Every contractor knows the trap: you pour hours into an estimate, walk the job with your trades, do all the planning — and then lose the bid to a cheaper guy. So where's the line between free work and paid work?
In this Coaching Cuts episode, Clark tackles one of the questions he gets asked most: how much should you do for free, and when do you start charging? The answer is the pre-construction due diligence line item — and this is how you build it, price it, and sell it.
Clark breaks down:
What belongs in a free estimate vs. paid due diligence
How to build a 90% estimate before you ever ask for a dime
Why the due diligence line item eliminates change orders and protects the client
The deliverables that make your due diligence worth every dollar — selections, Gantt charts, finalized numbers
How to get ballpark trade pricing without wasting your subs' time
The strategic free work (like a surprise Gantt chart) that wins you the job
How to price due diligence based on the size and complexity of the project
Why locking a client into due diligence gives you the room to truly impress them
If you're tired of giving away your best work for free and watching jobs walk, this is the episode that draws the line.
🚧 2027 Growth Conference — Austin, TX | Jan 10–12. Two days diving deep into your company — what's working, what's broken — ending with your 2027 blueprint. Day 3: hands-on electives like financial management and estimate writing to make it real. Early Bird (very limited): 30% off + 3 hotel nights covered. Sign up at contractorcuts.com
Contractor Cuts is a weekly podcast for contractors who want to build a better business — covering sales, operations, hiring, finances, and everything in between.
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