Correctly bidding on a drywall job is a cornerstone of the business.
Learning bid on a drywall taping job is an important part of having an independent business. It has to be presented properly for the potential customer to consider the bid. If accepted, incorrectly priced bids can quickly cause a business to fail. A professional drywall taping bid that includes a built-in profit margin will help a drywall business thrive.
Instructions
1. Establish raw material cost per square foot. Write down the cost for all raw materials, including drywall, joint compound, tape and nails. Calculate the cost per square foot, considering 100 to 200 square feet of drywall takes 1 gallon of joint compound, 120 feet of joint tape and a half pound of nails.
2. Calculate overhead costs. Add the amount spent on the drywall business per year, such as insurance, rent, management salaries, advertising and utilities. Divide the total number by the amount of sales in the same year to find the percentage of overhead costs. Multiply the cost per square foot by the percentage for the overhead cost per square foot.
3. Check the national average labor cost construction guide for drywall installation at the library. Determine how many hours the workers take to complete 100 square feet of drywall. Divide the cost by 100 for the labor per square feet.
4. Add the raw material, labor and overhead costs per square feet to determine the break-even point.
5. Multiply the break-even point by the percentage of profit desired for each job. Add this profit per square feet to the break-even number for the customer's cost per square feet. Memorize this number or write it down.
6. Obtain invoices. Order a standard invoice with carbon copies, one for the customer and the other for office records. Have them made custom from an online provider or an office supply store. Include the company name, logo, address and contact number on the custom invoice.
7. Set a professional image. Dress neatly and wear clean shoes if entering a client's home. Arrive at the location at the appointed time. Listen carefully to the potential client's needs. Repeat back what you heard to make certain expectations match.
8. Find the square feet of the drywall area. Measure the wall height from the ceiling to floor in feet. Measure the length of each wall in feet. Multiply the height and width to determine the square feet. Measure ceilings using the floor under it as a guide.
9. Write all of the customer's contact information on the appropriate spaces of the invoice.
10. Prepare the bid. Write exactly what work is included in the bid, such as hanging the drywall, taping and sanding. Multiply the square foot of the project times the cost per square foot memorized previously. For example, if the job is100 square feet and the cost with materials, labor overhead and profit is $1 per square foot, the total bid is $100. Write down the number in the appropriate space. Add the tax. Clearly print the total on the invoice.
11. Present the invoice to the client. Explain every item on the invoice to clarify what the job encompasses and justify the bid. Keep a copy for office records.
12. Book the job. Attempt to schedule the job on the spot. Tell the customer they will receive a follow-up call the next day, in case they have any questions.
13. Call the customer until the job is booked or the customer says they accepted another bid. Negotiate the price without bidding below the break-even point.
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