Masonry Magazine February 2005 Page. 46
News
News continued from page 43 at the luxurious Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin.
In addition to the fabulous accommodations and the many attractions that have made Walt Disney World so famous, the ABC National Convention is a perennial favorite event for ABC members to share ideas and experiences. Here you'll find the Construction Management Competition, Construction Leaders Symposium, inspiring speakers, construction showcase exhibits, Trimmer Education Foundation Auction, National Craft Championships Competition, National Safety Excellence Awards and more!
For more information, call (703) 812-2025 or visit www.abc.org.
Come hear the story of lime past, present and future - at the International Building Lime Symposium, March 9-11, 2005. This symposium will be held at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Don't miss the opportunity to be part of the dynamic and diverse community of international building professionals that will be assembled.
The 2005 International Building Lime Symposium offers a unique program of 40 state-of-the-art technical papers and case studies on mortar, decorative finishes, stucco and plaster. Four demonstration workshops on building lime applications will also be provided. The keynote address on sustainable design based on "traditional" technologies will be presented by Jeanne Marie Teutonico of the Getty Conservation Institute. The Symposium promises to be educational, fun and offer many networking opportunities.
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort provides the right mix of state-of-the-art meeting facilities and a distinctive venue for attendees. Special room rates have been extended to several days before and after the Symposium; and Disney theme parks and social events will allow the whole family to enjoy the Symposium.
For more information, call (703) 243-5463 ext. 222 or visit www.buildinglime.org.
Brick Industry Association's Brick Show is the only national tradeshow and conference for the clay brick industry. Brick Show 2005 will be held at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Fla., March 17-19, 2005.
Exhibitors at the Brick Show represent some of the premiere brick manufacturers in the U.S., as well as an array of suppliers to the brick industry. Networking opportunities include the Grand Opening Reception in the exhibit hall, a golf tournament and the Annual Banquet and Reception on the closing night of the Brick Show.
Registration is now open online for Brick Show 2005 exhibitors and attendees. Online payment is available, or you can fax or mail your payment after filling in the online registration form. Confirmation
Pricing Your Work
MASONRY NEWS CONTRACTOR TIP
Who is pricing your work, you or someone else? Sound like a strange question? Think about it. Are general contractors and owners dictating to you what the going price is in your area? And if so, do you do their work for that lower price even if you know you can't be profitable? No one knows more about what it costs to get a job done than you do. You are the expert in the masonry field; the general contractor isn't. So, how does he or she know what you should be charging? The truth is, the general contractor doesn't.
Let's say you bid $60,000 on a masonry project expecting to earn a net profit of $10,000. The general contractor says that your bid is too high; he or she only put $48,000 in their estimate. Should you do the project for that amount? Absolutely not! As a mason contractor, what makes us think that a general contractor knows more than we do about what it costs our company to do the work? Again, the truth is they don't, and if we take the job at the lower price, we will lose money. So, although it's hard to turn down work, tell the general contractor, "Sorry, but we can't do it for that price."
Now it is about to really get interesting. You've probably been in this situation, too. The general contractor wants to know what you are charging for labor per block laid. You say $4.00 per block. The general contractor says, "That is way too high. The going price is only $2.75 in your area." How are you going to find out what the going price really is in your area?
I attended a seminar at the World of Masonry where Charles Vander Kooi shed some light on this subject. Charles said 70% of mason contractors go out of business in the first three years, and only 15% make it to the 10th year of business. So, what's the going price in your area? It is what the contractors who are going out of business are charging. With that being the case, do you want to work for the going price? I don't. The key to survival is to know what it costs to do the work so you can make sure you cover your cost plus get a fair profit out of the work.
As a mason contractor, I recommend that you do production studies on your own employees to find out what it costs your company to get the work done. Then, based on the results of your studies combined with what your overhead costs are, price your own work. And by the way, don't forget to put a little profit in there for yourself. That is why you are in business to start with. Then, the next time the general contractor calls and says your bid is higher than what the going price is in your area, say, "Thank goodness!" It is a good sign that you are probably not one of those contractors pricing yourself right out of business.