Construction Estimating Contents

PART I INTRODUCTION TO ESTIMATING

• Chapter 1 THE ART OF ESTIMATING
• Chapter 2 OVERVIEW OF THE ESTIMATING AND BIDDING PROCESS
• Chapter 3 INTRODUCTION TO EXCEL

PART II THE QUANTITY TAKEOFF

• Chapter 4 FUNDAMENTALS OF THE QUANTITY TAKEOFF 
• Chapter 5 CONCRETE
• Chapter 6 MASONRY
• Chapter 7 METALS
• Chapter 8 WOODS, PLASTICS, AND COMPOSITES
• Chapter 9 THERMAL AND MOISTURE PROTECTION
• Chapter 10 OPENINGS
• Chapter 11 FINISHES
• Chapter 12 FIRE SUPPRESSION
• Chapter 13 PLUMBING
• Chapter 14 HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIR-CONDITIONING (HVAC)
• Chapter 15 ELECTRICAL
• Chapter 16 EARTHWORK
• Chapter 17 EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS
• Chapter 18 UTILITIES

PART III PUTTING COSTS TO THE ESTIMATE

• Chapter 19 MATERIAL PRICING
• Chapter 20 LABOR PRODUCTIVITY AND HOURS
• Chapter 21 LABOR RATES
• Chapter 22 EQUIPMENT COSTS
• Chapter 23 CREW RATES
• Chapter 24 SUBCONTRACT PRICING
• Chapter 25 MARKUPS
• Chapter 26 PRICING EXTENSIONS
• Chapter 27 AVOIDING ERRORS IN ESTIMATES

PART IV FINALIZING THE BID

• Chapter 28 SUBMITTING THE BID
• Chapter 29 PROJECT BUYOUT
• Chapter 30 THE ESTIMATE AS THE BASIS OF THE SCHEDULE
• Chapter 31 ETHICS

PART V ADVANCED ESTIMATING WITH EXCEL

• Chapter 32 CONVERTING EXISTING FORMS
• Chapter 33 CREATING NEW FORMS
• Chapter 34 PROPOSALS AND BEYOND

Preface to Construction Estimating Using Excel PDF

The second hand of the clock swept quickly towards the 12, signifying that it was 15 minutes to 1. Fifteen minutes till bid closing, when the bid I used to be engaged on was due.

I had 10 minutes till our secretary would name for the ultimate value, giving her simply sufficient time to put in writing the quantity on the bid types, seal the bid, and switch it in. The bid had been tallied and was able to go, aside from one clean line.

The phrases “Asphalt Paving” together with the clean area to the proper glared at me. I had but to obtain a quantity from my asphalt contractor, who had promised me he would get me a bid. I known as his cellphone quantity.

No reply! There was just one factor left for me to do. I needed to do an asphalt takeoff myself, and I had solely 8 minutes left. Shortly I grabbed my scale, turned it to match the size on the backside of the drawing (1 8 1 ), and started to find out the amount of asphalt wanted for the parking zone.

Reducing corners the place I might, scribbling numbers on a chunk of scratch paper, and punching the numbers on my calculator, I arrived on the sq. footage of the asphalt. It wasn’t precise, nevertheless it was shut.

I then multiplied the sq. footage by the estimated value per sq. foot for the asphalt. The cellphone rang as I added my estimated value for the asphalt to the bid. It was our secretary calling for the bid. I gave her the quantity, and he or she learn it again to me.

I relaxed for the following 20 minutes, ready for our secretary to name again with the bid outcomes. The cellphone rang once more and it was our secretary.

We had gained the bid. As I used to be having fun with the fun of victory, I glanced on the plans and the phrases “Warning: Half Measurement Drawings” jumped off the web page.

The fun of victory was a big lump in my abdomen as I noticed why I had gained the bid. I had forgotten to double all my measurements as I measured the asphalt, so I had solely 25% of the cash I wanted to buy the asphalt for the undertaking.

Shortly, and punctiliously this time, I took off the asphalt once more. Certainly, I solely had 1 / 4 of the asphalt I wanted, and it will take all of the revenue within the job after which some to pay for it. By working arduous throughout the buyout course of, I used to be in a position to get the undertaking again on finances.

I did this by discovering native subcontractors and suppliers for the gadgets I had bid myself who would do the work for lower than I had budgeted. In the long run, we made a good revenue on the job, however that doesn’t make up for the cash we left on the desk due to my error.

The job of an estimator is to forecast as precisely as attainable the seemingly value of a building undertaking, in addition to the required quantities of supplies, labor, and gear vital to finish the work.

Due to the excessive diploma of uncertainty in estimating this stuff, estimating is extra of an artwork than a science. There are three key pillars that help the success of an estimator.

The primary is an understanding of the development course of—how issues are constructed and the way the items are put collectively.

The second is an understanding of the elemental ideas of estimating. Estimates that aren’t primarily based on these elementary ideas are nothing greater than wild guesses. The third pillar is the expertise.

For an individual to grow to be an excellent estimator, it’s required that she or he develop logic on the way to apply estimating ideas. Rita Mae Brown stated, “Logic comes from expertise, and sometimes expertise comes from dangerous judgment.”1 The pillar of expertise can solely be acquired via follow.

The needs of this guide are to

(1) give starting estimators an understanding of the elemental ideas of estimating

(2) present starting estimators with sensible estimating expertise

(3) give starting estimators a primary understanding of the way to use spreadsheets, comparable to Microsoft Excel2, to extend their estimating productiveness and cut back errors

(4) give skilled estimators one other view on estimating and an opportunity to enhance their estimating abilities. This guide is split into 5 sections.

The primary part introduces the reader to estimating. The second part introduces the amount takeoff and teaches the reader the way to decide the variety of supplies wanted to finish the undertaking.

The third part exhibits the way to put prices into the estimate. The fourth part exhibits the way to finalize the bid, incorporate the estimate into the schedule, and purchase out the undertaking, and discusses bidding ethics.

The fifth part teaches the way to faucet into the facility of laptop spreadsheets—particularly Microsoft® Excel—and demonstrates how spreadsheets can be utilized to automate estimating capabilities.

To supply follow in estimating, three drawing units are included—a residential storage, a residence, and a retail constructing. I hope you’ll take the time to rigorously learn every chapter, work the issues on the finish of every chapter, and put together estimates for the initiatives on the finish of the guide.

Doing this may provide help to start to realize the expertise wanted to be a profitable estimator.

I want to thank the next folks for offering critiques of the manuscript: Barry M. Keen (Arizona State College), Roger Killingsworth (Auburn College), Huanqing Lu (East Carolina College), and Ihab M. H. Saad, Ph.D. (East Carolina College).

Download Construction Estimating Using Excel by Peterson PDF Free