Survey

RobG

How do you do your estimates / quotes for system replacements?



Do you itemize the materials?



Do you do a detailed heat-loss and provide it to the Customer?



Do you do a rough estimate on the heat-loss and do the detailed one when the contract is signed?



Do you give the estimate on the first visit or do you mail / e-mail it later and if later what is your turnaround time?



Do you give options such as cast iron, mod-con, zoning?



Do you base your estimates on the type of car in the driveway?



Do you do your estimates based on what the customer wants or what YOU think they need?



How much time do spend typically on an estimate for a typical 3000sft two zone home (replacement)?



I am just wondering how others do it



Rob

RobG

Anyone?

Anyone?

STEVEusaPA

It depends?

This definitely falls under the 'it depends' category.

I do itemize all the components I will (and won't ) use.



Heat loss also 'depends', but usually eventually. Specially, I don't need a heat loss to price. With oil, many boilers and furnaces have multiple firing rates, so the price for the equipment usually doesn't change much. On a row home that has to have an oil fired boiler, the smallest one is too big. I'm more concerned about piping and emitters, for a boiler and duct sizes/design for furnaces and size accordingly.

Complicated/multiple zones always get a full design.



I give a rough estimate on the first visit, or before I get there, just to see if they are in the ballpark. If I tell them a rough price and they say that's way out of what they can afford, it saves a lot of time.



I try to get back the next day or as soon as possible with the estimate. I always set up the delivery of the estimate with all decision makers, and always in person. I'm usually going to be higher then a hack and I want to explain what I'm going to do and why. I want to answer all questions and concerns. I want to show all the value I'm adding to the system. My goal is to get the paperwork signed. I'll only email/mail for customers I know aren't shopping my price or others if the situation warrants.



I always explain all the options. Most homeowners don't know that it's not just a simple yank one put another one in.



I don't care what they drive, but if they try to go cheap on me and there is 100k worth of cars on the driveway, it may come up



I explain to them what's proper, what gives them the most comfort, etc. Part of explaining their options.



Time to perform is complicated. Depends on how involved. But it's a slow process to measure up for a heat loss, and to measure up radiation/duct calcs. I let them know I'm going to be there a few hours.



Edit: I should add I work for myself, and almost all my estimates are for my existing customers.

SWEI

Short version

Don't itemize for initial estimates.  Varying levels of detail on bids depending on customer, market, and overall size of job.



Always perform detailed heat loss calc before installation.  Like Steve, I can get "close enough to bid" a residential job by looking at the location, construction, and size of the building.  We discuss rough numbers with the customer up front, but don't generally provide detailed data unless it is explicitly called out in the scope of work.



Very rough estimates sometimes discussed at the initial meeting.  99% of the time the estimate comes later via email and/or phone call -- often several, with increasing levels of specificity and detail.



Always provide options, usually three.



Type of car in the driveway mostly influences the questions we ask during the first meeting.  Those drive the proposal.



Estimates are based on what the customer wants, interpreted by what we believe will best deliver that result.  Learning to ask the right questions helps immensely. If the customer insists on a product we do not know well enough to service and support, or that that we believe is unlikely to deliver what the customer wants/needs, we wish them luck and move on.



Around here, a 3,000 sq ft two zone home is fairly high end.  We'd typically be called in by the owner or the architect as part of a major remodel or a new build.  The "basic replacement" business is typically well below our radar unless something goes wrong with the job.