First Large Proposal

[spbutton 14]

Hey Folks

Have just been asked to provide a proposal for a local Condo Association... this is my first large proposal and feel a bit stumped, so any guidance will be greatly appreciated. The property manager has said that the Board will be meeting in 6 days time so would be good to get it in by then.

There are 31 units (buildings) in the complex, there is also a clubhouse building, car wash building, 2 mail collection areas and 9 3-car garages. Here goes with dimensions:

- 5 Units

~ 3 storeys

~ 94' x 38'

- 6 Units

~ 3 storeys

~ 90' x 78'

- 2 Units

~ 3 storeys

~ 125' x 70'

- 4 Units

~ 2 storeys

~ 112' x 28'

- 1 Units

~ 3 storeys

~ 200' x 120'

- 3 units

~ one section is 3 storeys - 254' x 88'

~ other section is 2 storeys - 80' x 42'

- 10 units

~ 3 storeys

~ 70' x 38'

- Clubhouse

~ 1 storey

~ 98' x 50'

- 9 3-car garages

~ 36' x 22'

I will post some pics in a couple of hours, but there are a few canvas awnings, all units have balconies and recesses. They have only asked for building exteriors - no gutters or roofs (they need done!!!)

My equipment (when I get it) will be trailer mounted 3000psi 8gpm hot water Hydrotek, 335 gallon water tank. If successful I may need to ask for a local contractors assistance as I am green as the grass and would probably need to run a 2nd rig to finish in a timely manner.

My initial figure for the 31 units and clubhouse based on .80 per linear foot per storey is $24691. Am I way off? Please point me in the right direction.

Thanks, I'll be back soon.

Steven

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Think yer way off for the 31... could be more like 40% of yer 24k figure....just my 2 cents. :)

[spbutton 14]

hey kevin, thanks for you advice... is .32/sq.ft/level a typical rate for condo work? $9876.... I'm a long way off if this is the rate!

I'll get some pics up for you all.

thanks again, anyone else got any ideas>

Regards

Steven

[squirtgun 122]

This is not a job for a newbie.

Find someone to partner with who has experience in this type of work and let them bid it,with the caveat that you are brought on as a paid sub so you gain experience.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

hey kevin, thanks for you advice... is .32/sq.ft/level a typical rate for condo work? $9876.... I'm a long way off if this is the rate!

I'll get some pics up for you all.

thanks again, anyone else got any ideas>

Regards

Steven

Steven,

Haha I like your math skills.. yer exact to the t with what I just figured for you below. BUT before placing much into it you really need to have solid plan and everything perfect to be doing such low rates. In fact I only think it can be done based on DS shooting with big machine or xjetting. All is out window if lift is needed. I not touching any 3 story so...

But if you look at this in a per building way you may see that the ln or sq figures translate into about $300 per building avg. or $100 per floor.. :)

Lot's could come to play to make pricing shoot up from the 3-4 cent range...

Here ya go..take totals of footage and play with them:

"Was in middle of doing same kind of figuring so I had at yer figures to confirm for ya...yer just a tad off on yer own numbers..close enough though really.

1320

2016

780

1120

640

2052, 732

2160

club-296

garages-1044

---------

3 story=10088'ln x $2.40= $24211.20

2 story=732'ln x $1.6= $1171.20

1 story- 1340'ln x $.80= $1072

-------

sub tot. = $26454.40

minus

garages-$835.20

= tot. $25619

-----

If your $.80 ln. is based on 10' per floor then yer at $.08 per sq.ft' or $.10 per sq. ft. is based on 8' floors. Just depends how ya figure or want to dismiss. Extra footage for eaves,peaks,inset landings, outcropped fireplaces or rooms, etc. should be figured and so basing on something over 8' is surely fair...

The 40% (approx) I said would be based on $.032 or $.04 in comparison....$10247

tot. with garages would be $10581.76 but I'de get every last foot."

[PressurePros 248]

I came up with $32,000 at $1 per LF per story. Balconies, awnings, liability issues, logistic issues, possibility of needing a lift (you shouldn't). Its a big job. I think $.80 per LF/story is very reasonable. Who knows, in Florida that may be high. Jeff L (JL Pressure Washing) shoots for pretty low prices and does these all the time. He is also closer to you. He can perhaps help.

[Russ Spence 76]

very high for that area , he will get torn to pieces ..... IMHO !

There are probably 100 companies in a 50 mile radius

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Ignore Kevin, he is smoking crack. I came up with $32,000 at $1 per LF per story. Balconies, awnings, liability issues, logistic issues, possibility of needing a lift (you shouldn't). Its a big job. I think $.80 per LF/story is very reasonable. Who knows, in Florida that may be high. Jeff L (JL Pressure Washing) shoots for pretty low prices and does these all the time. He is also closer to you. He can perhaps help.

Geez Fenner..everyone knows you either tack on like 300% more ln ft. or yer calculator is broke. :)

But seriously, he gave us all the numbers and the numbers don't lie.

The size of this job being looked at as large is relative. It big to me but small for Jeff or William. Jl is like $85-$110 for I thinks a 2 story if I recall and we just went through Williams numbers on a 3 story deal of 296 buildings that works out to $310 per avg. Fair is indeed about $100 per floor some places.

With that said 10-12 cent normal for a house..not commercial.

[Jeff 232]

Get some pictures

Kens price is high for this area for sure, you wont get an average of $1000 a building, but that $9000+ price is way to low. I do a 32 building project and 26 of them are 2 story and our price is more like 14.5K with breezeway. Only takes 4 days with 4 or 5 machine. Pricing is difficult at 1st, you just dont know

theres a ton of things to think about, Often balconies arent included, that quite often the homeowners responsibility and makes the washing easier, but there is a lot of things you may have to do and write up in a proposal/contract. cover lights, fire boxes, etc etc etc.

If you cant handle it, call a local and work with him

These are nothing but a big house wash

Pictures

[Jeff 232]

Geez Fenner..everyone knows you either tack on like 300% more ln ft. or yer calculator is broke. :)

But seriously, he gave us all the numbers and the numbers don't lie.

The size of this job being looked at as large is relative. It big to me but small for Jeff or William. Jl is like $85-$110 for I thinks a 2 story if I recall and we just went through Williams numbers on a 3 story deal of 296 buildings that works out to $310 per avg. Fair is indeed about $100 per floor some places.

With that said 10-12 cent normal for a house..not commercial.

$85 to $110 thats not my prices on a 1 or 2 story or am I misunderstanding you. I never can understand that Kevin guy, one day he's talking like Einstien the next he's talking like Deliverance and he's playing piggy LOL

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Get some pictures

Kens price is high for this area for sure, you wont get an average of $1000 a building, but that $9000+ price is way to low. I do a 32 building project and 26 of them are 2 story and our price is more like 14.5K with breezeway. Only takes 4 days with 4 or 5 machine. Pricing is difficult at 1st, you just dont know

theres a ton of things to think about, Often balconies arent included, that quite often the homeowners responsibility and makes the washing easier, but there is a lot of things you may have to do and write up in a proposal/contract. cover lights, fire boxes, etc etc etc.

If you cant handle it, call a local and work with him

Pictures

Jeff, questions.... yer amount now is basically 14500/29(if extra 6 r 3 story)= $500 worth of 2 story based off some undisclosed amount of footage pricing? ...If you remember, how might the $85-$110 you mention elsewhere apply to this..maybe you boosted to $225 per floor and another $50 for breezways? Oh and what yer definition of breezeways?

ps- ok..our posts are crossing so I just say that ooopss. pretty sure it was you with them figures. just read it the other day off searches.. I search old posts alot so maybe it from 'the year 2000'...:)..

psp--lol..ah scratch that..that might be jeff's avg. gutter cleanout prices...

..but Steven, the 4 cents+chems+awnings+landings,crete or what have you is still where I would be. So that may bring me closer to Jeff and maybe 25% less then you (a guess)

[PressurePros 248]

Geez Fenner..everyone knows you either tack on like 300% more ln ft. or yer calculator is broke. :)

But seriously, he gave us all the numbers and the numbers don't lie.

The size of this job being looked at as large is relative. It big to me but small for Jeff or William. Jl is like $85-$110 for I thinks a 2 story if I recall and we just went through Williams numbers on a 3 story deal of 296 buildings that works out to $310 per avg. Fair is indeed about $100 per floor some places.

With that said 10-12 cent normal for a house..not commercial.

I get $.20 per s/f on a residential every day of the week. So do most guys around here. $.10 is for concrete. You would spray chemicals into the air, deal with cars, balconies filled with people's crap, awnings, open windows etc for less than some guys charge for flatwork? I gotta fly out there to smack you around. You live in one of the most expensive areas in the country to live. Why are you selling yourself so short?

[spbutton 14]

Hey guys,

I have posted a longer reply over on ***, don't want to repeat the whole thing again... but here are some pics that I took today... they don't really show the size of the buildings, more the construction and grime that is on them.

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I'm going to go and play with the figures a bit, thanks for the quick replies guys, I am going to try and make this work - I am taking all of your advice. (as long as the job is safe, and the condo association is delighted with the quality of work!)

I think I may have missed out the 3 car garages in my initial pricing, and I was measuring by the linear foot the whole way. Also, the measurements I took were length by width. I'll look at it again, bearing in mind what you have all said. Back soon!

Thanks again.

Steven

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Houses are different Ken ..we know that. There are minimums to consider.

This been tossed around plenty on the boards. 20 cent is not avg or normal is all I can tell you for here.

2250 sq. ft. single story house =

approx 75+30+75+30=250 ln ft

250 x $.20= $500 not to mention about 150' of peak wall space

= no way here

6 cent could work based on ALL the footage in rectangle shaped single story as above:

250 ln x $.60 ((8'wall+2' eave)=10'x.06)= $150+$9 (2 peaks -30x5 squarred x2 peak x $.06) = $159

......now to translate to commercial for to sorta fit to this thread:

-half it for bulk commercial to 3 cents= $75 per floor (no peaks)

-but x2 the ln. both length and width for a usual quad building (2 tenant wide/2 tenant long footprint...note: ya can't x4 it for mythical internal wall space) = $150

- now double it for 2 story height and but just give them the 3rd floor to be in with the lowballers that are sure to do such..

- figure in expenses.. :)

*note that if ya take all three floors ($75x3) ya get to where I think Jeff to be about at in my work up posts above...approx $225*

Edit: sorry, the note above was missaid, incomplete, and misleading so hence I do late ammend...

$225 is of course but my simple example of converting resi single story figures above to a commercial outlook only. Not sure why I was thinking $225 beyond that as I actually meant to convey that some the number figuring happen to also apply to what I thought JL's numbers would be prior to learning otherwise, ..we know in hindsite though that something higher is in order as JL don't apparently give up any floors as a gimmie.

So anyway, if anything.. there may be lesson that all the various ways of figuring things such as flat sq.ft. figuring x floors, or eyeballing, or hours, or what have you can all be used to come to a balance point to be able to offer bid that has a chance to make you decent profit..

......

To sum up, my price does not include chem expenses and the price would never be such with complications such as using a lift.

And although some would call my $159 + expenses + PITA a real low price I believe it could work for resi some places and then translate up to to be inline with many commercial bidder. It doesn't if my way of thinking/including everything is not accounted for. I don't disregard and pretend competition/lowballers are not around and but I make sure to get all the footage or use a decent multiplier in order to find my balance let's just say.

I'll let ya know when I get 10cent for a simple commercial building wash...

But ok I go from my .032,.04 calculation basis on up to the 6 cent calculator until I get my big low pressure thing working right then I may just call it 5 cents like lots of other things I do.. yonk, yonk.

[PressurePros 248]

Kevin, put your money where your theory is. Line up six bids in a nice area. I'll fly out there and if I sell 3 jobs at $.20 per s/f you reimburse me my flight and hotel and give me $500 for my troubles. If I don't sell three at that rate, I'll fly home with my tail between my legs and you can rag on me forever. I'll probably have to leave the boards from sheer embarassment.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Kevin, put your money where your theory is. Line up six bids in a nice area. I'll fly out there and if I sell 3 jobs at $.20 per s/f you reimburse me my flight and hotel and give me $500 for my troubles. If I don't sell three at that rate, I'll fly home with my tail between my legs and you can rag on me forever. I'll probably have to leave the boards from sheer embarassment.

you painting them too?..haha... really are you seriously thinking you can get my podunk cow town to pay you $530 to walk around their house for an hour or $1030 for a 2 story? $300 I'de believe as yer good salesman.

....Dude, they would throw in front of a literail train or throw you in trunk and drop you off in the hood..This aint bay area ya know.:lgwave:

[Jeff 232]

Jeff, questions.... yer amount now is basically 14500/29(if extra 6 r 3 story)= $500 worth of 2 story based off some undisclosed amount of footage pricing? ...If you remember, how might the $85-$110 you mention elsewhere apply to this..maybe you boosted to $225 per floor and another $50 for breezways? Oh and what yer definition of breezeways?

ps- ok..our posts are crossing so I just say that ooopss. pretty sure it was you with them figures. just read it the other day off searches.. I search old posts alot so maybe it from 'the year 2000'...:)..

psp--lol..ah scratch that..that might be jeff's avg. gutter cleanout prices...

..but Steven, the 4 cents+chems+awnings+landings,crete or what have you is still where I would be. So that may bring me closer to Jeff and maybe 25% less then you (a guess)

Thats it!!!!!!! gutter prices was $85-$110

Pricing is all over the place on all types of buildings, breezeways, balconies, materail etc etc, thats why I never tried to figure a sq ft or linear foot price and thats why its hard to help anyone with price unless i see pics. I wish I had a formula for some of these guys that ask for prices.

I just look and write down everything I see and then I figure it on time & material and shoot a price

[MMI Enterprises 289]

Well I am off to work but just wanted to say Jeff that yer pureness in wanting to help them is truly intoxicating and refreshing to hear in a world full of people that change their mind about talking price for various reasons of gettingburned by local competitions. nyt

[CLASSICPW 14]

I do condo's in my area with 2 hot water machines and a 3 guy crew . The sq footage you gave would take us 1 week @ $12,000- $15,000. Then I saw your pics. The condo's we do are vinyl siding so we xjet, rinse, move on. You got yourself stucco and huge columns.......could be a pain in the ass. Sometimes stucco wont cleanup from the x-jet and you need to get close and personal. $25K plus 60' boom lift. NOT a job for a newbie unless you want a 1 week job to take 3.

[MMI Enterprises 289]

yup, in seeing all that work..Looks like 8 cents without testing