I am glad to see this topic put on the forum! I have been doing PP for about a year and I still have trouble bidding a job. I either bid too little cubic yards of junk or too much. Anyone willing to share how they determine the cubic yards of debris? I try to figure how much will fit into my trailer and use that as a guide. Maybe I just need more experience.

Metroman,

A lot of it comes with experience, constantly doing your homework, networking and some good ole trial and error. :D

In addition to PP, we do a lot of demo & rehab work. So over time I developed an "eye" for it. I figured out how to properly load my trailers and dumpsters to maximize their use and to keep the costs down. There are all sorts of "tricks to the trade" or "methods to the madness" one picks up on/develops over time. :cool:

I agree it takes some experience to get an eye for bidding your trash outs. Usually I just estimate using the pick up truck method, approx. 4.5 cubic yards fills the back of a full size pick up trucks bed to the brim. And I will give myself a 15-20% cushion to be safe.

How does the bidding process work?

Do you visit the home first to bid? Are you charging for the bid?

What is your bid based on? sqf of home? cubic yards of debris? size of lot?

For each how do you determine your rates? Is the rate per sqf or cubic yard of trash or size of lot?

How are you bidding for lock changes? Per lock? etc.

Are you bidding extra for tires and other hazard material?

What about winterazation? Is that based on # of items that need attention or sqf?

Thanks in advance

I am in the clean-out business in NJ. I have a 9-10 yard dump truck that I use.
When bidding I usually go by how may truck loads it will take and how many man hours I need to do it.
Believe me, I am still learning, More than once, I bid a job estimating one truck load and wound up with 2 plus additional hours.
It is something that will come to you with the more you do.
Good Luck

Like several stated it comes with experience. I think my biggest mistake when I started was to remember that when you look at the materials it is flat or packed. Once you "fluff" it up, it grows and makes more trash than you thought.

Since a Sq. Yd. is a 3x3x3 cube, which is close to the size of a washer or dryer and as I walk through the property I do a guess-ti-mation of how much stuff would fit in that area. Then I add for haz-mat materials on top of that. Helps me?

MoREO Services if you go to cubicyard.us there is a Q@A tab that will answer most of your questions that you are asking. Some good information for someone starting in the PP business. Hope this helps you or whomever reads this.

I always carry a laser measurer with me--for example if i have a room that is completely full of trash or clothes etc I measure the room with a push of a button! then usually guess on the depth of debris. I guess i like the high tech toys!