How many bids should i get

All of these requirements will be clearly stated in the bid invitation and failure to comply will result in a rejected bid. Don't let the time and effort you spent preparing your bid go to waste because you forgot to do something as simple as properly signing your bid or getting it delivered to the bid opening on time.

Accurate measurements and quantities are essential in accurately bidding a project. Takeoff software can ensure correct measurements are obtained in order to submit an accurate bid.

Inaccurate measurements will cause you to miscalculate the amount of building materials and labor needed to complete the job which in turn will cause you to either over or underestimate your construction costs. Using the right units of measure is also important when calculating your bid. Using square feet when you should have used square yards or vice versa can drastically affect your estimated costs. You also need to make sure that you are taking measurements from the right place.

Often the plans will instruct you not to scale the drawings or to use the written or calculated dimensions provided in the specifications. This occurs more often when electronic documents are used because enlarging or shrinking the size of the drawing to print them can result in the scale being incorrect which would adversely affect your bid.

If there is ever any doubt as to where to take your measurements from you should contact the architect for clarification. Not having a good understanding of the existing site conditions can create problems down the line should you be awarded a contract.

Unique site conditions may exist such as limited accessibility or location that would result in additional costs on items like transportation, equipment, and labor. Failing to visit the site would leave you unaware that these conditions exist and that additional costs need to be factored into your bid and will cut into your profit if you were to win the job.

Many times a pre-bid meeting will be held at the construction site or a site visit will be held directly following a pre-bid meeting. Pre-bid meetings are held in order for the project team to answer questions regarding plans and specifications, site conditions, and other job specifics.

Failing to attend a pre-bid meeting means you miss out on the best opportunity to get clarification on the requirements of the project. This could be the only chance you get to walk around the site to have a better understanding of exactly what you will be dealing with.

There are times when the prebid meeting is mandatory so failing to attend would result in not being able to even bid on the project. When preparing a bid proposal you want to have as much information as possible in order to compile a competitive bid and refusing to attend a prebid meeting or a site visit will put you at a severe disadvantage.

When preparing a bid you need to do your due diligence to ensure that you have all the pertinent information, that the information is accurate, and that you have a complete understanding of this information. This means fully reviewing the plans and specifications to determine everything required to bid on the project and complete the work. This includes knowing everything from what bonds are required to whether or not there are participation goals for minority business enterprises MBEs or if material substitutions are allowed in the bid.

Be aware that there are typically cut-off dates in place for questions in order for any changes to the plans or specifications to be made and for any addenda to be issued to the bidders.

If you are unclear on any aspect of the project the onus is on you to get clarification. Making assumptions is not the way to submit a winning bid. Errors with your math can have a devastating impact on your bid. Arithmetic errors can result in your bid being well under or well over the actual cost of completing the job.

Manual calculations can easily result in arithmetic errors. Always use a calculator or some type of construction bid software to ensure that your calculations are accurate.

If you are using bid software or a calculator, errors can typically be attributed to not inputting your numbers correctly. Always double-check your math to make sure that all your numbers and calculations are correct.

This is another one of those instances where having another set of eyes to look over your figures and calculations can help prevent costly mistakes.

When putting a bid together you need to make sure that you have all the necessary equipment needed to perform the work. This may mean you have to rent or purchase additional equipment. Check to make sure that the equipment is in good working order and operating at peak performance which might otherwise cause delays in your construction schedule. Unexpectedly having to rent additional equipment or face delays can negatively affect the bottom line of a project.

Remember to factor in the fuel costs to operate the machinery and to transport the equipment to the jobsite. Getting subcontractor pricing can be complicated. You want competitive prices from your subcontractors but you also want some assurance that they can perform the work required effectively. This is true whether it is a subcontractor you are using for the first time or one that you have worked with for years.

One solution is to set up a prequalification process for subcontractors who wish to work with you. Associations also can look to state laws for guidance. Associations do not need contracts for all of their services and repairs. We then assemble trusted experts to provide practical solutions to your most commonly asked, timely questions. We never use real names, but we always tackle real issues.

Have a question or comment about your community association? Submit here for consideration:. Ronald A. News Alert. Email required. Question or Comment required. Doing so ensures that the price of the chosen contractor is fair, and that the work being done is higher quality than the very first contractor that you talk to.

With the detailed plans in your hands you should have no trouble deciding which of the contractors you want to work with based on the work proposed and the cost of the overall project.

Before you start comparing different contractors and getting bids from all of them, make sure that you are comparing options that are like one another. Make sure that everyone is roughly the same and offering the same services before you compare prices.