first commercial contract bid

[Steve]

I put a price out there but it feels like im lowballing the weekly charge.

You thought it out and that is a good thing. I am guessing you put the bid in now? We will see how it goes and it will be interesting to hear your view on the job once you get it, how it compares with what you estimated in time.

I think this process will help you now estimate other jobs as well.

[gogreenlc]

I submitted my bid today guys. The commercial co wanted a weekly andbiweekly price on mowing, trimming, and blowing only. Here it goes:

1 acre of mowing, 1780ft trimming, and 28955sqf blowing debris off parking area.
COST $150.00 weekly / anually $4500 (30 weeks)
COST $ 275.00 biweekly / annually $4125 (15 weeks)
So are my costs where they need be or did I lowballed. Should I have
prices on additional services if they decided to want other services??

[Fisher]

Originally Posted by gogreenlc

I submitted my bid today guys. The commercial co wanted a weekly andbiweekly price on mowing, trimming, and blowing only. Here it goes:

1 acre of mowing, 1780ft trimming, and 28955sqf blowing debris off parking area.
COST $150.00 weekly / anually $4500 (30 weeks)
COST $ 275.00 biweekly / annually $4125 (15 weeks)
So are my costs where they need be or did I lowballed. Should I have
prices on additional services if they decided to want other services??

I don't feel low balled. I feel that the bi-weekly rate is to high compared to your weekly rate. For myself my rate is normally about 15-20% more than the weekly rate. Which would have put me at most at $2700 for the biweekly totals @$180. That's just me though. Customer may wonder how it is that you would do twice the work for not even 10% more.

[gogreenlc]

Im glad you caught that and it was a big mistake on my part... The biweekly charge was actually suppose to total $225 plus $ 25.00 for extra clean up. total charge $250.00 biweekly. I hope they accept he proposal and definitly select the weekly service... I think $250 biweekly is good. Considering, i knew how bad the grass grews on that property before they bought it. Then the eighteen wheelers back up in the grass leaving deep tire impresions that i cant ride over.

[jrod14]

Originally Posted by gogreenlc

Im glad you caught that and it was a big mistake on my part... The biweekly charge was actually suppose to total $225 plus $ 25.00 for extra clean up. total charge $250.00 biweekly. I hope they accept he proposal and definitly select the weekly service... I think $250 biweekly is good. Considering, i knew how bad the grass grews on that property before they bought it. Then the eighteen wheelers back up in the grass leaving deep tire impresions that i cant ride over.

I think that is a good bid. What I like to do when bidding commercial is add all the services together. Bushes, trees, fertilizing, etc. For instance, ill charge 200 then for the.next cut 275 for bushes, weed spraying and all the other stuff. Then I will take about 3% to 5% from every cut and throw that in to the "free" once a year fertilizing I offer. Usually winterguard. As long as you make the customer feel like they are getting a deal and you don't feel your robbing yourself, your good. I'm not saying to screw em...but be fair on both sides. Your bid looks good to me for mowing and what you offered.