If you are a concrete contractor and have been asked to bid on a project with an HOA, then this blog post is for you. There are some important steps that need to be taken before the bidding process even starts. This article will walk you through what those steps are so that your experience can go smoothly from start to finish!

As your business starts to grow and become well-known in the community, you will be invited to bid on bigger projects.  It’s a necessary part of growing a business beyond just small concrete jobs and requires some careful planning and preparation aside from the concrete work.

The first step you want to take is to meet with the HOA board or a committee member.  Meeting with them before submitting your bid helps to make sure you are clear about what they expect and how much money is available for the project.

This is your opportunity to make a great impression.  Make sure you come prepared with questions to ask and any feedback you have about their plans that may improve them or any items you feel may be problematic.  Being proactive and offering professional advice can help build trust from the outset.  You will want to go over details such as: what type of concrete, color, size of slabs thickness, length of edges and any other questions you may have.

You then want to find out if there are any  additional requirements for things that are specific to that homeowner’s association that you will have to incorporate into your bidding process.

Let them know that you will be able to submit three quotes based on their specifications so that they can choose whichever one best suits their budget.  It’s really important not to leave this step out! One way you could do this is by sending each estimate separately after meeting with them beforehand – don’t ask them which  one they want.

The last step is to make sure you have all of the correct information – this can include, but is not limited to: an accurate address for where you will be working on site; a list of any and all materials that are needed, including how much there should be in total; and what hours your team will work each day.

The crew over at Sacramento Concrete Patios and Driveways also suggest that there are other details you want to be clear about as well.  Parking tends to be at a premium in condominium or townhouse complexes, so you’ll want to make sure they identify what spots will be available for your crew and arrange for securing passes for everyone that will need one.

You’ll likely be on the job site on multiple days since concrete driveways, concrete walkways or other concrete areas in a large location will be blocked off as the work gets completed.  Make sure you map out the exact areas that will be worked on for specific dates so the homeowner’s association can communicate to the community members who will be impacted.

You only get one chance at making a first impression with homeowners associations, so it’s important that everything goes smoothly from start to finish when working through these six steps. It may seem like extra work up front but it’ll save time and money in the long term!