7 bidding mistakes that can throw off a project
By Kim Slowey @ kimslowey
Since the coronavirus pandemic arrived in the U . S ., contractors have been increasingly nervous about maintaining and building their backlog of work as jobs in some areas and sectors are put on hold or canceled .
To build their books , many firms are bidding on more projects than usual . This is increasing competition , with more contractors vying for the same project .
Contractors accept risk whenever they take on a construction project , and that ’ s especially true in light of COVID-19 challenges . However , there are ways contractors can mitigate risk before they have even won the job , and that entails avoiding errors when submitting a bid . Here are seven of the most common :
Calculation errors
The simplest errors to overcome involve miscalculations when compiling a bid , i . e . overlooking some elements of the scope of work , using inaccurate footages or board counts or just plain mistakes in basic math functions like addition and multiplication .
These mistakes do happen from time to time , said JD Summa , CEO of Kings Capital
Construction Group Inc . in Tarrytown , New York , but many types of computer programs and estimating software , as well as skilled staff , can help reduce them .
Subcontractor-related errors
Oftentimes for general contractors , subcontractor proposals make up a significant percentage of the overall bid , so it ’ s important to make sure the subcontractor has the requisite experience and has submitted a solid , complete bid
The general contractor should check subcontractor proposals to make sure they include the full expected scope of work , said Caitlin Cappa Nunez , a project manager with national commercial real estate firm Transwestern .
If the subcontractor has left something out but specified it as an exclusion , she said , then a general contractor should account for that item through its own scope of work or in another subcontractor ’ s bid .
“[ The general contractor ] should make sure … there are no scope gaps ,” Nunez said .
It ’ s also critical to make sure the subcontractor or vendor can handle the project , Summa said .
8 DITCHMEN • SEPTEMBER 2020