Creating A Proposal – Checklist

To complete a detailed and accurate proposal for a customer, there is vital information that is needed in order to accomplish our tasks as Estimators/Salesmen. A Door/Molding Checklist can be most handy and will alleviate much frustrations from requested quote revisions. The customer does not always give all the information we may need and so it is of utmost importance to get that information if at all possible up front before attempting to create a proposal.

Sometimes just for ‘ball park’ pricing as we are often asked for, not every detail has to be known, but still a fair amount will need to be known in order to keep the ‘ball’ in the ‘park’ so to speak. I have come up with two basic checklists. The first checklist will be for quoting Doors and the second will be for Moldings. You may want to personalize it or add your input to make it a better list for yourself. Questions I ask myself when starting on proposal are as follows:

  • What Door Model is requested, or what Model is closest to customers’ request?
    1. Species
    2. Exterior or Interior?
    3. Slab Thickness
    4. Width & Height of Slab
    5. Sticking Requested
    6. Profile on Panel (If Any)
    7. Accessories Requested: Clavos; Strap Hinges; Speak Easy; etc.
    8. 3 Point Lock or Custom Mortise Lock
    9. Slab only or will this be Pre Hung?
  • Interior Pre Hanging (Has a RO [Rough Opening] or Frame Width Dimension Been Given?)
    1. Jamb Width & Height
    2. Is a Radius Jamb Head Needed?
    3. Hinges; Size & Color; 3 ½” for 1 3/8” Doors; 4” for 1 ¾”; 4 ½” for 2 ¼” Doors
      1. Default Oil Rubbed Bronze
      2. Satin Nickel Standard Option
  • Custom Color & Square Corner Options
  • Double Door Unit
    1. T Astragal
    2. Head Bolt Option
    3. Ball Catches
    4. Standard 2 1/8″ Single Bore, 2 3/8″ Backset
      1. Single 2 1/8″ Bore, 2 3/4″ Backset
      2. NO BORE (Doors w/Ball Catches or Unless Requested)
    5. RHA (Right Hand Active or LHA (Left Hand Active)
  • Exterior Pre Hanging (Has a RO [Rough Opening] or OA [Over All Frame Width] or BM [Brick Mold] Dimension Been Given?)
    1. Jamb Width & Height
    2. Is a Radius Jamb Head Needed?
    3. Hinges; Size & Color; 4” for 1 ¾” ; 4 ½” for 2 ¼” Doors
      1. Default Oil Rubbed Bronze
      2. Satin Nickel Standard Option
  • Custom Color & Square Corner Options
  • Drop all Quote Request, Pictures, revised request into the Job Folder
  • Use Colored Highlighters To Check Off Each Item Customer has Requested
  • Scan Marked Request Into Job Folder
  • When Sending Proposal – Make Sure Subject Line Has the Following: #Proposal – Company Name- Job Name or PO# if there is one.