Construction estimating is the first step when starting a construction project. Builders use an estimate to calculate the expected final cost of a project. It consists of figuring out the quantities and the cost of the materials needed to complete a home build or remodel. The estimate can also include labor costs and may calculate profits and contingencies in construction.
By creating a construction estimate beforehand, you can give your client an accurate total cost; so, they know what to expect. It’ll help them decide if they’d like to proceed with the project. A construction estimator handles the analyzing and calculating of costs needed to perform the job. The role of a construction estimator Blueprint Estimating Services can be neglected at times, but it’s crucial to ensure the project stays on budget. During the construction estimating process calculate the quantities and costs of materials, along with labor, profit and other expected costs.
You should use construction estimates before the build even begins to ensure your projects stay on budget. You wouldn’t want to get to the end of a project and realize you wasted money or spent way more than expected. By creating a construction project estimate, you have a baseline to reference throughout the project and can predict how much will be spent by the end.
You should also consider using construction estimates when you have clients you’re building for. Most of the time they want to see whether they can financially afford the project before it starts. By giving accurate estimates to your clients, you’ll build trust and win more jobs in the future.
An initial or rough estimate of a project’s cost when you have very few specific details. Order of Magnitude is generally used when starting a project and gets refined later. It’s used for an initial evaluation to determine whether a project is sustainable. Follow these ten tips to become an excellent construction estimator. These helpful tips will keep you ahead in the industry and ensure you create accurate estimates and reduce errors. Speed up your construction estimating process so you can spend more time building your business.
In your takeoff process, you should have a detailed outline of everything you’re going to need for each job. Investing time in this will save you time and will reduce the chances of making an error down the line.
Using a takeoff software is one of the best ways to start your construction estimating process at the beginning of a project. Although you might be savvy at estimating by hand, there are now tools available to save you time and headaches.
Buildertrend Takeoff allows you to automate blueprints so you can measure and calculate to scale. You’ll be able to keep your measurements accounted for and your calculations accurate, all while reducing risk and streamlining your process. The takeoff process is 33% faster with software.
It’s difficult, if not impossible, to create a construction cost estimate without the use of a database. Over time your database should continue to grow and evolve, making it easier to create estimates for new projects. You can also use your database to assign crew and production rates to each project variable.
Your construction database plays a crucial role in forming an accurate estimate, so be sure it’s always up to date. Databases give you the type of visibility you want when planning and pricing projects. Material costs vary from project to project, so having a working knowledge of industry standard costs and construction inflation is key. When you create accurate estimates, you save on material costs, keeping you on track to order what you need – and nothing more.
