Working as a subbie on larger scale projects that have a tendering process can be a little overwhelming.
Subcontractor tenders are relatively straight forward for the most part as it usually requires submitting a quote or estimate.
We’ve got a number of benefits for our subscribed members when it comes to finding tenders and builder details. EstimateOne is designed to help you out in finding your next construction tender.
Why do you need to respond to tenders?
We won’t get into the nitty gritty of what a tender is (because we’ve already done it here) because at this point you’re ready to submit your tender response, quote or estimate.
There are always head contractors looking for subcontractor quotes everyday and while you may not always get the job, getting in front of the head contractors more regularly and making a good impression is how you win in the end.
Using our notice board
If you haven’t already used EstimateOne before, you’re in for a treat. We’ve made the tender filtering and organisation process so much easier for you.
We’ve got all subbies covered in every imaginable trade from carpentry, swimming pools, electrical, metalwork, asbestos removal, all the way to caulking and more. You name it, we’ve got you covered.
Work in a niche trade? We’ve got you sorted as well. Just type in your trade in the search bar and we’ll show you every project where it’s been mentioned within the documentation.
We’re here to give you the opportunity to hone in on your niche and sell yourself to the guys that matter (the head contractors with the big dollar jobs)!
So what are we looking at here you ask? Well, below is a snapshot of what your notice board looks like once you have a full membership with us. Looks good right?
Up top, you can click through the tabs to look at tenders, invitations and requests, quotes, watchlist, directory, team and of course your settings. Pretty intuitive once you’re in there.
Then, that wonderful list of jobs below is where you can see the tenders. As a member, you’ll have access to all open, awarded and closed tenders.
Tender/project filtering
We’ve liaised with every possible person when it comes to tenders to really give you exactly what you need in one place.
Below you’ll see more of a narrowed filter option on your notice board.
Here, you can do everything from searching by budget, trade, distance (including from your office or simply state or national), category, when it was awarded and whether it has documents available (just hit more filters).
Once you have the list in front of you, you can also play around with the below toggles to get what you need.
Perhaps you want the jobs where quotes are due soon? In that instance, you would toggle the Quote Due heading to see which head contractors have their tender responses due the soonest and who would may be ready for your quote ASAP.
Organising your work
The interest filter is where the fun happens. If you feel like you’re overwhelmed with all the quotes and projects flying around, your life is about to get ten times easier.
When you are looking through tenders, simply tag the project as one of the interest levels from not interested to quoting and more, and you’ll then be able to filter these later on (thank us later when you’re rolling in jobs).
Think of it as your own digital book of jobs where all the paperwork, details and everything have been organised in one place for you.
Honestly, we could sit here all day and tell you the great features and access to builders we can provide to you, but we recommend you sign up for a free subbie account first to check it out for yourself.
Tap into your networks
As a subbie, you always need to think of your network with every interaction you have to find your next construction job. You’ll see once you are signed up that we do have a builder’s directory with all the details of most head contractors across Australia.
Even though we do have that for you to tap into when you need, nothing beats the personal relationships you build over time with head contractors.
You should always find your niche, that is, where you fit into the wider industry. What’s your specialty? What makes you better than the rest?
Then, your job is to sell that, and sell it hard. Your enthusiasm and strong knowledge of your specialty will impress the right builders and keep you in mind for future.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep in touch with them along the way. In this case it is both about what you know and who you know.
We recommend checking out our articles on our insights blog tips for quotes, tender processes and more to help you with your next job.