The ProfitDig Blog

Insights, strategies, and news for the modern contractor.

Professional bids
Job Bidding

What Your Bid Says About You (and How to Make It Look Professional)

A bid is not just a price. It is a message about your business. When a client looks at your bid, they are asking themselves a simple question. Can I trust this contractor? Many small contractors put together bids in a rush. Maybe it is a few numbers on a sheet of paper. Maybe it […]

October 3, 2025
Math mistakes
Job Bidding

The 5-Minute Math Mistake That Can Sink a Job

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 […]

September 26, 2025
Stop bidding on napkinss
Career

Why Your “Back of the Napkin” Bids Are Costing You Money

Ever finish a bid on the back of a napkin at lunch? A couple of quick numbers, add a little padding, and boom – you’ve got a “bid.” It feels fast. It feels easy. It also feels like you’re working for free half the time. Here’s why those back-of-the-napkin bids are costing you money: 1. […]

September 24, 2025
WTF is an RFI?
Job Bidding

WTH is an RFI? (And Other Letters That Matter)

If you’ve been in construction for more than five minutes, you’ve probably had some fancy acronym tossed your way. Someone sends you paperwork labeled “RFI,” or an owner asks for an “RFP,” and you’re left scratching your head wondering what alphabet soup has to do with pouring concrete. Don’t worry. You’re not alone. A lot […]

September 8, 2025
Fall Bid Prep
Job Bidding

Why Fall is the Best Time to Get Your Bidding Game in Shape

When the long days of summer start to fade and the leaves begin to change, most contractors finally get a chance to catch their breath. The summer rush is often the busiest stretch of the year, with crews running wide open and bids flying out the door. But when fall arrives, things usually slow down […]

September 3, 2025
3 ways to screw up your bid
Blog

3 Ways to Screw Up Your Bids Without Even Trying

Bidding jobs is one of the most important parts of running a construction business. You can be the best builder in the world, but if your bids are wrong, you are going to lose money before you even set foot on the job site. The tricky part is that many contractors screw up bids without […]

August 29, 2025
Bidding Reset
Blog

The End-of-Summer Bidding Reset: Win More Jobs This Fall Without Burning Out

Summer is the grind season. The phone rings nonstop, you throw bids together, and before you know it your calendar is packed. But as summer winds down, things slow just enough to catch your breath. That makes it the perfect time for a bidding reset. If you are like most contractors, your bidding process got […]

August 25, 2025
Construction bidding
Blog

How to Build Better Construction Bids (Without Getting Burned)

New to the construction game and trying to win work? Your bid proposal isn’t just about pricing – it’s your first line of defense against scope creep, lost profit, and future headaches. In this edition of ProfitDig Live, Chris Work, Jeff Spencer, and Jerry Work lay out real-world advice on how to craft solid construction […]

August 12, 2025
Don't blow the bid
Blog

3 Ways to Screw Up Your Bids Without Even Trying

Bidding a job can make or break your business. Get it right, and you profit. Get it wrong, and you’re working for free. Here are three ways contractors mess up bids – without even realizing it. 1. Guessing on Labor Labor is the biggest cost on most jobs. But too many contractors just guess how […]

August 1, 2025
Bidding with spreadsheets
Blog

The Dirty Truth About Bidding Construction Jobs with Spreadsheets

Let’s get something straight – spreadsheets weren’t made for construction. Yeah, Excel can do math. And sure, Google Sheets is free. But if you’re out here bidding jobs with nothing but columns, rows, and prayers… you’re setting yourself up to lose money, time, and probably sleep. Here’s the dirty truth about spreadsheets – and why […]

July 17, 2025
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