If you’re a subcontractor no breakdown. If you’re a main contractor then yes.

Where'd you get that 1/4 zip pullover, looking to have some made for my carpentry business. Love the videos, great content.

I'm surprised you flaky lazy contractors give a bid at all. Nice gaming monitor.

Well put my friend this is beyond helpful!

SBA LOAN, Federal Startup Grants, angel investor, equity sales, micro loans, business lines of credit, business loans. Oh the contractor who refuses to give itemized bid breakdowns isn’t successful as he might otherwise be since he accuses his customers of being malicious for wanting

SBA LOAN, Federal Startup Grants, angel investor, equity sales, micro loans, business lines of credit, business loans.

Sounds like someone has some bad blood vs his customers. Hell before the bid has been agreed to you are telling people to act accusatory towards customers suggesting they are being malicious for wanting a comprehensive price breakdown. What if it’s their insurance company or some other entity that needs the pricing done this way you immediately jump to accusing customer of snake like behavior when you are the one who just pulls numbers out his ass and can’t do a bid breakdown. A comprehensive bid breakdown should be simple as click of a button since if you ever envisioned the ability to grow at all or one day no longer need to work for your own company then the next job estimator will need a consistent formula in order to consistently create positive income generating bid numbers or else you would just be hoping and praying this future bid wizard is magic and never fudges the numbers. On top of doesn’t it seem shady if a contractor refuses to let people in on their itemized pricing formula. Consider the difference between someone asked for a itemized bid breakdown and is either told get f’d screw off or ok here you go like I know which one I would tell to get the hell off my property.

One more reason to add is: Customer might choose to do the less expensive item and hire other contractors to do the more expensive items.

I tell people just labor price for the job. Not a break down per hour.. with material handling figured in price. As far as materials . I give a estimate, approximate cost but tell them they are responsible for that cost. This works for me.

Some people seem to think they can get another guy to do it cheaper, and they can actually. Another guy will always do the job shitty and awful while charging less. Instead of just going with a reputable contractor who will give them what they want in the end, they go with the hack and end up with poop!

All I heard is… I over bid project materials to gain over head for the next job! What a shady contractor!

Great video but it isn’t really about growing from nothing. Someone should make a video on getting your first customers.

As an architect and project manager, I always bid out a project with bid items so a contractor cannot do lump sum. I also practice and advise clients to bid out to (3) contractors. It keeps all parties honest.

If a contract doesn't breaks down a quote, it ends up in the round file. Price breakdown of category, not each item. What I am really interested in is not the price per item, I want to know what products are being used. I don't want cheap inferior products used in a project I am paying for. Items listed gives me the chance to research it. If there is a better product, I will discuss with the contractor on should we replace it. Also, listing each item/bundle prevents being charged for items never received and it also makes inventory efficient. Doing this ensures I am happy with the products and work being done, eliminates misunderstanding, too. I don't mind paying more to have the upgrades. For example. A synthetic 50 year water, ice, high heat radiant barrier vs. 30# tar paper. 24 gauge metal vs. anything higher. Silicon or metal pipe boots that guarantee 30 plus years; larger heavier metal drip guard & rake edge; rust-oleum pipe paint; ridge vent with SS screen; 24 gauge if steel/gavalume with Kylar 500/5000 paint metal roof or high impact 30 year asphalt shingle from reputable company with great customer satisfaction; 2"x4" furring/battan in both directions if metal roof; SS roofing nails if asphalt shingles;1/2" minimum or plus plywood; thorough clean up; etc. All that is left is to make sure work is done as promised.

Inspirational, I can relate a lot with what your and your family are experiencing. Thanks for sharing us. I think you and your wife are making the right decision.

There are so many costs to be in business. Every job is different. You can break a job down however you like, it's still going to be the same number on the bottom of the page. Example, we have a program that cost money every month, it's used to schedule jobs and track time. There are many things like this that customers don't understand.

thats interesting that people would say you not worth the hourly rate or price ... im pretty sure theres a huge shortage of skilled trades out there in the United States

Thank you , learned at lot. the video was also very enjoyable to watch

For residential fine, this is a non starter for major projects. If I put out for bid for a 10 million dollar project and you don’t show me your man loader. Your bid goes in the no pile

Great

Man, I hear you! THANKS FOR INSPIRATION! Relocated from oregon to texas as a legit contractor, I had alot of learning experiences and now starting from almost nothing. We'll give it hell till we can't. All the best!

Its kind of complex and im ioutside of my comfort zone, but this is a good thing, im learning the game from a lawyer's point of view. Please lets see an Accountant series 🎉💰🤑

This series opens up the window into the contracting world for me, its the structure, the engineering of the process, the key components and the flow in between. Great content, it reminds me of the renovation reality shows. Im a tile subcontractor and by watching this i get to see what its like to be the chairman 💺 😊as opposed to the working hand ✋

Growing pains

Focus on the few not the many

The "Gold Star" thing seems a bit childish. If I'm a grown man, working outside in the elements and doing a grown man's job, a Gold Star is kind of condescending. The extra money is great, but the "Gold Star" feels too much like grade school stuff. I've grown up in an Oilfield family and giving someone a "Gold Star" might get you an a** whoopin'. Shawn might want to rethink giving out "Gold Stars".

never ever break down your bid! that is the beginning of your demise.

It’s to protect your markups. Period. No matter how caring you pretend to be we know better.

This video is rather significant. I'm just getting started and doing a little side hustle for myself here and there with concrete work, I have terrible self esteem. This is not going to come naturally but everything you say makes a lot of sense.

many contractors are guessing 😅😂

Lump sum has a lump hidden in it.

Golden rule . Never reveal any line item costs ..only spell out what you're gonna do for the monies. And never commit to an exact completion date . But never attach a cost breakdown of anything.

As a reseller who purchases items from auction houses around the country .... when they don't break down the shipping costs of material vs labor fee .... i will never spend my money with them ..... when I hear you talk all i hear is a narcissist .... all the most successful companies in the world put the customer first.

Ty😅🎉

Half the time the cost break down is for them to decide to either DIY it and the other is shop around for the cheapest bid

What is the.name of the software you use??

I'm born and raised in Oklahoma and the Tulsa Welding School comment was awesome! Apparently their nationwide reputation is similar to their local reputation.😂

You can't guarantee material the customer buys for cheap discounts.

Hello, what company do you use for your marketing?

Anyone who justifies not breaking out a bid is not to be trusted. I do this for a living, my anecdotal, my very real experience, lets me know the less that is provided, the less a contractor knows how to keep their costs precise in actual performance. And my anecdotal evidence is repeated by many in my field, the buyer for organization.

I DO THE SAME THING YOU DO ..I JUST GIVE THEM THE MATERIAL PRICE STILL WHEN I BUY THEM.

Hi!, when you say lump sum on your bid, does that mean the customer has to pay up front before work begins? Thanks, 👍😎👍

A lot of "educated people" think that your bid should be broken down to reflect an hourly rate. most people think that you're not worth $200/hr even though your not charging them by the hour.

Well explained.

Wow, sounds like you all have a lot to hide from customers. Great ethics!

Interesting that folk here are missing the scope of work part - you stated that you provide them with exact details of what you're going to do for that price, what they're going to get, just not how you're going to get those things you need.

Mark, this was a very great video. I greatly appreciate you making this. This is one of the most recommended videos I will probably share with as many people as I can that come to me with these types of questions. There is a lot of underlying doubts amongst a lot of tradesmen, and we all struggle with this. So I absolutely love that you have spelled this out in a very clear, but direct and respectable fashion. I greatly greatly greatly appreciate you taking the time to make this video.

I do a general break down if there are multiple projects. If they are doing windows, siding, gutters and a new roof, I bid those jobs separately so they know where the money is going. What I will never ever do is break down a siding job, I’ll break down what I’m doing but would never ever, break my labor and materials down for any job, period. When a customer asks me this, I’ll give my usual answer, nope. And if it’s not for them, no problem, we both move on. One thing I’ve learned, never be afraid to walk away if you got a bad feeling.

I’m not a veteran contractor but I’ve been doing this for close to 10 years now and not once did I even write out a contract. And yes once it got sticky and I list $1300 on a job. All 5 star reviews, over 500 reviews, a simple quote and a handshake, if shit pops up during the job I talk it out. Most times I get tips for a few hundred or so. But I’m rather cheep I think, I don’t charge a dime until the job is complete (unless I have to buy material that I typically don’t include). So the customer is always happy cause I ask them along the way if this is good thus far. I’m flexible without being a fool and yeah I only give one quote and that’s that. That includes everything. Yes I get a discount on materials and often times I have leftovers from previous jobs. Great video.