Ever bid a job in a hurry? You grab your calculator, punch in some numbers, scribble a few totals, and boom – you’ve got a price. Five minutes later, you’re on to the next thing.
The problem is, one tiny math mistake in that quick calculation can cost you thousands of dollars. Contractors lose money this way every day.
Here’s how it happens:
1. Addition and subtraction errors.
It sounds silly, but we’re human. You’re tired, the phone rings, you’re juggling five things at once. You accidentally add instead of subtract. Or you skip a line in your notes. Suddenly, your profit margin is gone.
2. Multiplication slip-ups.
You meant to multiply labor hours by 8, but you hit 7. Or you estimated material costs for 40 feet when the plan actually calls for 50. Just like that, you’re on the hook for the difference.
3. Hidden decimal disasters.
One wrong decimal place can completely wreck a bid. That $1.25 item you entered as $12.50? Multiply that across a job, and you’re donating money to your client.
4. Garbage in, garbage out.
Even if the math is right, bad assumptions kill bids. If you don’t have accurate costs for labor, equipment, or materials, the whole bid is wrong from the start.
The scary part? You usually don’t realize the mistake until the job is halfway done. By then, it’s too late. You’re either explaining to the client why you need a change order or you’re swallowing the loss.
So how do you protect yourself?
Slow down and use a system that double-checks the math for you.
That’s where ProfitDig comes in. With ProfitDig, you build your cost database once – materials, labor, equipment – and the system does the math every single time. No guessing. No fat-fingered calculator errors. No late-night panic when you realize you left something out.
Instead of risking your business on a five-minute calculation, you’ll have professional, accurate bids you can hand to a client with confidence. And when the job is done, you’ll actually have the profit you planned for.
Bottom line: A five-minute mistake can sink a job. Or you can spend those five minutes in ProfitDig and make sure your business stays afloat.