Restorers know firsthand that scoping can make or break the profitability of a job. You want to make sure you capture all the line items to protect your margins. However, if you miss part of a job, profitability starts to shrink. Here's a few tips on how restoration contractors can keep more money in their pockets when completing estimates.
Processes to Protect Profitability
One of the best ways to protect your margins while scoping is to have a structured process in place for your team to follow. In fact, the more structured your scoping process, the less likely line items will be missed. There are multiple ways that a job can be scoped. Whether you choose to do top-down estimating, order of operations, or the assembly process, be sure to be consistent. This will help your team to know what steps they need to follow when they are on site.
Complete Estimates in the Field
Starting a rough estimate in the field and then finishing it in the office leaves a lot of room for error. Your Project Manager could easily forget a line item or under estimate the work involved. This can negatively affect your bottom line and leave you open to liability.
Instead, complete your estimates in the field as you go through the site. This will help your team capture all the line items, protecting the job from scope creep. Remember that missed items add up quickly and can affect your profitability. Another benefit of completing your estimates on site is it helps streamline your operations as no one has to decipher notes or try and remember all aspects of the job. Plus, a good estimate helps the insurance carrier understand the scope of work that needs to be done, which will be useful when you need to settle with them.
Encircle's Water Mitigation Scoping Tool
To help restorers streamline their estimates while capturing all line items, Encircle has developed a Water Mitigation Scoping Tool. It guides your team as they create an estimate, so that it is already completed before your team leaves the site. Just open the Encircle App to create an accurate estimate in minutes.
Even better, our Water Mitigation Scoping Tool only shows the line items that are applicable to the job, allowing your project manager to breeze through estimates while not missing any potential line items. This will save your team time while allowing you to properly allocate resources for the job. Plus, your team can take photos along the way as they complete the scope, so the insurance carrier gets the ‘full picture’ of what work needs to be done. This transparency will help set your company apart from your competition.
Never miss a line item again! Click the button below to request a free personalized live demo to see how our Water Mitigation Scoping tool can save you time and protect your margins!
