# can someone help me with a bid through these photos?



## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

need help on a bid. my client is telling me the grass is 16" high. I advised them I am 6ft tall and these weeds were over my head. this property is over an acre.I know what my price is to cut, remove, spray a post emergent and man hours. they told me I was too excessive in my bid.keep in mind this is a REO, so I am placing it in marketable condition.


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2011)

How much is a drum of RoundUp?


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2011)

Tell them to get some scissors and do it themselves then.


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2011)

They'll both be here through the weekend, two drink minimum. :laughing:


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## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

I charge a specific price per 1000sf of area treated and I am not backing down from that price. I am doing a post/pre application. I'm going to use a bush hogger and then cut the stalks down to the ground level. haul off an dump the clippings.


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## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

i've got more photos.


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2011)

What was the question?


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2011)

What is the question? Are you asking hoq much to charge.. Or are they arguing that the grass is not taller than 16"... Or they don't believe it takes x amount of man hours to complete the work..? They are asking you to do a rough cut to tidy it up to maintainable condition right?


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2011)

Looking at the size of those weeds I would have bid no less than tree...............:whistling


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## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

Lizzie said:


> What is the question? Are you asking hoq much to charge.. Or are they arguing that the grass is not taller than 16"... Or they don't believe it takes x amount of man hours to complete the work..? They are asking you to do a rough cut to tidy it up to maintainable condition right?


Yes. This property is xeriscaped underneath all of those weeds. They don't agree with me on the height and amount I bid. In my opinion, I'm giving them a fantastic deal!!!!


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2011)

MAD Renovations said:


> Looking at the size of those weeds I would have bid no less than tree...............:whistling


Don't do it...


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2011)

Doesn't matter how good a deal *you* think it is...

Owners dealing with junk real estate....

*SOME JOBS JUST AREN'T WORTH DOING*:thumbup:


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2011)

thanohano44 said:


> need help on a bid.
> ...
> I know what my price is to cut, remove, spray a post emergent and man hours.


If you know your price, how can we help you on the bid? It is what it is.

But if you need a place to vent, you've found it. :thumbsup:


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2011)

Or the best online comedy club, as well... :whistling


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2011)

Why don't you bring a tape measure out there and point out the 16" line under 4 1/2' of weeds.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2011)

See....told ya.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2011)

Leo G said:


> Why don't you bring a tape measure out there and point out the 16" line under 4 1/2' of weeds.


Agreed, why would you even send them photos without a tape? Every grass cut I ever did whether I was cutting 1" or 4' I always did a before & after with a tape. Give the bank no choice but to pay you...and then I stopped doing REO and preserveration after a few months.. screw that


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2011)

If that grass is 16" tall I'd like to know the height of the chainlink fence hehe


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2011)

Spray it with Agent Orange then hire a tunnel rat.

Andy.


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## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

My bid also included removing all stalks. Trimming of tree's. Man hours. Tool rental. Mileage. Because it's monsoon season, I was going to use nothing but the best-Quikpro and pendulum aquacap. I mean the smell of the pre m would send this area nuts. It's in a little remote town. 

I just have a problem with submitting substandard work. With what they were willing to pay for just a cut. I would have has to pick up Jose and Manuel on the side of the road. Rent a bush hogger and take 6 trips to the dump. 

I did one just like this for a broker for $3500 Scrape. Cut. Remove. Spray. Weed. It took us 2 days with 6 men but the property had looked as if there were never any weeds or anything. We were paid within an hour after job completion.


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## brm1109 (Sep 17, 2012)

If they didn't like the price I would just not do it and let them get someone else. We all know what we need to be profitable.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2011)

thanohano44 said:


> My bid also included removing all stalks. Trimming of tree's. Man hours. Tool rental. Mileage. Because it's monsoon season, I was going to use nothing but the best-Quikpro and pendulum aquacap. I mean the smell of the pre m would send this area nuts. It's in a little remote town.
> 
> I just have a problem with submitting substandard work. With what they were willing to pay for just a cut. I would have has to pick up Jose and Manuel on the side of the road. Rent a bush hogger and take 6 trips to the dump.
> 
> I did one just like this for a broker for $3500 Scrape. Cut. Remove. Spray. Weed. It took us 2 days with 6 men but the property had looked as if there were never any weeds or anything. We were paid within an hour after job completion.


YOU establish your price. You are the one that phisically inspected the property and knows the scope of work required and the estimated materials, equipment and man hours that it will take to get the job done properly.

If you based your bid on these factor, stick to it. Tell them that is your bid. If they need you to discount it you'll go to $3499 other than that, you have paying client to tend to.

Tell them it's nothing personal, but that is what it cost for you to do the job properly based on your observations.

Good Luck.


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2011)

We always take photos with tape measure when lawn is overgrown.
We wouldn't touch it for less than 350.00


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## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

That's the one thing i forgot to do.


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2011)

J F said:


> What was the question?


Welcome back JF.... haven't seen you in a while!


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2011)

I've been reading, just not posting annoying shiite, in the usual amount.


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2011)

barefootlc said:


> We always take photos with tape measure when lawn is overgrown.
> We wouldn't touch it for less than 350.00


That was the funniest comment yet. Great use of sarcasm and I love the deadpan delivery.


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## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

jmiller said:


> That was the funniest comment yet. Great use of sarcasm and I love the deadpan delivery.


Yes I did forget to do that. They offered me $450. To cut it all, weed it(it's xeriscaped) and haul off the clippings. I declined. There's no way I can do 1 acre with grass and weeds that high for $450, plus remove all weeds after it's been cut. After renting a bush hogger, having 6 men run the property with hula hoes and pick axes. 6 hours of drive time. 

My bid included all of that work plus trimming the trees, removing any unseen debris and spraying the lot with a pre and post M blend as well. 

For $450, I'd just bush hog it and run over it with a push mower and haul off clippings. After that the property wouldn't be on marketable condition. In did a property just like this for a local broker in the same town for $3200. You wouldn't be able to tell that it was a jungle like this one. No weeds. No clippings and it looked lived in. I guarantee the next time I drive by this property it will look like crap.


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## Guest (Aug 25, 2011)

Tell them to take a hike for 450. 


I wouldnt even return their phonecall if all they were offering was 450.
:thumbsup:


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## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

kevjob said:


> Tell them to take a hike for 450.
> 
> I wouldnt even return their phonecall if all they were offering was 450.
> :thumbsup:


They tried jumping down my throat. Plain and simple. I know what I need to make it worth my while. For $450 I can't deliver what they want to their standards. I explained that to them. I refuse to do inferior work.


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## Guest (Aug 25, 2011)

Tell them take it or leave it. You don't want every job.


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2011)

griz said:


> Owners dealing with junk real estate....


Hey, in most cases, we is the owners. Well, those of us that actually pay taxes anyway.


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## Guest (Aug 28, 2011)

thanohano44 said:


> Yes I did forget to do that. They offered me $450. To cut it all, weed it(it's xeriscaped) and haul off the clippings. I declined. There's no way I can do 1 acre with grass and weeds that high for $450, plus remove all weeds after it's been cut. After renting a bush hogger, having 6 men run the property with hula hoes and pick axes. 6 hours of drive time.
> 
> My bid included all of that work plus trimming the trees, removing any unseen debris and spraying the lot with a pre and post M blend as well.
> 
> For $450, I'd just bush hog it and run over it with a push mower and haul off clippings. After that the property wouldn't be on marketable condition. In did a property just like this for a local broker in the same town for $3200. You wouldn't be able to tell that it was a jungle like this one. No weeds. No clippings and it looked lived in. I guarantee the next time I drive by this property it will look like crap.


We own our own bush hog and such and even then there is no way we would touch it for $450. We cover all of East TN so when you say rural we understand drive/fuel/windshield time. With that said, REO/HUD bids *always* have what is called "over-allowable." If it's HUD then the outfit you work for submits a SF-*** for a bump in price and HUD approves it generally. If it is a financial institution, they generally do it if they are afraid of a code violation.

What this means to you is two things: First, if you submitted a bid for "X" (and it looks like X was $3500), then your knock down should be say $500. You need to lock that price in stone. If you don't you will develop the reputation of being easy to push on pricing. Second, you need to develop a strategy of presentation. It is easy to either add a graphic to the photo (use open source programs as they are free; we run NOTHING but Linux/Apache on our laptops, desktops and server) which will annotate the length/width/height and as the lady prior noted a tape measure should ALWAYS be in your arsenal of tools.

Looking at the property and bearing in mind that we do Tier I work for HUD on the M&M contract we would probably bid the job around $1,950 with $450 for the wiggle room. All our bids are thirty (30) day static bids. You need to learn to put this on your bids as grass/roof damage/etc. is constantly changing.

Finally, always remember that for those out there whom wish to underbid the world, it makes it _far_ more difficult for the rest of us doing an honest days' work for an honest days' pay!

Good luck!


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## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

FCPDIA said:


> We own our own bush hog and such and even then there is no way we would touch it for $450. We cover all of East TN so when you say rural we understand drive/fuel/windshield time. With that said, REO/HUD bids always have what is called "over-allowable." If it's HUD then the outfit you work for submits a SF-*** for a bump in price and HUD approves it generally. If it is a financial institution, they generally do it if they are afraid of a code violation.
> 
> What this means to you is two things: First, if you submitted a bid for "X" (and it looks like X was $3500), then your knock down should be say $500. You need to lock that price in stone. If you don't you will develop the reputation of being easy to push on pricing. Second, you need to develop a strategy of presentation. It is easy to either add a graphic to the photo (use open source programs as they are free; we run NOTHING but Linux/Apache on our laptops, desktops and server) which will annotate the length/width/height and as the lady prior noted a tape measure should ALWAYS be in your arsenal of tools.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your advice. Like you, I do work for brokers, HUD servicers, nationals and a few regionals. Not to mention having worked in loss mitigation managemet and remarketing for what was the largest bank in the world at the time of my employment, (1999-2007). I know what can be allocated per year per property based on location, market etc. 

This job was for a regional who needed and begged me to take on this remote area for them. I already cover the area for a few national clients because they can't find anyone to do work there. They've been awesome to me and I considered them my #2 favorite client to work for since they always paid on time, approved my bids and taught me a lot about this business. 

Lately they've been giving me a lot of work that their other contractors have been doing piss poor work on and expected me to clean it up for the recurring prices. (I'm nobody's gopher-go for this go for that). This is one of them. This work order was just sent back to me after they have pleaded and begged me to be their hero again.


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## BPWY (Apr 12, 2012)

thanohano44 said:


> My bid also included removing all stalks. Trimming of tree's. Man hours. Tool rental. Mileage. Because it's monsoon season, I was going to use nothing but the best-Quikpro and pendulum aquacap. I mean the smell of the pre m would send this area nuts. It's in a little remote town.
> 
> I just have a problem with submitting substandard work. With what they were willing to pay for just a cut. I would have has to pick up Jose and Manuel on the side of the road. Rent a bush hogger and take 6 trips to the dump.
> 
> I did one just like this for a broker for $3500 Scrape. Cut. Remove. Spray. Weed. It took us 2 days with 6 men but the property had looked as if there were never any weeds or anything. We were paid within an hour after job completion.







Stick to your price T.

Do like was already mentioned.... tape measure and pic the weeds.

Its so dang easy for the weeds to grow a foot when you break out the tape. :laughing: :laughing:

Resubmit your bid with the tape pic and tell them that my price is my price as an independent contractor and they are more than welcome to 2nd bid it.
You know what it takes to get the job done and if they find a sucker to bid it too cheap and he gets the job..... too bad, so sad for him.


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## BPWY (Apr 12, 2012)

If they request a price reduction go to $3499.

If they say its still too high go to $3498. etc

they'll soon get the point or give the work to some one else.


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## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

BPWY said:


> Stick to your price T.
> 
> Do like was already mentioned.... tape measure and pic the weeds.
> 
> ...


Oh I am. Believe me. I refuse to deliver substandard work. I also won't work for less than a illegal alien especially if I have to front the job 30-45 days.


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## thanohano44 (Aug 5, 2012)

thanohano44 said:


> Oh I am. Believe me. I refuse to deliver substandard work. I also won't work for less than a illegal alien especially if I have to front the job 30-45 days.


I gave them a bid of 2800 to start off. $3500 is what i did for a similar house for a broker. In AZ we are in out monsoon season. Germination is accelerated when you have sun for 18 hours a day. Plus moisture. Plus 100 + degree heat! and it will continue to grow because the caliche soil absorbs the moisture.


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