As a 30 year project manager I’d recommend you consider a contingency (error rate) factor. The more the scope of the work is unknown , the higher the risk thus the higher the contingency
Great advice! Thank you for that. As I set out to do this video the more I got into it the more I realized how complex it is even trying to take on this topic in a somewhat short, easy to digest manner.
Just found your channel the other day, what a gemstone! I'm still a fairly new operator, part time running mini excavators for half a year now. Really enjoying your content! Looking forward to anything and everything related to excavators, business and general construction stuff. Keep up the good work!
Love the videos knowledge is power im leaving ltl trucking after 18 yrs and into a union apprenticeship looking forward to learn new things and a change of life
Grateful for the information. Been passing out flyers and have a google and yelp ad, but nothing seems to draw any business. Never considered inclusion of operating costs in every job to the extent you discussed. Pricing jobs are difficult enough without being able to determine how much dirts in a pile. Pricing jobs content would help me most. I have a 5 ton mini excavator, 3 ton mini excavator and a skid steer and no work. Any advice you offer will be well received. Thank you
I have spent the last year and a half as a residential construction estimator doing remodels and new homes. The biggest thing I have learned in ther past year is the $value of a day worth of work, and all the hidden costs of bidding a job.
I have really enjoyed your channel and content I am dabbling with starting my own business and as much information I can find like this is helping greatly. I really appreciate you taking the time to post things like this
Thank you for taking you time to help me improve, in all of your videos I have watched you explain things very well and have helped me to be more successful with my business. Thank you
It's a hard road to hoe! Don't get me wrong, it's very rewarding and you get total independence but, it is not an easy task. Feel free to reach out with questions!
A couple things about the trucking side of the bid; account time for pre-trip and post trip inspections and maybe an inspection time at mid day. If you have several trucks these costs will add up. Also remember drivers take breaks for lunch etc. and your equipment will sit while waiting for their breaks...
Love that you guys did this! Totally awesome! I realize this is a year old video but I hope you guys have since stopped with the music volume popping up every time you pause to take a breath. Damn that's so annoying.
New to the channel, great content. I am a retiring veteran who is opening a small dirtworks company in TN. You mentioned Quickbooks, is that your preferred software? If so, why?
Thanks for the sub brother! At the moment Quickbooks seems to be the lesser of all evils. I am by no means a giant fan of the software but I do like the easy integration of a phone app for tracking mileage and snapping pictures of receipts to mate with transactions. Those are the things that jump to my mind as to why I prefer Quickbooks over competitors.
I do not simply because everyone bids jobs so differently. The bid sheet I have put together would take a whole page of instructions to make it work since I developed it specific to the work we do.
That's a good point. In this area you are already charging tax so it's not that big of a deal. Obviously you don't list out your materials markup in the bid.
I'm currently on a Marsh hoe or amphibious excavator just curious if you've ever been on one? The one I'm on is cat 330f long stick it is fun to run my safety lady named her Big Booty Judy lol
The first part I was digging was the closest I've been to fully floating I had just enough under me that I could swing slowly & towards the end of what I'm doing I'll be the same way. Yeah once I got past the pucker factor lol it was fun. My QC calculated it to cost $370 an hour for it which I should be done by this Sat evening.
Learning how to do estimations based on engineering plans and using Kubla Cubed. Is there a standard number to account for fluff and compaction on a job with cut and fill? I’m confident in the volume it came up with, but I haven’t been able to find much info about that, probably the secret sauce!
![How-To: FIND, BID & WIN Rough Framing Projects In Under 30 Minutes! [#207]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MS2AybtbrbQ/mqdefault.jpg)
As a 30 year project manager I’d recommend you consider a contingency (error rate) factor. The more the scope of the work is unknown , the higher the risk thus the higher the contingency
Great advice! Thank you for that. As I set out to do this video the more I got into it the more I realized how complex it is even trying to take on this topic in a somewhat short, easy to digest manner.
I liked the content you did a great job. I am tempted to build an excel estimating model for fun
Are there any books you’d recommend on how to bid excavation?
Brother this is EXACTLY the kind of content that I need right now and will keep me coming back! Thank you, sir!
Thanks for watching and I appreciate the comment!
Just found your channel the other day, what a gemstone! I'm still a fairly new operator, part time running mini excavators for half a year now. Really enjoying your content! Looking forward to anything and everything related to excavators, business and general construction stuff. Keep up the good work!
Welcome to the channel and thanks for the support! Let me know if you have any specific questions and I'll try to get them answered for you.
Excellent break down of how to bid jobs! Really appreciated it, and you were really straightforward and thorough.
Thank you! I really appreciate the feedback!
Love the videos knowledge is power im leaving ltl trucking after 18 yrs and into a union apprenticeship looking forward to learn new things and a change of life
Welcome to the excavating industry! We are happy to have you here
Bidding jobs is certainly a talent in and of itself, there’s a lot of components to it and it takes time go through it all
It is an art and a science wrapped in one.
Grateful for the information. Been passing out flyers and have a google and yelp ad, but nothing seems to draw any business. Never considered inclusion of operating costs in every job to the extent you discussed. Pricing jobs are difficult enough without being able to determine how much dirts in a pile. Pricing jobs content would help me most. I have a 5 ton mini excavator, 3 ton mini excavator and a skid steer and no work. Any advice you offer will be well received. Thank you
I have spent the last year and a half as a residential construction estimator doing remodels and new homes. The biggest thing I have learned in ther past year is the $value of a day worth of work, and all the hidden costs of bidding a job.
There is SO much that goes into bidding jobs. You would almost need to make a mini series just on that process.
I have really enjoyed your channel and content I am dabbling with starting my own business and as much information I can find like this is helping greatly. I really appreciate you taking the time to post things like this
Glad the videos have been helpful! We're currently working on a whole series on this topic
Thank you for taking you time to help me improve, in all of your videos I have watched you explain things very well and have helped me to be more successful with my business. Thank you
Happy to help brother! Especially when you spell Bryan the right way. We gotta stick together in this world of Brians....
Thank you for the awesome video. I was number 457.
Thanks for the info. Really helps with the nerves of owning your own business. Really considering starting next year.
It's a hard road to hoe! Don't get me wrong, it's very rewarding and you get total independence but, it is not an easy task. Feel free to reach out with questions!
A couple things about the trucking side of the bid; account time for pre-trip and post trip inspections and maybe an inspection time at mid day. If you have several trucks these costs will add up. Also remember drivers take breaks for lunch etc. and your equipment will sit while waiting for their breaks...
Thanks for the tips and for watching!
Love that you guys did this! Totally awesome!
I realize this is a year old video but I hope you guys have since stopped with the music volume popping up every time you pause to take a breath. Damn that's so annoying.
We have done away with annoying background music. Check out some of our newer videos for more information on running a dirt company.
First. Great chat. Excellent topic. Magic too funny
Thank you sir! This is a pretty complex topic to cover in a 20 minute video.
Yes it is. You summed it up well.
Great video, thank you!
Thanks for watching and I'm diggin' the avatar picture!
This is greattt
New to the channel, great content. I am a retiring veteran who is opening a small dirtworks company in TN. You mentioned Quickbooks, is that your preferred software? If so, why?
Thanks for the sub brother! At the moment Quickbooks seems to be the lesser of all evils. I am by no means a giant fan of the software but I do like the easy integration of a phone app for tracking mileage and snapping pictures of receipts to mate with transactions. Those are the things that jump to my mind as to why I prefer Quickbooks over competitors.
Bulking factor I believe is the so called fluff factor
That sounds way manlier than "fluff" factor. Thanks for bringing some masculinity back to the channel!
Nice work keep it up, I have ten years experience in heavy-duty operator wheel loader precisey please how can I speak with you one-on-one.
Shoot me an email at contact@dieselandironproductions.com
Are you charging mobilization fee per day or per job in your bid?
If we are mobilizing daily then yes, that will be included in our bid.
Do you have a bid template sheet for excel?
I do not simply because everyone bids jobs so differently. The bid sheet I have put together would take a whole page of instructions to make it work since I developed it specific to the work we do.
I don't mark up materials. It's a pain in the ass for accounting, you have to tax it and customers feel ripped off.
That's a good point. In this area you are already charging tax so it's not that big of a deal. Obviously you don't list out your materials markup in the bid.
I'm currently on a Marsh hoe or amphibious excavator just curious if you've ever been on one? The one I'm on is cat 330f long stick it is fun to run my safety lady named her Big Booty Judy lol
Haha that's awesome. I've never ran one. I always thought they looked like they'd be fun once you got past the initial pucker factor.
The first part I was digging was the closest I've been to fully floating I had just enough under me that I could swing slowly & towards the end of what I'm doing I'll be the same way. Yeah once I got past the pucker factor lol it was fun. My QC calculated it to cost $370 an hour for it which I should be done by this Sat evening.
29° 47'02"N 93°56'77"W
This is what I'm cleaning out
Just shot you an email!
Just shot you one back brother
Learning how to do estimations based on engineering plans and using Kubla Cubed. Is there a standard number to account for fluff and compaction on a job with cut and fill? I’m confident in the volume it came up with, but I haven’t been able to find much info about that, probably the secret sauce!
Multiplying your volume by 1.5-1.75 should get you in the ballpark. This is going to vary based on material