You know a job is well done when the work is solid and everything is completed on time and within budget. Getting a good estimate done before the work starts is essential. But what goes into that process and how do you avoid surprises?
You might assume that adding up the costs of parts along with labor costs should makes for an accurate estimate on a job, but there’s more to it than that. Some people even call giving great estimates an art. Here’s a breakdown of what goes into the estimates we give customers.
- The first thing we consider are material costs. By working with a range of vendors, we insure the best quality and cost for each job.
- Our sales and project managers are experienced in assessing the parameters of a job. This includes the number of workers needed, stages and realistic timeline.
- A good project manager maintains efficient scheduling through comprehensive planning with on-site personnel and organizing. That means plotting out the job in great detail.
Coming up with the info listed above is a fairly straightforward process. We’ve found that experience is a great teacher. Going back over past estimates and comparing them with actual costs helps us bring in estimates right on target.
Still, we know things can get tricky. You have to account for the unforeseen variables such as specifics at the job site, customer preferences, weather, shipping delays and the type of job as much as possible. How to predict the unpredictable? In order to decrease the impact of variables on the overall job, we’ve learned that more detail is better. It takes a bit longer to go step by step, but the result is a more accurate estimate and it’s easier to keep any issues contained when the project is clearly mapped out.
A good estimate will also include a clear, comprehensive description of the job. You’ll want to make sure everyone’s on the same page regarding the scope, details and timeline for the project. At Solis, we pride ourselves on exceeding our customers’ expectations by bringing in a professional crew, communicating with customers and the on-site crew, dealing with any issues straight away and following best practices in maintenance and installation – no matter what size the job.
