Bidding an Apartment Complex

[KG26]

Complex managers are funny about numbers. They like solid numbers so that the may budget.

[H & S Services LLC]

Ok u understand that. Thanks so much for your advice
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[ELS Landscape]

Exactly,

X# mowing * $/mowing = $
Add other services totals

divide total by 12

Call out How many services by type you are calculating

Give an estimated schedule


I use a grid or a matrix with Months across the top and service down the left side.

I place an X for one service like fert or hedges
I place a W for Weekly
I place a B for Biweekly
I place a M for Monthly.

Provide a Key for above so they know your system.


know you might just mow once per month in the winter, perhaps weekly in the spring and bi-weekly in the summer and fall.

Also if bi-weekly is the primary schedule - Look at doing the pool and management office including the main entry weekly and 1/2 the complex. They like that idea plus it levels out your work load.

Give a monthly price and be sure to add a clause for early termination and 30 days notice to can the agreement

[H & S Services LLC]

And I was thinking of doing that in the begining but wasn't sure how to do it. But now that I have a hourly projection I would like to meet i'm guessing I can divide my services into percentages. ( mowing 42% edging 19% etc ) Calculate that out of 65- 72 and hour ( 72 is originally what I wanted to charge but 65 is my low end profit margin for an hour) Like so

Mowing 39% edging 20% weed trimming 24% Blowing 17%

Calculated at 65 an hour would be

Mowing $26 per hour / weed trimming $15 per hour

edging $13 per hour / Blowing $11 per hour

( Also when I say profit I mean any firgure left after I make $40 per hour everything else is profit)

I believe that would be a good way to break them up individually and maybe
I could get a better charge out of that im not sure or may be even take my firgure up to 72 and be able to play with the charges a little bit more. I really appreciate you guys help. Please tell me if this stratege I have for breaking up my firgures in hourly charges may help me or hurt me. thanks

[Mahoney3223]

Originally Posted by NIXRAY

Why would you lower a bid. You are cutting your own throat
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Amen. Bid what you need to bid to make money and if it goes cheaper move on. I don't get mad about bids unless its a few bucks and then I get salty. If someone under bids u by 20% or more its not worth it.

[ELS Landscape]

Originally Posted by Mahoney3223

Amen. Bid what you need to bid to make money and if it goes cheaper move on. I don't get mad about bids unless its a few bucks and then I get salty. If someone under bids u by 20% or more its not worth it.

The only value in that is to just double check to see if you missed something.

Big bids which is relative to each of us, particularly the first few are as scary when you win. You wonder if you missed something or left too much money on the table.

Bid are not something to "win" they are to be awarded for offering the best value.

[cpllawncare]

I think we all understand that it's cost + a percentage is what margin is not a dollar amount. I can't say for sure but I think most guys work off 20-30% margins. You want to understand margins, it's how you make your money.