# Potential Commercial Job



## Paint Assistant (May 26, 2010)

Hi guys my dad's painting company recently was requested to bid on a commercial job for a high school gym. The owner would like him to get the bid. The problem that I am having is that this will be his first experience into bidding a commerical job and want to make sure that he is not going to underbid himself and get taken to the cleaners. What are some things that he should consider when bidding on such a project to come out on top. Just from speaking with the owner it looks as if we have an advantage because he wants to work with a local company. I appreciate any helpful comments.

Thanks,
Prentice


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

Paint Assistant said:


> Hi guys my dad's painting company recently was requested to bid on a commercial job for a high school gym. The owner would like him to get the bid. The problem that I am having is that this will be his first experience into bidding a commerical job and want to make sure that he is not going to underbid himself and get taken to the cleaners. What are some things that he should consider when bidding on such a project to come out on top. Just from speaking with the owner it looks as if we have an advantage because he wants to work with a local company. I appreciate any helpful comments.
> 
> Thanks,
> Prentice


Only good advice I can give is to not shoot yourselves in the foot.

The bigger a commercial job gets, the more missing something "small" can really kill you.

I dryfalled some ceilings for a company I used to work for, they didn't account for proper cleaning time, lost a week of labor to it.

Budget tight, but budget properly, that's the best advice I can give


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

Is it a commercial job or a high school gym??? These are 2 different things. Bottom line for schools is stick to their specs and allow for down time when they inspect betwwe coats.They will always take the low bid so I would be scared if I got it!!!!


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## Paint Assistant (May 26, 2010)

I believe it is a commerical job because it was posted on the Blue Book as a commerical lead. I could be be wrong though. But they deal with commerical work from my knowldege of them.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Read the prints carefully and follow all the specs.


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

Who cares commercial or not its a potential paint job. 
.
Your 1st year study, study, study, then when your done, study the plans and specs again. You can make some good money on that work. IF! You know how to price the job AND manage the job. If you lose money it may not be because you under bided it. It could be due to poor management. I have taken over jobs from 10 or so painter due to their inexperience. Some good painters, poor management! That's the biggest ohh chit! Cause if they kick you off the job, they will back charge the crap out of you. You'll End up owing the gc money. So if you don't know how to bid the job, then you should ask yourself if your getting over your head on the job. Not saying you are but it would worth examining. 
Good Luck!


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## WiseGuys Painting (Feb 22, 2010)

dont forget to add in for equipment such as lifts and or scaffolding. and in a gym you will have to protect the floor really good. bid it a little high. if you already know the gc and he trusts you youre halfway home already. plus out of towners will have to add in for motels and per diem, so they will be high too.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

The only way I have learned in the painting industry is by doing. Sometimes I made money, but mostly lost money which imho opinion is the best way to learn.
Painful lessons are the best, because they never leave you.
Never show fear, or let them see you sweat. Take what you know and fake the rest...eventually you will make it.


Hopefully.

That's all I can tell you, from my own experiences.


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

prep on that decking and cross-members is going to be an issue, you better buy stock in 3M or whatever plastic company you buy from.. might as well make money off your investment, lifts and a way to exhaust the air. These jobs are not easy.


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## Paint Assistant (May 26, 2010)

Thanks for all the responses. We will definitely take a look at all the options that everyone suggested.


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## purdy (Apr 27, 2010)

I was invited to bid on a job like repainting school bathrooms.
Hi my name is Purdy, I hope you get the job and win the bid, I've had bad exprerience last yr. when i found put that the maintenance people already have their own painters to do the job every 2 yrs. they just wanted to know how much i would charge and show the other painting company my bid so they can go lower. It's SUCKS!!! they were just using me. my advice is make sure they're not using your bid to give it to the other painting company so they can go lower and win the job.


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

purdy said:


> I was invited to bid on a job like repainting school bathrooms.
> Hi my name is Purdy, I hope you get the job and win the bid, I've had bad exprerience last yr. when i found put that the maintenance people already have their own painters to do the job every 2 yrs. they just wanted to know how much i would charge and show the other painting company my bid so they can go lower. It's SUCKS!!! they were just using me. my advice is make sure they're not using your bid to give it to the other painting company so they can go lower and win the job.



This is why people charge for estimates :thumbsup:


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## ValMacPaint (Mar 1, 2009)

Hello again. I have posted an ad on here looking for an estimator. Since I have not yet found one, I have a couple of questions. I do realize that pricing is a touchy subject on here. But, the bulk of my business is new multi-family construction. I bid this all day long in my sleep and get 80% or more of the projects I bid on. However, with this economy, I've had to expand my horizons. I am getting tons of invites for schools, libraries, gov't buildings, etc. My question is this...when I bid, it it based on the heated SF or the SF on the wall (two completely different figures!). So if the school is 180,000 heated SF or 207,000 gross SF, do I base my bid off those figures or since multiple coats are required, is it on the wall? Now, if you are up to answering this last question...I am bidding at $1.30-$1.60 / SF depending on specs. Do you think this is a fair amount? And yes, that is labor, materials, overhead, and profit. Thanks! BTW....if you are interested in an estimating position, please email me your resume to [email protected]. Must be experienced in commercial (not mutlti-family)!


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

ValMacPaint said:


> Hello again. I have posted an ad on here looking for an estimator. Since I have not yet found one, I have a couple of questions. I do realize that pricing is a touchy subject on here. But, the bulk of my business is new multi-family construction. I bid this all day long in my sleep and get 80% or more of the projects I bid on. However, with this economy, I've had to expand my horizons. I am getting tons of invites for schools, libraries, gov't buildings, etc. My question is this...when I bid, it it based on the heated SF or the SF on the wall (two completely different figures!). So if the school is 180,000 heated SF or 207,000 gross SF, do I base my bid off those figures or since multiple coats are required, is it on the wall? Now, if you are up to answering this last question...I am bidding at $1.30-$1.60 / SF depending on specs. Do you think this is a fair amount? And yes, that is labor, materials, overhead, and profit. Thanks! BTW....if you are interested in an estimating position, please email me your resume to [email protected]. Must be experienced in commercial (not mutlti-family)!


Where are you getting the $1.3 - $1.6 and is that going to be used on the floor space or painted surface?? these would be 2 completely different numbers.
Personally the only thing I do on floor space are floors.
Whether that is a fair amount or not is upto what you need to stay in business & profit while doing so. Also what products are being specd.??? Epoxy costs more than ProMar 700.


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