help on a very large coax and catv estimating 1

[SPARX008]

So my company normally installs catv cabling business new or remodel projects. We are bidding on a large headend job in California with over 7000 coax connections. Runs range from 6' to 180'. The company is providing all materials including cabling, end, labels and wire trays will already be installed. This also includes 300 drops for catv with roughly 14000 ft total of catv cable being run. This is all housed in one building and the project is about 9 months long. Any ideas on how to bid as there is no markup in parts and so we don't lose money bidding to low. Our biggest job to date is about 2000 catv runs in a corporate building with call center.

Thanks for your time!

Scott

 

[jrgood0852]

Wait for replies here, but another site that is heavy cable/satelite/dish is this:

http://www.cabl.com/

Make a free login name and post the question here, too. You will get a lot of hits on this site. Thanks.

Always look out for the next guy because it may be you!

 

[Mitch672]

I'm not sure you want to be the "low bidder" for that job. I think without any parts markup, its going to be very difficult to calculate the labor correctly, you'l probably keep your crews working, but I doubt you'd make any money on the overall job. By them supplying everything, they've "taken the goodness out of the job"

Mitch

AVAYA Certified Expert

 

[Mountainbear]

I find it very difficult to calculate time accurately. I would compare your 2000 drop job to what you anticipate this one being, then calculate the per drop price from several large jobs you have already completed. Since the job is 3 1/2 time larger than your largest job you can also figure there will be some unexpected delays and hidden costs that will cost you money so mark up a bit from previous jobs. In the end it realy is a guess. Good luck.