How much for that stop sign?

[cajun312]

I was talking with my son this weekend, he is a engineer in training for a local civil engineering firm. He asked me how much a high intensity reflective stop sign costs. My Grimco book shows $94.
He was going over the bid sheets for a drainage project in our town and noticed the contractor had quoted $5,700 for one stop sign, pole, and installation........

Worse part about it, the state DOT approved the bid.........

 

[J Hill Designs]

wow. Ive gotten $850 before (same day rush produce install) but that seems a bit high

 

[TXFB.INS]

Need we wonder how the govt. is so far into debt?

 

[CanuckSigns]

something fishy going on there, no way anyone can think it costs that mcuh, I'm guessing some sort of kickback situation.

 

[Rick]

I know the whole 'prevailing wage" thing would drive
up the price of the sign but that seems very excessive.

I imagine if all they had to do was 1 stop sign, then I
could see 1600-1800 depending on the specs, wage
and insurance requirements.

 

[JoeBoomer]

Maybe $300ish for .080 aluminum w/ high intensity reflective. $300 - $600 for post, install, etc.



$300
+$450
========
$5,700 (From my government issued calculator)


Maybe he was adding w/ the metric system instead. Tell him you'll do it for $5,200.

 

[SignManiac]

Yep that was one of my better jobs I bid and got. Went to Vegas as soon as the check cleared.

 

[cajun312]

Louisiana has no prevailing wage laws for city or state work. Newspapers today have a article showing that the contractor went into default.

 

[Mosh]

There has to be more to it. I bid stuff all the time for the government, I get 95% of the jobs I bid cause I just give them the normal price. Everyone else jacks their price up "cause it is for the government"..these same morons are the ones listening to Rush and complaining the "resegm" is spending way too much money....idiots!!!

 

[cajun312]

There has to be more to it. I bid stuff all the time for the government, I get 95% of the jobs I bid cause I just give them the normal price. Everyone else jacks their price up "cause it is for the government"..these same morons are the ones listening to Rush and complaining the "resegm" is spending way too much money....idiots!!!

One of my customers who is also a good friend repairs 18 wheeler trailers. He got a call from Wildlife and Fisheries to take over their trailer repairs from a shop that had gone out of business. He had to get a Bradstreet and Dunn report and other crapola to get paid. His first job was replace wheel bearings and a complete brake job on a low boy trailer. When he gave the boss the bill, he looked at it and said you must have made a mistake, the price is too low.....my customer told him the price was higher than normal because of some off the wall bearings on the trailer, but yes, it was the correct price.
The supervisor told him the previous mechanic was charging twice the price, and if he turned in a lower price, the supervisor would be investigated for the difference in pricing and it would affect his budget for next year.

My customer wouldn't lower the bill, the supervisor told him it was his first and last job for W&F. They have never called him back.

 

[rjssigns]

To add a little fuel to this fire. Dump truck drivers on our highway project start at 37 bucks an hour. This is fact.

The son of a good friend drives dump truck and relayed this tidbit. And folks wonder why federal highway funds will run out shortly.