We partner long term with local, professional construction contractors.
With that said, it is IMPERATIVE that both parties clearly understand the scope of work on contracts and who is doing the work as well as how to contact them. Please realize over the past 20 years we have seen it all, from bids that are not legible to proposals so confusing they intentionally leave things unclear, setting the stage for future issues.
Keep it simple, Sir. We are honest people and we pay fast. All we ask is for a CLEAR, coherent professional bid.
Bid Requirements for our jobs
This means the bid or proposal for work to be performed should have:
A. CONTACT INFO: Your name, your address, your tel #
Example:
Joe Contractor
Name
Address
Tel. #
B. The work a contractor is proposing to do with each task in a line item on their letterhead
(Example as follows)
1. I will remove and replace 2 old wood windows in the kitchen with two vinyl windows, furnish windows, frame-in, replace trim and repaint trim to match what was preexisting. This will include disposing of old windows
Labor:_________________
Materials:___________________
2. I will remove and replace the toilet and install a new ring. This will include disposing of the old toilet.
Labor:_________________
Materials:___________________
3. I will repaint the dining room ceiling and provide the paint.
Labor:_________________
Materials:___________________
Total_______________________________________________
CRITICAL: Each line item should have a labor and materials cost line. This is so I can rapidly evaluate bids to ensure work is market rate. Please make sure and total the bid at the bottom.
C. Terms of payment. ALWAYS INCLUDE THE PAYMENT TERMS ON YOUR PROPOSAL / BID
Industry standards are 50% down and 50% on completion. If you have different terms state what they are. State what payment forms you accept.
We prefer squareup.com or Joist or even better if you have QuickBooks. All 3 easily enable debit cards and are wise tools for modern construction professionals.
Realize please, most investors have LLCs in which they handle their business affairs and for accounting, they most often use an LLC debit card.
PAYMENT FORM EXCEPTIONS: On RARE exceptions such as rush work, we will use Paypal or Google pay. We do not use Venmo or cash app.
D. Start time and Finish Time.
Make sure your bids states when you can do the work and when you estimate to be complete with the work.
Here are 3 examples of recent bids. estimates, or proposal sheets. Any of them work. It does NOT need to be typed of fancy at all. It MUST have Labor and Materials separated out though. At least estimates. As a contractor, you have to do costs for materials or check.
As a professional courtesy here are 3 simple and free templates we found online. There are hundreds of them online free.
A simple clear bid is an entire foundation to an agreement for work.
E. PICTURE UPDATES: Lastly, we ask for pictures daily on our job sites. This takes an individual 2 to 4 minutes and all modern phones have cameras. If yours does not suggest you deem is a cost of doing business and get one that does.
Thank you!
Ron Lee
CBH
Email: RonnyJasonLee@gmail.com
Tel. 323-703-1576
Other examples….
