The Estimate Checklist That Stops You From Losing Money on Jobs You Already Won- MDL Episode 394

About this episode

This episode discusses the importance of a job site evaluation checklist to prevent losing money on landscaping jobs due to overlooked details.

You priced the job. You won the job. And somewhere in the middle of it, you realized you forgot to price something. Not the whole thing — just one line item. A fence panel that has to come down. A disposal run nobody counted. A gate too narrow for your equipment. And now it's coming out of your pocket. This episode is about why that keeps happening — and what one simple habit fixes it. Scott breaks down the job site evaluation checklist he uses in his own business: what to look for during every site walk, where landscapers most often lose money without realizing it, and why the most experienced contractors in the world still use a checklist every time. You'll also get the actual hardscape job site evaluation form — free in the show notes — so you can start using it on your next estimate. If you've ever finished a job and thought "I should've priced that differently," this one's for you. What's covered: Why estimating from memory works until it costs you Site access mistakes that quietly kill your margin Hidden costs most landscapers walk right past How to document the site so you're protected if something comes up Why this system matters even more the moment you start sending…

People in this episode

Hosts: Scott Molchan, Kati Molchan

Topics covered

• estimating
• landscaping
• job site evaluation
• cost management
• checklist
• business practices

Keywords

• estimate checklist
• landscaping jobs
• costs
• site evaluation
• hidden costs
• business efficiency
• hardscape

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Million Dollar Landscaper

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