What a flooring proposal needs: the sections GCs scan for

A commercial flooring proposal has to let a GC estimator level your number in about a minute: who you are and which bid it's for, the documents and addenda your price is based on, one clear base bid, separately listed alternates and unit prices, inclusions, exclusions and qualifications, schedule and payment assumptions, how long the price is valid, and a contact who can answer questions. Anything the estimator has to guess gets a plug number — rarely in your favor.

By Michael Reddy, IntelBid

After this lesson you can

Build a proposal with every section a GC looks for
Present base bid, alternates and unit prices so they level cleanly
Decide how much line-item detail to show

Which sections does a flooring proposal need?

Section	What it contains	Why the GC needs it
Header	Your company, project name and location, GC, bid date, proposal number and version	Matching your number to the right bid on a crowded bid day
Basis of bid	Drawing and spec revisions, and every addendum acknowledged by number	Proof you priced the current documents
Base bid	One clear total, with a short scope summary by product code	The number that goes on the bid tab
Breakdown	Products with quantities or areas — as much detail as you choose to share	Checking that your scope covers theirs
Alternates	Each add or deduct alternate, numbered to match the bid form	Owner decisions made after bid day
Unit prices	The rates the bid form asks for, in its units	Additions and deletions after award
Inclusions, exclusions, qualifications	Scope boundaries and assumptions	Leveling now, protection later — see Module 7
Schedule and conditions	Mobilizations, working hours, lead times, submittal timing	What your price assumes about the job
Commercial terms	Payment terms, deposit request, validity period, sales tax statement	Your terms on the record
Contact	Estimator name, direct phone and email	Someone to call at 1:45 PM on bid day

Header
Summit Floors · Flooring proposal, version 2 · Riverside Medical Office, Columbus, OH
Basis of bid
Finish plans and Division 09 specifications · Addenda 1–3 acknowledged
Base bid
$97,145 · carpet tile, LVT, rubber base, transitions and floor prep
Alternates
Alternate 1 — LVT in corridors: add $4,200
Unit prices
Additional floor leveling, per SF · Moisture mitigation above limits, per SF
Inclusions, exclusions, qualifications
Moisture within manufacturer limits · Furniture moving by others · Stated mobilizations
Schedule and terms
Mobilizations and working hours · Payment terms and deposit request · Valid 60 days
Contact
Estimator name, direct phone and email

Every section on one page, using the Riverside Medical Office example from this module. Illustrative.

Keep base bid, alternates and unit prices apart

Never fold an alternate into the base bid. The GC can't take it out, and your base looks high against competitors who separated it.
Number alternates to match the bid form, and show deducts as deductions.
Write “no change” rather than leaving a line blank — a blank reads as a missing price. How to price each is in alternates, unit prices and allowances.
Give unit prices in the unit asked for — per SF, SY, LF or EA — not the one you prefer.

How much detail should you show?

Line-item detail builds confidence and makes leveling easy, but it also hands your unit rates to anyone the proposal is forwarded to. A common middle ground is to show products and quantities with a price per scope or per product, and keep crew costs, production rates and margin to yourself. At minimum, list every product code your price covers so the GC can see nothing is missing.

If the GC provides a bid form, fill in theirs

Use the GC's bid form or scope sheet exactly as provided, in their format and line order, and attach your proposal for inclusions, exclusions and qualifications. A number that doesn't fit their form gets re-typed — and re-typing is where mistakes happen.

Make it readable in a minute

Put the number and scope summary on the first page. The estimator shouldn't hunt for the total.
Use the finish schedule's product codes so your scope maps straight onto the drawings.
Keep the same layout every time — GCs who see your proposals often learn where to look.
Send a PDF with a descriptive file name that identifies the job, GC and version.

What should a subcontractor proposal include?

Project and GC identification, the documents and addenda the price is based on, a base bid, separately listed alternates and unit prices, inclusions, exclusions and qualifications, schedule and payment assumptions, a validity period and a contact.

Should a flooring proposal show unit prices for every line?

It's a trade-off. Detail helps a GC level your bid but exposes your rates. Many contractors show products and quantities with a price per scope, while always listing every product code the price covers.

Should alternates be included in the base bid?

No. List each alternate separately, numbered to match the bid form, so the GC and owner can accept or reject it without re-pricing your base bid.

Key points

Design the proposal to be leveled in a minute.
Base bid, alternates and unit prices stay separate and match the bid form.
Share enough detail to prove coverage without giving away your rates.

In IntelBid · Proposal builder

Proposals built from your lines

IntelBid proposals print your base lines, list alternates and subtotal them separately, and include inclusions, exclusions, payment terms and mobilization in your company's chosen document style. The PDF file name carries the job number, project, location, GC and version, so the right file reaches the right estimator.

Start your free trial

Every trial starts with a sample project loaded, so you can try this before connecting anything.

IntelBid Learn by email

New modules as they're published. Confirm your email and we'll send a $100 credit toward your IntelBid membership.

About the author. Michael Reddy builds IntelBid, bid management software for commercial flooring subcontractors. These lessons come from the bid desk: how the work is priced, won and paid for.