect from them . Thanks a lot for sharing your craft and your talent .
Anoncore1 this guys good! I have found the same thing here in Canada, not many ppl are that good
You are a true representation of what every contractor should be. Honest with great craftsmanship. I wish you were here in California. I would hire you in a heart beat. Thank you so much for your videos. I have taken your teachings and applied them to my home with perfection. I owe it all to you taking the time to share your tips and tricks. Keep it up man.
My dad has been doing finish carpentry for 30 plus years. He told me to tell you that he’s glad to see someone honest in the industry and the respectfulness is nice to see. He also said to tell you your pretty fair with your prices 😂😂
Your videos are great -and very helpful. I'm a subcontractor for a larger kitchen company right now.. I do trimwork everyday and at a point where I'm considering starting to take on small side jobs with the hope of eventually going off on my own.
Hello, I really enjoyed your video. I'm a 24 year old Carpenter looking to start my own business. I build cabinets and do trim work. Thank you for this video.
Thank you for letting me live vicariously. I retired almost two years ago, thinking nobody could care about this trade and all its details as much as I did. I stand corrected.
Also, I charged $7/ft Canadian just to supply/install 4 1/4" mdf. You are a really giving guy.
@@melissahill7930 As a Canadian, this really hit my funny bone. Thanks for the laugh 😆
I've been giving this a lot of thought lately. After watching many of your videos I installed crown moulding in my brother's bedroom. After fixing a couple of mistakes it turned out pretty good actually. While installing crown with a friend of mine, who is a contractor, I started thinking how long it takes to make a corner, how long it takes to make a (seamless) seam using CA, Activator and a small piece of backing for support. So I was thinking that if I started doing the estimating I would count every corner and give it a price. Any runs longer than 16 feet would have a charge for a seam etc. It probably over complicates things, but if you've never done the estimating before I can see how it would be easy to screw yourself on time if you don't factor how long it takes for all of the different "operations."
It's my SOP to charge extra per corner and per splice. Good thinking!!
I see a lot of contractors bidding projects instead of allocating hours to do the job. This mindset pushes the contractors to move too fast and leaves a lot of sloppy work. If you the worker were getting an hourly rate, what rate do you think a 4 hour job would be if you charge 360 for Supplies and your time. I think by the time you figure it all out johnny at the fast food hop makes more per hour then you do. Gotta look at how long it takes a job, estimate the time it takes, add the supplies to the quote at cost or 3% for coverage and get the job done. You cap out at those hours on a bid so the more time it takes to do the job the less you make on a Bid. This also leads to contractors not being honest. Floating the cost, pocketing the extra and paying shit rates to their guys. A quality craftsman charges over $50 an hour. Food for thought!
Thanks dude. Been using this for about 6 months for my cabinet making business because of this vid. Works great without issues. Also, if I need to get paid fast you have the option of getting paid with a credit card
You have an insta to see your cabinets? I like seeing other people's work
This is Great information I really appreciate it. Just a little suggestion because I am a computer person. You can type everything into a word document or Excel, open the document and then open wave. You can cut and paste between the two apps. This should save a tone of time... Hope this helps.
Mr Mukura, which apps do you like?
Charles Youngblood b
Thx a lot Richard! Love your honesty in giving us a lot of tips, and your good and clean work!!!! Been doing finish for 30 years love the way you work
Dude I’m a contractor and I love your videos! You got your shit straight! Keep it up great content!
I also include in my estimates, removal and disposal of all new and old construction debris.
Any way that you can include steps that the client wouldn't even consider being a part of the proposal works wonders for job acquisition.
I'll include things like "mask off and quarantine all rooms from main work area with plastic to eliminate dust."
I'm also a Fort Worth guy and have saved your number under "custom trim carpentry". I'll be hitting you up next time I need some custom work.
Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge!
Here is the thing!! I have watch this specific video lots of times for about a year now, and I knew by now it was an amazing example of how to create professional invoices, so I needed it to have my first invoice done for about three weeks ago now, but I wanted it to look good, so I went out to look for some other videos and could not find anything, in fact I ended up more confused and with not invoice, here I am again realizing this one was the one. Thanks for your videos man!!
I do this too. You are right on 0.0, my man. Thanks for your honesty and for sharing w the general public. Good mktg!!
Thanks man. I appreciate this a lot. I’m 17 yrs old and still in high school. Im getting ready to start in this field so I’m learning all I can right now. Thank you very much once again
Go take a couple project management courses at a local JC. You’ll learn invaluable info on how to schedule, budget, invoice etc.
Very professional and detailed. You don't know how many hand written estimates and invoices I've seen. I like that you specifically call out the material types. I'd probalby get more specific with painting and include how many finish coats are included. I wish you were in my area. I'd be happy to hire you. I would add an extra cost for additional mobilizations into their homes if the customers want you to split up the work.
ELIRAXPRT ...I would hire him too! Amazing work and even better person from what I can tell. Wish he was in PHX AZ
Contractors are making BANK right now. I make ~150k and my friend who’s a GC is killing it right now! More power to you guys. It takes BALLS to be a small business owner in such a volatile market.
This is a fantastic way to quote!!!! So much better than someone that quotes 1 price with no breakdown. It shows your value!
Thank you. UA-camrs like you have been an invaluable resource for my business.
Thanks for sharing this. From what I see in the videos, you need to charge more. Don't forget to cover your overhead and misc stuff that is hard to fit into a category, like bits, blades, maintenance, sharpening, masking materials, etc. good job!
I agree he's work is top of the line,you can charge 3 times for crown with the prep and paint...at least here in long island NY
I only break down quotes for return customers, or if it was a referral. Time is money and I found it brought up more questions from the customer, which in turn meant more time. My quotes give a total and tax, that's it. I list off all materials and services but I do not include pricing. I general contract jobs, so we do everything from small renos to new houses. Trim carpentry I use the same approach when quoting because it just seems to work well. Anytime I have broken down costs its usually a change in work order and there is usually an issue. I had to take a full load of concrete on a 3/4 ton truck away, I charged $250.00 which was cheap really and at the end I get the "Oh I thought that would be free".
Anyone that is starting out never give material costs out if you are supplying, its your time, insurance, fuel to go get it and bring it to the job. I can't count the number of times people ask me how much something costs, they want it at cost with the cheapest vendor they can find. The other big one is when there is left over material for any type of job, they ask for a refund for 2 pieces of trim and when you say no, the look on their face is like you had two heads. Large renovations, new houses are estimates, I always make it clear that it is a ballpark figure that could be higher or lower. You get that based on experience.
A good way of looking at it is how long will it take you, what material cost is, what level of skill are you, what are the rates in your area, what do you think you are worth. This is a great way to learn because you will likely under estimate how long it will take you, you don't make as much at the end of the day but you get better each job.
Gracias viejo por tu tiempo y tu dedicación. Debería haber más personas como tú. Sigue adelante papa y que Dios te bendiga y te de las fuerzas y la motivación para seguir haciendo lo que te apasiona.
Hey Richard, I love your videos bro. Very informative and professional. I'm 34 and have a small remodeling business myself. It's helpful to see the way others do business as well. Wish you were closer as I'm in Philadelphia suburbs in pa. Would love to work with someone who takes as much pride in their work as I do. Keep up the awesome work bro! I always look forward to your new vidz!!
Shawn Negron thanks man. yeah I like seeing how other people run their work. ive learned a lot from many people. thanks for the support!
A tip, you can put all the special terms like FJP and MDF explained in a separate PDF or sheet that you tack onto every job , call it a glossary. Then the customer doesn’t need to ask , it’s all laid out
Great, great video. I love the way you do your quotes etc, I normally do it like that also with a different program, the waveapp looks real good and easy. it truely is amazing how customers don't realize what goes into a project, all they see is nothing, then something but not the thinking it through part, measuring etc, etc. so detailinhg the quote leaves no room for disagreements...everyone is happy. Great job, and I gotta check out those apps you mentioned. Have a good one!
This was great. Better than most tutorials of this nature where they're just riffing about how they price stuff but not much detail. So I imagine, drilling deeper, that you've figured out how much time a LF of crown takes to install. And you must have a fully burdened rate which says how much you're worth per hour for your labor, liability insurance, health insurance, cost of doing biz, travel/fuel. I do like that this brings the focus with the client away from what that hourly rate is and why. Although I would love to learn to grasp that for my own purposes.
Excellent video Richard! I really appreciate you sharing this behind the scenes business stuff with us. I'm always curious how this type of work is priced.
Thanks again!
WOW! wish I had seen this video earlier. I just spent half a night making a Invoice on microsoft word using a template where this would have been better. Will definitely check this out.
Thanks so much for taking the time to present all the info you provide. I know you are helping many people!
Hey Richard,
Lovin' your videos. I use to be in custom trim years ago. I have a tip for you to speed up your quotes. If you have two monitors on your computer, this would even better. The tip is, set up a word document on your desktop with all your (canned) statements for material and service and that way you just copy and paste and you don't have to write everything out each time. You may already do this so disregard if you want.
That's exactly what I do
Is your business setup as an LLC, S corp, sole proprietor, etc? More videos about taxes and finances of running your own business could be helpful to a lot of new contractors.
Honestly your best bet is to consult an accountant or lawyer in your area. I used to try to find answers for this before starting my business. If you completely describe to them what you plan to do, your goals and so on they can show you options and to help you better understand the differences between each type.
@@edwardschmitt5710 That is false, you can sue the owner of the LLC, but like the name states you don't have unlimited liability if everything is done correctly.
when you do your taxes sole proprietor is what they go by even if you own an llc ask a cpa
Thanks so much man. A lot of insight and ideas. As a younger guy working on old colonials almost all the time your tips and tricks are so helpful. Great video.
Your work is worth every penny. Great vid.
Very helpful and inspiring too.High level of customer service,saves time and avoids loads of repetitive calcs.It must also help avoid lots of potential disputes with customers too.No more lost scraps of paper either.
Thankyou very much for sharing your skills,experience and wisdom.
Thank you so much. Just starting out new era in life. And this has very helpful. Please continue sharing your knowledge and great videos.
I always pre-paint trim with two coats, install it, glazing compound for the nail holes, touchup, VERY small caulk bead if needed.
No way, in the beginning i did it a few times but handprints, filling nail holes, sanding and caulk.....way more professional to paint anything after installed......more uniform and caulking turns yellow after it dries.....so it will show
I really enjoyed and appreciate the info. There is nothing better than real world examples. Guys just starting out will benefit from this kind of information and your expertise. Great job!
I had NO idea you skateboarded as well! Lol that’s two carpenter youtubers I watch that skateboard. Yourself and Ben from Vancouver Carpenter. Awesome
one of the best channel on youtube, you rock bro
Aloha from Hawaii. Hi Richard, GREAT videos! Good content and it's great to see you enjoy what you do. Don't change anything.
Being more detailed and descriptive gets you more jobs? ABSOLUTELY. We're in the process of renovating our kitchen and the guy who "won" the job painting the new cabinets got it largely because of his attention to detail and his ability to explain everything to his potential customer. 👍
Damn, dude. I have my own way of doing estimates, but I am thoroughly impressed with this video, your attitude, and your process. Very professional!
Have viewed most of your videos and just wanted to say, GREAT JOB , very informative and easy to follow
One of the most helpful videos on the subject, thanks for the insight.Keep up the great work.
These are the type of videos that gives value!!! Good information buddy! 👍🏽 thanks for sharing these tips and knowleadge
When you say you are painting the material, are you spraying or brushing? I usually charge $100 extra per door to paint but that is because I spray and it requires me to take the doors home to my spray tent for best results. My door bids just come in a lot higher than yours do if I paint. I Appreciate your videos man.
DUUUUUUUDE! your wave app bit totally helped out! ive been stressing about Qbooks and you made life so much easier! Thanks Brother!
I have been using Wave for years & I love it the user interface is amazing!!!!!
you are my teacher from now, I'm learning everything from you
MAN, I SHOULD HAVE FOUND THIS VIDEO 2 YEARS AGO! I'm all signed up now. I have all my customers, vendors and products entered and just have to link my bank acct to start 2020 fresh with it. I've been doing QB Online at 28 bucks a month (336/yr) with questionable reliability and horrible customer service. I do my invoices much more generic as the materials are covered in depth in the plans or contract. I just do "Flooring" Per SOW or "Cabinetry" Per SOW, etc. Great find on the Wave software thanks to you video!
Love the transparency. Great job as usual and nice krook
Kool! In Florida you need 4 licenses to do that job. Class A, B, or C to deliver, some sort of carpentry license, a painters license and a municipal and or county license. You also need to carry insurance on all licenses. Did I mention you need a license to breathe in Florida? Keep up the good work!
Richard, you are great. You're great at what you do, you're great at explaining it, and you're great for sharing this info. Thanks!
Thank you Sir, your channel is so helpful. I just started a small business myself and your in sight is awesome! Thanks again!
I just found your channel today, I think your videos are awesome and it looks like you do incredible work. I see that this video is two years old so I am sure prices of changed by now. To supply install prep and finish the crown moulding for just $6 a linear foot is to low of a price. That is a lot of work, even as a customer that just doesn't seem to be enough money.
Greaat stuff man ... Lots of your input has made buck in my wallet.. Thanks pal. Keep it up 👍🏽
Wish you were in Massachusetts. Exceptional work and tutorials. Thus far; fair pricing for high quality work. Good job!
This guys so helpful. I’m learning loads from him.
"123 Fake Street. Woah, there is one in China. We'll use the one in Pennsylvania." I'm dying!
We need people like you in Atlanta
Hi Richard. thanks so much for making this vid. i have been watching to see if i can do this myself. i could but dont have the time or tools. so i got a guy comming out tomorrow to give me a quote on some wains, door trim, paneling in great room. now i know what to expect. and i really appreciate the video. just in time sir. im in houston. keep it up. good looking work.
just saw this was uploaded a while ago. played your quote vid after watching your hybrid vid.
Thanks Richard! Your videos continue to inspire me. I have already started using Wave & found a logo program too.This was the missing piece to my business puzzle. Keep up the great work!
So good. You deserve all the monetization UA-cam can offer. Keep up the good work!
Great information
. Tanks for sharing no one usually shares what they charge and make. One great a piece of advice I got when quoting is don’t think with your pocket on your quoutes what may feel expensive for you may not be for your cliants
Well done. When i do my quotes, i state what i will do (if there's any demo) and then do as you've just shown. By the way, i use excel for my estimates--i love excel and have been using it for over 20 yrs.
A finish carpenter I used to work around with always told me when people asked how much it would be, he always answered twooo thoouuussand dollars. Seemed like a good round number to start with. I tried it with my tile business and I always made a good living for 40 odd years.
good video dude..im starting a painting\trim company in the near future..once i get my income taxes back..and i had alot of questions on how to write up an invoice. this was simple to understand and helps with my future jobs. so thank you for putting this up..much appreciated!😄☺
I do the same thing for handyman service, show up on time, take good notes and ask the right questions, email a quote later, everything is black and white, good for them and good for you.
Richard, that's hilarious, at 1:40, Fake Hollow Rd, York, PA 17408 is literally a few minutes from my house...LOL...
Excellent video, these should be shown in schools.
Richard, thank you so much for your work on these videos! I run a door and trim fabrication and installation company in Tampa, FL...just in case you ever need a job in sunny South West Florida...
Regarding your estimating, do you do much contractor work where you have to recall past pricing or is most of your work retail where you can quote, as you mentioned, job by job?
We do several hundred homes a year in new construction and saving and recalling consistent pricing for different builders at different price points drives me crazy.
This is some great information that helps a lot, thank you for sharing your time and knowledge.
I used wave when I was just starting. I now use quickbooks online. I like its reporting and accounting better.
How do you come up with your linear foot or unit pricing?
He charges about 4$ a linear foot for crown.
I'm a painter, and about doors, I remember being told:
You're just not going to ask for 100€ to paint a door when the door alone can be bought brand new, already painted for 20€.
In those cases, I offer to go get a new door if it's damaged, when the cost of repairing it will be much higher.
I also apply different prices depending on what kind of door it is, if it's a hollow one, full hard wood, stain, if it has molding ... etc.
Fantastic insight from behind the scenes. Great care an attention to the details, shows professionalism and pays off ( not just with on site work).lots of success to you , cheers.
Peter Kiernan thanks for the support!
Richard, just for the record I think $55 LF is a steal! I have done one and it was $95LF.
I know you are getting your MDF in 1X4 1X6 already primed, I can't find a supplier for it like that, so I am cutting it from sheet goods, a lot more labor. Thanks so much for all the tips on how you run the business, big help. When you tackle something new like the hybrid wainscot how do yow price that out since you have not done it before?
Thank you so much for this video; your prices are fair and above all--honestly derived!!
Thanks for the video , it was helpful to see how you break it down . I like that part and the software you use looks great and being that its free is even better .
Yes its so cool that its free. Thanks for watching!
How many days did it take you to finish these rooms? These videos have really helped my career
Thanks for all your videos and willing to share. Love your channel.
Great video, you seem like a nice bloke, just an observation with your quoting. Where is your margin? Your margin is usually a % from 20% up. It is what you bank on each job to increase your business. Without margin you are effectively working for a wage. Margins can be adjusted depending on how much work you have or haven't, the type of details and degree of difficulty involved, access to site etc. And can be placed on materials as well if for example you have to travel 1 hr to get them etc . after all it is your or your employees time you are chewing up.
LM (lineal meter, you call it linear foot) rates are okay to quote to builders and developers on larger jobs because of greater meterage involved, but on residential jobs here in Australia it is ... COST OF LABOR (this is your and your employees break even costs), COST OF MATERIALS , COST OF EXTRA TRADES REQUIRED, TIPPING AND RUBBISH REMOVAL FEES, MARGIN, All these figures are added up to arrive to the final price quoted, all quotes are EX GST (govt tax).
It is ok to break down costs but you have to be careful the client doesn't pick e choose from these e accepts a reduced/revised scope of works that is not worth you doing.
Ps as I said, you seem like a decent guy, just dont sell yourself and your knowledge/expertise too cheaply. As a fellow tradesman, I understand you have worked too hard to do that. Good luck
your prices are reasonable. Have you ever have people ask for it to be installed and they would do the rest? I did that with my master bedroom. That was a long time a go. I've since learned how to in stall it myself.
Thanks for sharing the knowledge bro...... lots of people won’t show stuff like this,almost like we don’t want others to win, we live in this selfie generation all about me me me , thank you for videos like this
thanks man very good vid ..just some fyi, we're getting 5 bucks a foot in Michigan for 4 1/4 fjp crown, material and labor only , we only glue are cuts , no paint and very little caulking/adhesive..
You rock! thanks for such great insight and the invoice was a great plus will be using that going forward. what are your feelings about putting a clause in there about duration of time?
Thank you for sharing this information. This really helps us in constructing a legitimate business.
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Hey Richard,
Thanks for this info, I'm an out of work plant operator and getting into some handyman work. I already have a large van and many tools, so hopefully this will be a smooth transition. Watching many of your very informative videos and also got a couple of Starrett miter guages ( $14 online ). Also watching Chris ( paint life )with great info. This invoice will work for me.
Thanks
Mike L Rogers Pasadena, TX
PS why do you prefer a pick up over a van ? You said you had one before and they do keep tools secure and dry.
Thanks
Well said !! another comment i hear alot from customers, that pisses me off , is when they say the project will only take x amount of time... If you cant do it yourself, dont tell me how long it takes !!!!
thank you for the invoice software idea free software download after watching video using it for my business. you do great work from all the videos the I have seen I love learning new tricks and tips. you have a great talent thank you for sharing it. keep up the great work you and your buddy worker. I love seeing the ideas that you bring to life.
I'm building an app for quotes and invoices and would love feedback on what other features you would like to see these apps have ? Thanks for your time.
Very generous video. Thanks chief, hope you come visit Ottawa, Canada someday. I'd take you out for a Canadian beer.
Your videos are dope! Thanks for the info. I would think the prep and paint portion would be pricy. What would you charge for just the labor to install?
Thank you for all of your amazing content! Keep up the great work!
Thanks man. I make small furniture pieces in the DFW area. If I ever come across you, lunch is on me.
Enjoy your vids bro I wanted to ask what kind of router table you use
My father was a finish carpenter. How much do you charge was asked a lot, he would not reply at all. When that was asked when he started he did reply, most of that resulted in maybe 1out of ten jobs. The time it takes to travel to job then take measurements, cost of materials, hourly wages for helpers, etc. They couldn't believe that quote!
This was well before any computers, lasers, etc. Pencil and paper only.
Nice video!!! I wish you were located in NYC, I would hire you in a second. You should see the so called trim carpenters here that charge an arm and a leg for workmanship that is no where near yours!!!!