Bidding Mistakes Beginners Make
Welcome
Hello, and welcome. This is Super Structures General Contractors — a national general contractor headquartered in Powhatan, Virginia — here to help you and your clients build something that lasts. We're glad you're with us, and we look forward to connecting with you.
Here's a topic that quietly separates the good from the great — Bidding Mistakes Beginners Make. Here's the heart of it: Avoid the rookie killers — scope gaps, low-balling, forgetting overhead/profit, math errors, and skipping the fine print — by using a checklist, documenting assumptions/exclusions, and being willing to walk away from a money-losing job. Stick with me — by the end, this just clicks.
Most first-year losses come from a handful of avoidable bidding errors.
The classics
- Scope gaps — assuming another trade covers something nobody priced (demo, firestopping, cleanup). Read scope carefully; clarify in writing.
- Bidding too low to "get the job" — winning at a loss is worse than not winning. Know your true costs.
- Forgetting overhead and profit — a price that only covers material and labor bankrupts you slowly.
- Math/unit errors — a transposed number or wrong unit can cost thousands.
- Ignoring the fine print — missing liquidated damages, bonding, retainage, or a brutal schedule.
- Unbalanced/last-minute subs — taking a too-good-to-be-true sub quote that's missing scope.
Protect yourself
Use a checklist, leave time to review, document assumptions and exclusions, and walk away from bad work. No job is better than a job that loses money.
Takeaway: Avoid the rookie killers — scope gaps, low-balling, forgetting overhead/profit, math errors, and skipping the fine print — by using a checklist, documenting assumptions/exclusions, and being willing to walk away from a money-losing job.
Educational overview — bid requirements vary by owner and jurisdiction; always follow the specific invitation-to-bid and instructions to bidders.