Woodford 65 RB - Page 2 - Plumbing Zone

TheMaster · 07-02-2009, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protech

I've had the supplier volunteer the other guys takeoffs to me and I hadn't even given a job name. I started rattling of cast iron pipe and fittings and he just stopped me in the middle. He said "this is for the parking garage down town Lakeland that "x" and "x" are bidding on. Here I'll just give you their list and save us both some time." I was like "uhhhhh thanks". He simply volunteered the list just based off of what I was ordering. I didn't ask him or give a job name. That opened my eyes big time.

From now on, I intentionally throw in extra stuff and/or break it up into 2 or 3 quotes done on separate days to throw them off. I know that if that had been my take off list that I got that day, I would have been livid!

Here the salesman does the take off for the plumber......so yes if another plumber brings in the same set of plans the take off is going to be roughly the same....minus one guys particular preference on certain items. Its all spec'd out anyway in the plans. So it really was never the plumbers takeoff....the salesman did the take off and gave it to the plumber. Or thats how its done here. The list is not the important part.....its the price that salesman decides to give each of you that makes the difference. he may quote you 12,000 and then another plumber 10,000. But the material list isn't going to change from the same supply house for the same job unless one guy orders things special. Now I can understand you not wanting another plumber to know your bidding a job because he may learn your bidding practices but on large public jobs...its all public knowledge anyway.

**ILPlumber** · 07-03-2009, 12:02 AM

Material prices vary wildly from contractor to contractor.

Wholesalers around here do takeoffs, but not mine. I can't trust $300,000 worth of material takeoff to a $15 an hour chic that doesn't know what an air-gap for a 1" 909 is. They just read the specs. Not much comprehension.

I takeoff everything personally. Things are already stressful enough. I don't need another thing to drive me to drinking/smoking.

The Master,

You rubbed me the wrong way out of the gate, but I gotta tell ya, I respect you as an equal on here.

Proud Plumber · 07-03-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protech

I've had the supplier volunteer the other guys takeoffs to me and I hadn't even given a job name. I started rattling of cast iron pipe and fittings and he just stopped me in the middle. He said "this is for the parking garage down town Lakeland that "x" and "x" are bidding on. Here I'll just give you their list and save us both some time." I was like "uhhhhh thanks". He simply volunteered the list just based off of what I was ordering. I didn't ask him or give a job name. That opened my eyes big time.

From now on, I intentionally throw in extra stuff and/or break it up into 2 or 3 quotes done on separate days to throw them off. I know that if that had been my take off list that I got that day, I would have been livid!

What is worse is that same supplier has an outside salesman who will go to the biggest of all of the bidders and tell him who he is bidding against, and cut him a better deal on the materials due to the large volumes of materials they buy and your bid can become a big waste of time.

TheMaster · 07-03-2009, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proud Plumber

What is worse is that same supplier has an outside salesman who will go to the biggest of all of the bidders and tell him who he is bidding against, and cut him a better deal on the materials due to the large volumes of materials they buy and your bid can become a big waste of time.

I have a couple friends I party with that are salesmen from supply houses. i'm a small business with little profit to them. I do repair....supply houses usually do not cater to repair guys too much...thats not their bread and butter so to say. With that said,The sales guys have a favorite plumber...make no mistake about that and they also talk between supply houses......dont worry they know exactly what they are doing,or atleast some of them do.

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07-03-2009, 12:02 AM	#12
ILPlumber Moderator Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: IL Posts: 5,312 My Photos	Material prices vary wildly from contractor to contractor. Wholesalers around here do takeoffs, but not mine. I can't trust $300,000 worth of material takeoff to a $15 an hour chic that doesn't know what an air-gap for a 1" 909 is. They just read the specs. Not much comprehension. I takeoff everything personally. Things are already stressful enough. I don't need another thing to drive me to drinking/smoking. The Master, You rubbed me the wrong way out of the gate, but I gotta tell ya, I respect you as an equal on here.