Coaching call excerpt where Nick describes slow, time-consuming landscape estimates (measuring with Google Earth, delayed follow-ups). Mike Andes advises prioritizing speed over precision when scaling, entering estimate data on-site, ballparking material quantities, and sending estimates quickly so the estimator can follow up and sell the job. He also recommends adding an "E fee" (estimate fee) — suggested $20–$30 per line item — to monetize estimating time and improve mindset.
Chapters
Okay. And then in terms of. So.
For. So right now, in terms of like me saying estimates and stuff, I find it takes me like so long to do like especially my project, like that landscape and project estimates. I don't have command center sending them out for me yet because I find. Because when I'm so my understanding, like if I would have command center sending them out, it'd be essentially like right after the estimate I write in the comments in the truck. Right. Whereas for me, it's like usually I come back, I wait till I get home down the computer. Usually I have to calculate some square footage with Google Earth and all that. It's like that whole process that takes me a while. So I don't know if you just have tips on how to do them faster because it takes me forever to do the quotes.
Yeah.
So calculation and all that.
Yeah. So like it's going to come with confidence in doing it a lot. Right. Like you're starting. You got several months now under your belt of really being a substantial business. And it's going to come over the next few months where you start getting faster at those and realizing that speed is more important than precision when you're growing as fast as you are. Right. And some people would disagree with that. But when you're growing as fast as you are and that is what you want to be doing, that's the goal. You got to realize that there's going to be some waste and. And you're gonna have to start ballparking things a little bit more when it comes to like materials, for example, because in three months, even this past year, you can easily look at a piece of a flower bed. Like you can know within a yard of how much it's going to need. Like if it's 8 or 9 yards, right. You know, like, hey, if I go 10, it's gonna be like I'm leftover, for example. There's no reason to go home and spend 20 minutes getting the square footage or even five minutes. Right. I'd rather you do it at the property and get it to the. Get them. Get the estimate to the person six hours sooner. But because you have to wait. Otherwise you go measure them on Google Earth at home. Now, now it's the evening, right. So my. The goal, the goal is for that way we. Number one, when you're as the estimator that you're faster on just putting together what the materials are and things and not overthinking that process. And then two is how to get to the customer as soon as possible. And that is you entering the data on site. And that when that evening rolls around, instead of you putting together the estimate, you're answering follow up questions and selling the job. Right? Yeah, that's the goal. So that way they've had a chance to look at the estimate, they've had a question, and then you get to it that evening, and you're selling the job instead of now. It's the next day. Right. So it's just a time thing. And honestly, a lot of that's gonna come with just kind of like, for example, when you send me videos and I do the estimate, that's literally me watching that video one time and just. Just going for it. Right. Knowing that you're. I'm gonna be a yard or two off. I might be an hour or two off. But, like, the speed is the most important thing. And right now your. Your time is so valuable every. Cause every minute that you're not doing that estimate, you could be working right now. Right. And so just think of it as, hey, if I. If I spend 30 minutes less doing this estimate, like, I could theoretically make $50 more. Right. So think of it like that. And then honestly, too, Nick, if this fall gets crazy, like, if you've been getting a bunch of mowing estimates and it starts getting crazy with landscaping jobs and you get booked out, I wouldn't be opposed to you adding an E fee. Do you already have one?
Yeah. No. So I don't add the E fees right now.
So. Yeah. Like, because we know that growth is not necessarily in the equation next to three months, I would say it would help your mindset too, in terms of, you know, feeling like you're not creating revenue for the business when you go out and do estimates is just simply charging EFI. Even if that's 20 or 30 bucks per line item.
Yeah.
Because then you feel like, okay, yeah, I'm leaving my job right now, but I'm gonna go make, you know, $60 if I can sell two line items on a landscaping project. It doesn't feel so bad for you. Yeah.
Yeah, for sure. Okay. And then. Yeah. So kind of in line with that.
