Field Estimates vs Office Estimates

When should I do instant field estimates?

With a laptop and portable printer, you can use Goldenseal estimating software to create on-the-spot field estimates for your customers or clients.

However, there are some risks to estimating too quickly. For many projects, you may be better off to wait, and finish estimates at your office.

When to Give Field Estimates

Give field estimates in any of the following cases:

  • When it's a very small project, and you can't lose much even if you make a mistake.
  • When it's a very simple project that only needs a simple 'rule of thumb' price or a couple of unit costs.
  • When you have an extremely good estimating system, and never make mistakes.
  • When it's just a rough or planning estimate for a small project that is billed Time & Materials

For very simple field estimates, you can use a simple Category breakdown (or no breakdown), and just use Goldenseal estimating software as a way to type up a simple project description, and then print it for the customer.

For more complex field estimates, use an estimating template and an Items breakdown, and use unit costs to calculate and specify the project cost.

NOTE-- You might want to make sure that your markup amounts are not visible to the client, if you don't want them to see it accidentally.

When to Give Office Estimates

Just because you can give quick, same-day field estimates doesn't mean that you should.

Here are some cases when you'd be better off waiting, and preparing (or finishing) an estimate in your office:

  • When you need to get subcontractor bids, or supplier quotes before finishing an estimate.
  • When material or labor prices are changing rapidly, and you need to gather recent prices first.
  • When you need to check on specs, building permits, or other special conditions
  • When the project is complex or unusual, and deserves some thought before releasing a bid
  • When there are many pages of specs or blueprints
  • When the project includes work you have never done before
  • When you are tired, or distracted, or otherwise not 'at your best'
  • When you need to adjust your markup for some reason

It's often very helpful to have some quiet, uninterrupted time to work on estimates-- something you probably can't get if doing an estimate in the field. You may notice something, or think of something, that will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Especially for larger projects, it can also be very useful to have a "courtship" where you get to know the clients better, before committing to doing a project for them. Spreading the estimating process out over a week or two helps you to learn more about the clients before you start a financial relationship with them. You'll have more chance to see their good side and/or bad side, which will give you a better idea of how the project will probably go. If communications don't work well during the estimating process, you may want to add a "difficult client" percentage, or skip the project altogether!

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