Preparing an accurate take off is important. It forms the basis of your price. Yet a high number of issues we come across originate with a mistake in the take off.

Most issues originate from either:

• Not understanding the scope; or
• Missing item

With most of the above occurring as a result of a rushed take off.

Many rush the take off process because they are overwhelmed with tenders or have tight tender deadlines & feel that if they don’t supply a bid then they’ll disappoint a the client or risk not being asked to tender for future works.

Whereas the reality can be the opposite.

You risk alienating a client if you win a project & then try to claw back errors made in the take off by being contractual or you risk your own profitability & cash flow by living with the mistakes. If you apply the former approach then the client may not want to work with you again & if you use the latter you may not be around for future work.

Be honest with your clients, if you don’t have capacity to tender tell them. If by not supplying a bid they won’t consider you next time – are these clients you want to work for?

If you don’t have capacity but want to price, outsource the take off. Winning a project based on the right price is a much easier problem to handle.