Streamline complex utility project inspection programs with mobile data capture, configurable forms and real-time dashboards and analytics that connect the field, office and shop anytime, anywhere. Get a real-time, accurate view of where crews and equipment are and where they need to go for every utility job, regardless of the project size or duration.
Minimize downtime with enterprise-wide access to your utility project equipment status and history, all with a single CMMS. HeavyBid software is used as a utilities estimating solution that is designed to develop estimated costs with pinpoint accuracy and produce proposals that span across all civil industries and disciplines including underground utilities. Utility takeoff programs can create sanitary and storm calculations including user-defined cut brackets for the linear feet required for pipe excavation and backfill to create excavation quantities commonly found in underground utility construction.
HeavyBid can take the quantified data created in a takeoff system, import it as bid items that are then populated to create accurate, crew-based cost estimates. Learn More About HeavyBid. After the job is won, send your completed cost estimate data to HeavyJob where you will be able to track your production on a daily basis and gather project progress and production history for future utility construction bids.
Read how the estimators at Lewis and Tibbitts, Inc. Learn More. Other features of underground utility estimating software from HCSS help contractors and other construction professionals manage the crews and heavy equipment associated with utility construction jobs that typically span across a wide area and around existing infrastructure like roads and highways. With HeavyJob, project management and job costing for underground utility contractors and estimators has never been easier.
You can be more productive in your management processes with construction time cards, quantity tracking, material tracking, and more on your phone or tablet. Collect safety forms and inspections, share safety policies, and manage orientations before the start of every project.
Ability to replace your paper plans with digital plans, measure completed work, and send infrastructure construction cost data back to HeavyJob.
Since , HCSS has been developing software to help construction companies streamline their operations. Today, we are recognized as a pioneer and leader in our market, serving thousands of construction companies across the nation.
Contingencies are allowances held in reserve for unexpected costs. When preparing a cost estimate, an estimator usually relies, at least to some extent, on historical data. Though no two projects are exactly alike, using comparable historical cost and estimate data can be an excellent way to validate estimates.
Historical data comes from a number of sources, including catalogs of vendor data, databases, periodicals, commercial references, and digests of actual project costs. Contractors may also look at successful past bids, assuming these proved accurate.
Labor costs are especially variable. Based on the demand for labor, the required level of skill, and the condition of the construction site, which in turn hinge on such factors as the time of year, economic and market conditions, and the location of the construction site, an estimator will usually have to adjust historical labor data when creating a new estimate.
For contractors with successfully completed projects under their belts, comparing their actual cost data to their cost data reference can help gauge the accuracy of the data reference.
Nevertheless, good cost estimators will tend toward caution since cost estimates generally underestimate the actual cost of construction. Even with contingencies built into the estimate, factors such as design changes and unforeseeable economic conditions can quickly increase costs.
Try these templates for keeping track of change orders. Word Smartsheet. Many end up declaring bankruptcy when it simply becomes too expensive to complete a project. And while owners shield themselves somewhat from financial losses through performance bonds and similar protections, the failure to complete a project on time may result in financial damage due to lost potential profits or an inability to pursue a strategic plan.
If plotted on a graph, this phenomenon, known as an economy or diseconomy of scale depending on which way the cost varies, would appear as a non-linear relationship between facility size and costs. If the average cost per unit falls as the number of units increases, we have an economy of scale. If the average cost rises as the number of units increases, we have a diseconomy of scale.
The cost exponent is an indicator of whether a scale economy or diseconomy exists. For a discussion of how to calculate cost exponents in construction, consult Project Management for Construction. If the exponent is greater than zero but less than one, an economy of scale exists.
If it is greater than one, a diseconomy of scale exists. If it is equal to one, the cost-capacity relationship is unaffected by scale. You can determine cost exponents using historical data from construction projects of the same type. Once calculated, you can use cost exponents to adjust future cost estimates depending on the scale of a project.
Cost estimators rely on a number of estimation techniques, which vary in speed and potential accuracy. The major approaches to cost estimating include:. Of course, the cost estimator is central to the cost estimation process. Typically a professional who is familiar with both design and construction and skilled at navigating the myriad costs associated with construction projects, the cost estimator must have both skill and training.
The U. A plurality of these estimators work in the construction industry. Essential skills for cost estimators include the ability to work quickly with numbers, an in-depth knowledge of construction, and familiarity with construction documents.
On large projects, multiple specialist cost estimators may be responsible for estimating different aspects of the project, so a specialization or first-hand experience in constructing certain types of structures can also be valuable. Although tertiary education is typically a requirement for cost estimators, first-hand experience with construction and a knowledge of the contracting landscape are perhaps more essential skills. Some estimators are individuals who have risen through the ranks as construction workers.
These experienced construction professionals also know how to negotiate with subcontractors and may be better able to appreciate the factors that impact estimated amounts. But as construction has gotten more specialized, professionally trained cost estimators are increasingly common. Most certification programs require continuing education and recertification.
Dedication to continued learning is necessary for all cost estimators, whether certified or not. In addition, cost estimators must be highly organized and highly attentive to detail. They should know how to communicate cost information with accuracy and integrity. Moreover, given the competitive nature of the construction industry, they must maintain confidentiality when communicating with stakeholders and commit themselves ethically to delivering accurate estimates despite possible pressures to engage in corner-cutting and expediency.
Some best practices can lead to more accurate estimates and more successful bids. The cost estimator must follow industry norms and standards for measurement units. He must also consistently fill out costing-related documents, such as quantity surveys, and follow cost-recording procedures in a way that makes their work verifiable and easy to handoff to another cost estimator if necessary. The best way to do this is in a recognized construction classification system, such as the UniFormat.
The estimator examines contractual terms to see which of them may impact indirect costs. Determining the level of effort — project work that cannot be traced to specific components of a work breakdown structure — is also a skill that takes some developing.
They will review construction drawings for constructability and accuracy in representing the project scope. Their job may involve analyzing completed estimates for accuracy. The cost estimator also helps track costs in the field so as to allow the comparison of actual costs with cost estimates. A skilled estimator will provide as much detail as possible on the impact of change orders.
Ultimately, the cost estimator may have to exercise specialized skills, such as value engineering, which usually refers to increasing the function-to-cost ratio. Experienced cost estimators say you can often avoid common pitfalls by consistently following standard procedures.
One common source of problems is the failure to read the project documents carefully, which frequently leads to a poor understanding of the project scope and certain associated costs. Others include forgetting to incorporate costs or entering costs incorrectly. These issues can be compounded by neglecting to thoroughly check the completed estimate.
Other oversights include the failure to visit the site and the inability to fully understand the site conditions. This makes site visits imperative. Finally, some cost estimators who draw from cost data repositories will fail to adjust costs based on local conditions or will make arbitrary adjustments without considering prior experience or quantitative comparisons.
Either of these can throw estimates off and make it more difficult for another cost estimator to verify an estimate. Estimation software has become a must-have for anyone generating complex construction cost estimates. For-purchase software, which can be pricey, is a much better option for anyone dealing with complex projects because of the functionality and features it can offer.
Here are a few of the benefits of for-purchase software:. Construction cost estimating continues to evolve as design, building methods, and materials change. Some trends that impact cost estimating today include:. The following are additional resources concerning construction cost estimating:.
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Try Smartsheet for free, today. Get a Free Smartsheet Demo. In This Article. Construction Cost Estimation Background and Purpose Construction cost estimating is the process of forecasting the cost of building a physical structure. A good starting point is this construction estimator template.
Transform construction management with Smartsheet. See for yourself. Overview of the Construction Estimation Process Understanding cost estimation requires you to have a basic grasp of the construction process.
Here are the nine basic phases of a building project: 1. Level 1: Order of Magnitude Estimate: Made when project design has not yet gotten under way, you only use an order of magnitude estimate to determine the overall feasibility of a construction. Level 2: Schematic Design Estimate: An estimate produced in line with schematic design Level 3: Design Development Estimate : An estimate made during the design development phase Level 4: Construction Document Estimate: An estimate based on the construction drawings and specifications Level 5: Bid Estimate: An estimate prepared by the contractor, based on construction documents.
The bid estimate is the basis of the bid price offered to the customer.
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