Are you having trouble organizing your job proposals or lacking luster? Do you have everything in order before you send out the final bid? Let’s go over what you will include in every job proposal so that you do not forget something when it’s too late.

Get those job proposals out as quickly as possible to prevent forgetting lost details. I talk more about job proposal tips here. To begin, state the problem at hand or what the client called you out to look at. Give details about the site and observations made. Include any concerns the client noted. (This shows them you understand their pain points and were listening.) When you write the bid, work through the whole process in your head. Second, write the process down as if you were explaining it to a crew leader on how you want it constructed. You can divide these points into bullet points for easier reading. For example:

Sample description in the Job Proposals for Landscapers

 

State the problem:
Before the proposed work, a lack of proper drainage exists between the back of the house and the retaining wall behind the house. Surface water collects in this area during rainstorms. The water has nowhere to go and therefore is saturating into the ground in this area. This saturation has caused efflorescence to start showing on the inside of the cinder block in the basement.

Solution:
The most efficient solution is a combination of a French drain and a river stone dry bed.

1. The river stone dry bed will start at the edge of the lawn (near the driveway and end of the house). Here, it will accept all groundwater and channel the surface water along the base of the existing stone wall approximately 63 ft. to an existing drain basin (at the edge of the driveway).
2. This drain will be about two ft. wide and 8-12” deep and dug with a mini track hoe. It will funnel the water downhill, back into ta drain basin that is currently installed by the driveway. This drain basin will carry the water away.
3. At the same point where the dry river bed starts, the French drain will start in the opposite direction, but closer to the house carrying out 90 ft. long. Just past the end of the house, the French drain will drop to a depth of 3 feet. Then, we will convert this into a solid 6-inch drain line. A 60 feet drain line will be installed across the lawn (dropping to 4 ft. below the surface) to a nearby bank to drain.
4. We will staple the landscape fabric to the inside and bottom of the French drain trench.
5. A six-inch base of gravel will line the bottom of the French Drain. Next, will be a perforated socked pipe.
6. Subsequently, ¾” crushed washed gravel will be used as backfill surrounding the pipe diameter and provide primary support against lateral pipe deformation. This gravel will come to the top of the surface and left exposed for drainage.
7. The downward slope of the drain will be a 3” drop for every 10’ of length.
8. We will connect two downspouts coming from the house to this drain system through solid 4” drain pipes. These pipes will extend the water for the house, to the 6” solid drain lines.
9. The remaining soil excavated from the trenches will be deposited in the lower backyard and leveled out with the tractor.
10. As a result of all the excavating, the lawn will be damaged in many areas. To restore the lawn, we will aerate and sow the lawn with tall fescue seed. We will apply fertilizer and straw to help enhance germination and growth.

These details ensure you leave nothing out in the process and helps construct the material list. Make all things clear for the client. The job proposal description will give them an understanding of the process involved.
Third, include the labor, materials list, quantities, pricing, equipment rentals, and delivery costs if you choose to be that transparent. Include equipment that you will be using in the description.

Extra information in the Job Proposals

Yay You

Once your job proposal lists the details, descriptions, and price, you can include countless items to elevate your position as the most qualified for this job. Include a separate sheet of your credentials and any awards you’ve received. List the associations and accreditations or certifications you hold.

Include links to the company website, social media, testimonials and review sites. Include a link to any case studies on the website. Attach a recent newsletter for them to get to know the company better.

What to Include or Not

A list of terms, conditions, and guarantees can be on the list in the job proposal too. Emphasize and highlight your warranties and guarantees.  Give them the link and reference to their particular job instance. What’s “not” included can also be listed on this sheet.

Timeline

People like to know what day the job will start and end date and what time the crews will arrive each day. Make that information available and be informative, before and during the job installation. Add a deadline to receive the job proposal signed with a nonrefundable deposit to book on the calendar.

Pictures

Include drawings, sketches, and pictures to give the client a visual of what it will look like when completed. What you have in your head, may not be what the client envisions. It’s best to make it clear.

Contact information

Include in every contract a way to get in touch with you. Add an email address, mailing address and phone number for easy access in the cover letter, header or footer of the document.

In the opening cover letter, thank the potential client for the opportunity to meet and access their landscape issues. Add a personal note and proceed with the job details above. End with another word of thanks and a call to action (what you want them to do next).

Sign the Job Proposals Using Digital Signatures

Use a digital signature cloud-based company to send the document. Send a separate invoice with a request for a deposit paid through your CRM, banking system or QuickBooks Online. Make it easy for them to accept the proposal and send back. Give instructions in the document on what the client needs to do next and how to proceed with getting their job proposal on the calendar. At last, let them know you will follow up and when.

With these pieces of the puzzle in place, your job proposals will include everything you need to get the information to your prospective client. A professional look will also boost your acceptance rate. People want to get excellent service, and this is a great place to activate the relationship with you.

If you need help compiling a template for your job proposals, give me a call. I can put together a package or template with your terms, conditions, guarantees, credentials with links for an all-star job proposal.