What to Expect in a Bid from a Concrete Polishing Contractor
Going through the bidding process for your concrete polishing job? Here are the details to watch for and tips to consider when reviewing contractor bids.
Key Takeaways:
- Contractor bids are submitted after you release a request for proposal, and they’re more formal offers, not estimates
- Key elements of a concrete contractor bid:
- Basic business info
- Relevant experience
- Scope of work
- Exclusions
- Price
- Price validity period
- Square footage
- Tools used
- Type of finish
- Protection details
- Pay close attention to the clients served in the past, types of projects worked on, references, reviews, exclusions, and licenses
Any home or business construction project requires the right budget and strategy. And the partnerships you establish are just as crucial. Choosing the right contractor can significantly impact the price, timeline, and quality of work you receive.
When you’ve installed a new concrete floor for a commercial space or at home, you need the best contractor out there to help with polishing, sealing, or coating. Once you’ve reached out to local contractors with a request for proposals, you’ll start to see the bids pour in.
What should you look for? Here are some important considerations when finding the right fit.
Elements of a contractor bid
A contractor bid is just like an offer, only many contractors may be submitting them to compete for your job. The bid summarizes how the contractor will handle the project, information about their business and experience, a breakdown of the expenses involved, the project timeline, and the final cost of working together.
Remember: Bids are different from estimates. Bids are considered firm offers and estimates are more basic calculations of what a project might cost. However, after a bid has been accepted, there’s usually room for negotiation if one party has concerns or needs that weren’t initially addressed.
So, what’s in a bid? These elements are typically included:
- Basic business information about the contractor: Business name and contact information, years in operation, licensures, and the like
- Relevant past projects and experience: Previous clients and similar project experience
- Scope of work: Approach to completing the project, including services provided, tools and labor used, deliverables, and the timeline for the work
- Any exclusions: Services or deliverables that are not included in the bid
- Price: Cost of the project, including breakdowns for equipment, materials, labor, and overhead, based on the desired profit margin
- How long the proposed price is applicable: The period of time the offer and price are valid
These pieces make up most types of contractor bids. There are, however, a few components particular to concrete polishing projects. In these instances, you should also expect to see these more specific details in your bids:
- Square footage of the job
- Tools used for polishing or sealing
- Type of finish (gloss level and aggregate exposure class)
- Grouting (who and how to determine if necessary) and protection (before and after completion)
- Staining or coloring, including color selection
- Other specifics about materials or deliverables
Because the bid should be treated like a final offer, make sure the bids submitted include every service you need to get your project completed. And keep in mind, a lower price doesn’t always mean that contractor can deliver the level of service you need.
What to watch for in a concrete polishing bid
Of course, you want to make sure the proposed timeline and price work realistically with your plans. Otherwise, you’re setting both yourself and the contractor up for confusion, and possibly even failure.
But beyond those details, what’s most important to pay attention to in a concrete contractor bid?
Research the contractor’s work history and certifications
First, if the bid includes past projects and clients, do a little research. Look up the companies or clients to make sure they’re legitimate. It helps if the contractor includes specific details that reveal they’ve met all schedule and budget requirements in the past. They should show you a history of tasks and projects they’ve completed on time, proving their reliability and commitment.
Make sure you have information about the types of licenses or certifications the contractor has. Their license needs to be up to date, and they must have the proper insurance protections in place before you hire them.
One easy way you can accomplish this step is to ask for references. Contractors provide contact information for people or companies you can reach out to for more information about their past projects and services. It goes a long way toward your project’s success if the contractor has experience working on the same type of concrete project as yours.
You may also want to check out the contractor’s customer service approach. Call them up or send out an email to see what their response times are like and how friendly they are. Read online reviews and testimonials – these details can make a big difference when it comes time to working with the contractor for an extended period.
Track what’s included in the bid and the associated costs
In the scope of work, don’t forget to pay attention to what’s excluded, too. For instance, maybe a contractor will provide polishing work but not joint sealant services. You don’t want to forego a service you need, only to have to hire someone else to do it later.
A great tool for evaluation is a scope comparison sheet. This can be done with a simple spreadsheet with the details listed in the first column and the competing contractors’ proposed price for each. If a contractor has excluded a service needed, make sure to add the cost of having another contractor complete the effort. Total the columns, ensuring there are no blanks.
Another good practice is to get pricing for optional or potential costs up front before they arise. These include grouting, staining, repair of divots or defects, patching, crack and joint treatments, or a return trip to final buff the floor prior to completion. Waiting until the middle of the project to learn these cost create a hostage feeling that leaves no one happy.
Why work with Concreate on your project?
The tough part is over. After reviewing all the bids, you can select the contractor you feel most comfortable working with that checks all the boxes for your concrete project. Now you’ll have the chance to lock down all the terms of the project in a formal contract.
When you need help with your prepping, grinding, staining, or polishing project, we’re ready to help at Concreate. We can help you finish your floor at a great price and in a timely manner.
Our industry experts have decades of experience working with concrete, and we do everything but pour it. We focus on delivering customized services to meet your needs, on your timeline. We deliver services to clients in D.C., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee, and we work on both residential and commercial projects.
Contact the team at thisisconcrete.com to learn more about our concrete services and expertise.