Starting an estimate Bidding is all about covering all the cost with the least amount of money. It is easy to come up with a price that will cover the cost of a project. The hard part is being low on bid day and still making money. It all starts in the planning stage and that’s where your company has to excel. You must learn to install work in your area for the current market price. The bid isn’t just about the cost itself. You cannot survive by being the low bidder on every project. You submit bids to get in the game and establish how easy it is to work with your company and how good of a job that you do. A lot rests on your company’s reputation in the industry, so make sure that your company is one of the leaders in your community and in your field. Having high standards and a good work ethic will go a long way in being the choice of many contractors and owners. The word is spread easily and quickly. If the customer is happy, they tell one person, but if they are unhappy, they tell five people. All buildings will need some type of electrical work at some point in time, creating a possible quote situation. The person that prepares this price is called an estimator.