commercial filter change outs

[carman]

I have recently been asked to take over some large pm work on commercial bldgs. I am trying to put a bid together on just air filter replacements. I have lost previous bids due to not knowing what the average formula is for this type of work. Any help would be appreciated to keep my business competetive. What is the formula for such a large job? 100 + package and split systems.

[HVAC dawg]

My last job was doing commercial PM's, Stapels, Office Max were some of our customers and I would have between 8-10 RTU's.

[acwizard]

PM work should not be done without making a profit. Determine your filter costs, labor, overhead and profit. Every job location presents itself with different challenges, adjust your price accordingly. Do not worry about losing a job because another company was less expensive, charge what you need to stay in business.

[OhioTech]

I have several contracts that I sub to air filter service companies. I can not win the bid by using my skilled labor ,to change filters. I have built a relationship with these subs. The relationship has given me more mechanical opportunities.

[flange]

A contract that only includes filter replacements isnt a value add to the end user, unless as a part of an overall inspection contract. pricing should not be done using a formula, or you can lose your ass. you need to be cognizant of access, storage, trash removal, sizes and type of filters required, etc. some jobs, for example may have two or more sets of filters in a single large unit depending upon service. bidding it with throwaway filters only will cost you.

[GT Jets]

A contract that only includes filter replacements isnt a value add to the end user, unless as a part of an overall inspection contract. pricing should not be done using a formula, or you can lose your ass. you need to be cognizant of access, storage, trash removal, sizes and type of filters required, etc. some jobs, for example may have two or more sets of filters in a single large unit depending upon service. bidding it with throwaway filters only will cost you.


I totally agree here....:yes:

Having young apprentices or tradesman do these types of jobs does two things...


One; it adds value to the customer by utilizing the "one stop shop" mentality allowing the mechanical contractor an opportunity to have one of their people "get their hands" on the equipment on a scheduled basis and evaluate their condition while changing out the consumable items (belts and filters). This makes repairs happen before there is actually a failure.

Two; it gets a young apprentice's or tradesman's ears wet, allowing both your company and the young'n to grow....without growth, you are not sustainable.

Formulas are for "armchair" sales people who use Google Earth to quote jobs....Not a good practice to get into. Take the hour and make a site visit to do an actual survey and get an idea of the potential challenges.:.02:

The headache it will save will be your own.:whistle:

GT

[Gunn427]

You have to sell service not only the filter change. By having Qualified techs inspecting and assessing the equipment at least quarterly you'll save the client money and decrease nuisance calls (you'll have already had the opportunity to make repairs).I've had some industrial contacts for over twenty years and eighty percent of repairs are done during scheduled maintenance. It helps that in Ontario the last tech that lays a wrench on the equipment becomes responsible for a safe operating condition (liable) This forces all registered contractors to quote qualified technicians. Lots of fines for companies running low wage filter changers.:.02:

[ZeroTolerance]

Ya, its hard tedious labor cleaning these units. I don't enjoy doing it one bit. A good cleaning and PM job should take you an hour to hour and half per unit on smaller 10ton units (if you do a thorough job) I can't charge my typical repair rate cause bigger companies have specific people for PM jobs and therefore can charge less than the avg $/hr

[Gunn427]

Ya, its hard tedious labor cleaning these units. I don't enjoy doing it one bit. A good cleaning and PM job should take you an hour to hour and half per unit on smaller 10ton units (if you do a thorough job) I can't charge my typical repair rate cause bigger companies have specific people for PM jobs and therefore can charge less than the avg $/hr
If you have to cut your charge out try and offer them the savings in exchange for a longer term. We offer 1,2and 3 year contracts with appropriate discounts.
Remember if your there for full days, the trucks not rollin costing fuel etc. It's a fine line and it helps if you have the opportunity to sell them on that the filter change is a small part of the "thorough service" your going to provide. If you under quote the first year just try and get an increase in the second. Beside it won't be that bad cleaning units in that Texas sunshine, I may just quote it myself,, been a long winter:grin2:

[hvacpope]

the way I see it PM contracts are nothing but the opportunity to have access to the equipment and make real profits repairing or replacing, there is not money in filter changing alone, you could try hiring a couple of monkeys (MES) for PM's only but sooner or later one takes a dive from the roof or forgets to screw the units panels sending the building occupants to the hospital with a bad case of CO poisoning and just like that all your profits disappear. it happens more than you think.they are called MESS for a reason:grin2:

[Skip1]

GT Jets I agree with you 100 percent. When I started HVAC I performed hundreds of residential and commercial PMs. Being a service guy is more that repairing or replacing a unit. You have to obtain some people skills along the way! I learned so much from that experience, plus in S. Texas if it ain't really hot or really cold, you probably ain't working unless is some type of scheduled maintenance or replacement. PMs might not fit some companies business model but its something to think about. I like the idea of service contracts to keep your customers locked in.

[zw17]

We sub out filter service out to a filter only service company.

It wouldn't be fair to the customer to charge even our lowest labor rate to change filters.

That and we have so many customers under contract that we would need to hire another fleet of guys just to do filter changes. I bet we could keep 4-6 guys busy year round with just filter replacement.

[MUNC]

just filters are nothing more than drive by's (impo) The last company i worked for had a few of those accounts. one i had i got 3 hrs to replace filters on twenty three RTU's on four differant roof top levels, all with seperate roof accesses. Don't know of any formula on how to get so screwed on time. I say always take the time to do the proper survey and know the proceedures the tech has to go throgh to get the job done( parking,access,security check in ect.ect.)

[GT Jets]

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[GT Jets]

We sub out filter service out to a filter only service company.

It wouldn't be fair to the customer to charge even our lowest labor rate to change filters.

That and we have so many customers under contract that we would need to hire another fleet of guys just to do filter changes. I bet we could keep 4-6 guys busy year round with just filter replacement.

I guess I am dense, because your there already, you will be opening the access doors on the equipment, you already stated you could hire more peeps....

Where is the downside again? On large filter accounts, we literally have the filter company deliver the filters to the site.

We have some accounts that have over thirty cases of filters delivered every quarter. That account is a money making MOFO....The customer could not be happier, we are there every quarter, the filters are always clean and they very seldom have an unexpected failure...Plus they don't have to let any other contractor on the roof, so it saves them grief as well (secured facility).

I guess I am failing to see the logic, maybe for your specific area it works out, but here, it makes total sense to be all inclusive.:.02:

GT

[zw17]

I guess I am dense, because your there already, you will be opening the access doors on the equipment, you already stated you could hire more peeps....

Where is the downside again? On large filter accounts, we literally have the filter company deliver the filters to the site.

We have some accounts that have over thirty cases of filters delivered every quarter. That account is a money making MOFO....The customer could not be happier, we are there every quarter, the filters are always clean and they very seldom have an unexpected failure...Plus they don't have to let any other contractor on the roof, so it saves them grief as well (secured facility).

I guess I am failing to see the logic, maybe for your specific area it works out, but here, it makes total sense to be all inclusive.:.02:

GT

As it was explained to me from upper management after I brought it up in a meeting about being the perfect job for 1st year apprentices and a money maker for the company...

By the time you pay for a truck, insurance, and gas for that truck and...

Pay for the employee, health insurance, retirement, and dues...

It is much easier and cheaper to hire a contractor that pays his guys $8-10/hr and pays his own gas, insurance, etc...

Our 1st years don't stay at the $8-10/hr range very long.

Yes, for my customers I will be at every unit at least twice a year but between picking up, hauling up, installing, and cleaning up you are taking about hours of labor for filters. I also have accounts where they get weekly filter changes and I do not have time for that.

We are a major mechanical co. and we charge accordingly, so like I said before... Even at our cheapest labor rate it wouldn't be fair to the customer.