Way Underbid

We had a very large job (around 10,000sqf) we bid and we were "Promised" as soon as the funding was approved we would get it! Well while we were waiting on the funding we did all kinds of miscellaneous jobs some small ones for free and some bigger ones for dirt cheap even working after hours (wasnt my idea) just so we could ensure we get the big one! When it became time for the funding to be approved and begin the work we find out we were out bid and they already signed a contract with someone else who will install 8MIL ATTACHED FOR $5 A FOOT! The way I figure he's only making pennies a foot unless he is working by himself or not using the promised product! I don't know who I want to wish I could legally punch: the guy in charge of the building, the lowball tinter, or my soon to be former boss! I can't remember the last time I was this P.O.!

BTW it was for a local government building

Hate to hear the bad news dude, hang in there

Thanks! it definetly ruined my winter

Keep pluggin dude, it will get better

that sucks dude, maybe one day in the near future the film reps will set some mandatory price guidelines to stop all this lowballing! Probably not, but it would be nice.

Government buildings always seem hard to get....

I know a couple of guys who have bid on big government jobs...and they never got em.

I bid on the new Federal Courthouse over here last year and that was just a waste of time. Spent hours measuring and crap, and then they just went with some type of blinds! Damn

you win some..you lose some..sux this is the way it happens ..but try to learn from your mistakes.

good advice ther dude....who pmed and told you to post that

We got asked to make a bid on a Government contract once, when they learned the business was no longer owned by a woman and that the new owner was a white man, they were no longer interested in taking our bid.

or do film reps/manu's taken our potential jobs

i thought gov sec film jobs wanted 12mill secured

depends on the branch/location

It was local Gov. on some kind of FEMA grant. That is Federal Gov I believe your thinking of.

I like the idea about set prices by the manufacturer. Maybe if enough people raise hell they will set them. Could be a double edged sword though.

Wouldn't price fixing be illegal

If someone want's to bid real low, stress out, work their azz off to make a small amount of money, loose even more money due to poor installs and redos by under paid and under trained installers, then have at it.

Understand your pain, same thing happened to us but with 27k squares to be installed.

You business needs to be a minority or double minority to even stand a chance on getting a gov. job. Hire some mexicans and you'll have a better chance next time.
I think we missed out on a 5k sq. ft. job, they basically said the job was ours on their next quarter but now they don't return our calls

Yes.....Price fixing is illegal! However there could be MAP ( minimum advertised price ) put into effect, but that will never happen in this industry.

This depends on the hazard rating... Most of them in my area only require 8 mil with 1/2" or 3/4" bead, but I'm in Michigan. We obviously don't need protection against natural disasters, only blast protection.

Yikes... Damn lowballers, sell the product and your company, not just a price. Theres plenty of work for us

Man, I don't think it's funny at all, what if they told you that you couldn't bid because you are hispanic? That would be worldwide news wouldn't it?

I'm with you on that chit TD, I see that kind of crap all the time. Affirmative action is bull chit, the white male is now the oppressed individual in the work place these days and people think it funny or a joking matter! It doesn't matter how much you know, or what experience you have, if you are a white male your screwed, they gotta make the (Quota). Now I do realise that this does not happen on every job, but to have such laws in effect is ludicrous. These are my opinions only and do not reflect on this site in any manner!

I agree, nothing to laugh about or make fun of

i know for certain i havent gotten some jobs because im hispanic. but what can i do? i have no proof, no witnesses. same thing goes with White issue, because you guys didnt get the job because the owner was white? what made you get that assumption? did they say you guys didnt get the job because the new is white? . If they did then you could of had a case. If you got that impression which is what im trying to say in my first sentence.

There is a law in this country that is called Affirmative Action that states that a company or corporation must have X number or % of employees that are (women,of color, or minority). Tinting is a sideline for me as I work at a chemical plant producing TiO2 as a full time job. I have worked there since 1991 and do not have enough fingers and toes to use t o count the # of under qualified employees they have hired and tried to train over the years that did not work out, wasting the companies money because of Affirmative Action! I started as a helper back in 1991 and have worked my way through the ranks into management, so I do know that these statements are true! I am not saying this is true 100% of the time in all situations but the laws are there. What laws are there to protect me from reverse discrimination, if a (White) elected official would have called for a (Vanilia) city instead of Ray Nagan calling for a (Chocolate) city there would have been rioting in the street! JMO

Oh, you have misunderstood my friend, we weren't allowed to even BID on the job, it's not like we bid and then suspected that something was wrong.

The business was previously owned by a woman, that's the only reason they called us and asked for a bid, at some point it came up that she was no longer the owner, so they asked what color and gender the new owner was, i kid you not, they point blank told us that they were only accepting bids from female and 'minority' owned businesses.

Sorry you misunderstood.

No, cause it would'nt be price fixing just like the people who sell car parts they set the price and everyone agrees on the price you can either sell it for what it cost you and you make nothing or sell it higher like everyone eles does. That's why you see call for prices to low to print. Perfectly legal film manu's say nothing less than 5.00 per sq installed if you want to use our film.

that horror story is quite common these days...reminds me of when i tinted a 25 story structure subcontracting for this dude that sat on the iwfa ethics commitee. well, long story short...i never got the nugget he promised if i tinted this horror 25 story skyscraper legacy tower remodel. i really wanted this gem of a flatglass job that this same "ethics" guy undercut everyone on by over a buck a square.

so much for promises...especially from the ethicals. >aint that right dave...if yer still around which i seriously doubt

I just recently found out the same guy took another job from me. According to the customer he took the deposit and never came back, and when they finally got a check back it was short $50 and it bounced! This job was only 70 sqf. I'm starting to wonder if he's a m*th addict. I've seen a few installers in this area with that kind of problem.

Let this be a lesson to the customers who enjoy the lowest price.

I just don't understand why our government works this way And why can minorities come to the US and our tax money grants them $90k to start a business that they don't have to pay back F'ed up chit

If your white Cleveland is the best for government jobs. No kidding, the white contractors buy out the minority bid winners and do the job and jack up the price with over runs. The mayor and Forest city development have been caught many times but nothing ever gets done about it I'm the only double minority owner of a tint business here and I have never been invited to bid on government jobs even though it's the law it just doesn't happen Which is fine I wouldn't want to deal with them corrupt jokers anyways but to get to a job over skin color is just wrong, I would want the best not what ever is cheaper and because of someones skin color.
What minorities come here and get money without having to pay it back?

Mabye it's the child labor people putting the hex on ya


J/K, I agree that it should be the BEST, MOST QUALIFIED person for the job, not skin color or gender, but until we get rid of people like ol' Rev. Al, and Rev. Jessie, who ALWAYS PULL the race card no matter what the situation, things will never change

Yes sir, the truth shall set you free!

1) Vietnamese/Laotian
2) Cuban
3) Haitian
4) Any other race/nationality from a country that our government has deemed a regime that violates human rights, and are political refugees.

When they first started bringing the Vienamese refugees here, most were fishermen. So our gov't subsidized them with NEW boats, extended fishing rights, exemptions from fishing regs, etc. All the while american fishermen were struggling to keep thier boats floating, and the notes paid on them. There were actually small "Wars" fought between the Viets and Americans along the gulf coast back in the '80s. Cajun might remember those. Alot went down in Louisiana. We had a few "skirmishes" in the Keys too.
It really sucks when our government takes better care of refugees than our own citizens. This coming from a minority business owner!
Cubans can stay with automatic immunity if they make it to dry land. Hatians are still sent back regardless, but the ones here illegally can get benefits like welfare, preferred treatment for loan applications etc. that normally would be reserved for American citizens. All this crap being spread around about the "violation of the constitutional rights of illegals" just pisses me off! Our Constitution is applicable to U.S. citizens only. WE have rights guaranteed by OUR constitution. Illegals have basic human rights, but in no way do they have rights under our constitution, nor should an illegal be eligible under our laws for ANY welfare, government aid, or ANY PROGRAM that an American citizen is not eligible for, or would be denied. Our citizens need to be FIRST on any list of aid or assistance. Christ, we pay farmers NOT to plant crops. WHY?

Well guys it makes me feel better knowing that the Uk is not the only country fooked by P.C Laws supporting immagrants

I feel the same way 100%, more people in our government need to grow some sac and do the right thing!

HEY TINTLIFE,
WHAT PART OF FLORIDA R U IN?

Fort Walton/Destin.