Claims of 50% Gross Profit.
Boasting about a 50% gross profit in the house painting business might raise eyebrows because it’s unusually high for that industry. While not inherently ridiculous, it could be seen as…
Author: Harry Carter
Snake Oil and Estimating – Beware!
The Carter School of Estimating has been teaching the fine art of construction estimating to the drywall and painting industries for almost a half century. One can only imagine what…
Pricing by the square foot floor area?
I wish I had a buck for every time that I was asked what the going rate was when pricing paint projects but the question that takes the cake is…”What…
Expecting too much from your workers?
I ask this question because I’m always curious as to what your answer will be. I can almost guarantee what you’ll say because though I’m not a gambler, I’ve got…
Is it hard to time our workers?
Let’s face it, none of us would want our boss breathing down our neck, watching our every move would we? Then how in the world you ask, are we supposed…
I have no overhead, I can bid low
I’ve heard it and have read it in print so many times. Such a wrong statement…and so foolish! In the last 40 years or so in this profession, I’ve witnessed…
Are bid packages the way to go?
First, let me explain that a ‘bid package’ is typically, a bid that includes the work of one or more related trades. For instance, if you’re a drywall contractor, you…
Does production drop in cold weather?
If you live in cold climate areas, you certainly experience changes (many times extreme) in weather. These changes in weather can make your production take a nosedive and you should…
Piecework vs hourly bidding
When it comes to comparing piecework and hourly rates, there is often a misconception that piecework companies always fare better than hourly bidding companies. This is only true if the…
Winning isn’t the mission here
Winning jobs is not the ultimate mission here, and if it were, I could easily secure the next 20 jobs for you. However, the truth is that such an approach…