For those that use square footage for pricing do you use what the customer tells you or do you go on a site like Zillow to get the square footage
Square footage has nothing to do with windows or amounts and styles for bidding
Would highly recommend a system based on window count and style.
3 Likes
Responsibid has the option to use square footage or per pain or window count. They have a very complex system in the backend for square foot bidding. But it is very wise to always have in writing that the bid is subject to on site evaluation.
2 Likes
Depending on how you price the windows, square footage of the house could be a way to get an idea of what kind of job youāre getting into if itās sight unseen. If itās a huge home with a lot of square footage then itās more likely to have glass thatās difficult to access so you might use the size of the home to adjust your baseline rates up if your giving a bid over the phone. Not sure how you can bid a home on just square footage though. Maybe if you were painting it, but most charge by the piece of glass since thatās what we clean. Without a piece count square footage is kinda irrelevant.
You can have them send you pics of all sides of their house.
I just have a chat with them and find out what style of windows they have and give them a ballpark over the phone. We let them know I need to āfirm upā the price when I get there in case they canāt figure out a two story palladium isnāt a ādouble hungā. 
I have heard going off of square footage-- but normally to get a ballpark idea like dcbrock mentions.
Now if you are familiar with the neighborhood and know the kinds of homes, the sq footage from similar homes will give you an ideaā BUT, Iād like to go see the job first-- then follow up from the āball park estimateā to the real cost.
