Pricing & Bidding
12 articles on construction arbitrage.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Write a Construction Proposal That Wins the Job
Most contractors send a price. The ones who win send a proposal. Here is the structure, what to include, and what to leave out.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Ask for a Deposit as a Contractor (And Actually Get It)
You should ask for a deposit on every job. Here is how much, how to say it, what the legal limits are, and what to do when a client says no.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Handle Change Orders in Construction (Keep Your Margin When Scope Changes)
The original quote was clean. Then the client asked for extras - and you did the work without getting it signed. Here is how change orders work and how to stop losing the margin on them.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Bid Against Cheaper Competitors and Still Win
Cheaper competitors keep undercutting you. The fix is not to match their price - it is to stop being in the same conversation as them. Here is how.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Estimate a Construction Job Accurately
Most contractors don't lose money on site - they lose it in the estimate. Here is the exact process for estimating a construction job accurately, with a worked USD example.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Quote a Construction Job Properly (and Stop Leaving Money on the Table)
Most contractors quote from the gut - they estimate what a client might accept and hope the numbers add up at the end. Here is how to quote a construction job the right way, with a worked example and every cost layer broken down.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Calculate Markup on Construction Jobs (The Formula That Actually Works)
Most contractors apply the wrong markup and wonder why the money disappears. Here is the exact formula, the markup-vs-margin table, and the category-level rates for labor, materials, and subs.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Stop Underpricing Construction Jobs (And Start Making Real Money)
Most contractors are not losing bids because they are too expensive. They are bleeding money because they are too cheap. Here is the exact reason jobs do not pay - and the fix.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Charge More as a Contractor
Cheap quotes do not win better clients - they attract worse ones. Here is the real lever for charging more as a contractor without your phone going quiet.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Win More Construction Bids (Win the Job Before You Send the Price)
Bidding more is not the answer. The contractors who win the most are winning the conversation before the price is even on the table. Here is the system.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Bid Construction Jobs and Win
Most contractors bid by gut feel - and wonder why they lose. Here is the exact method to price construction jobs correctly, write bids that close, and win more work without racing to the bottom on price.
Pricing & BiddingHow to Price Construction Jobs: The Formula That Builds Real Profit
Most contractors underprice their jobs by accident. Here is the exact formula - direct costs, overhead rate, markup, margin - and why the gap between markup and net profit is where the money disappears.