Seminar: Estimating Boot Camp

Programs for Builders, Remodelers, Landscapers, and Construction Trade Contractors

We’ll take you through an estimating “boot camp” to:

Estimating Basics – A basic overview of the different types of estimates and their appropriateness for different types of contractors and/or different types of projects.
Estimating Skills. There are certain skills and disciplines that all estimators need to develop. With this part of the program we will discuss each of these skills and provide some guidance on how to develop them.
A review of the “Estimating Tools”, from paper based forms and systems to software, digitizers, guide books, references and other estimating tools.
Different Types and Levels of the Estimate. You will learn how the amount of information available to you and the time you are allowed to prepare the estimate affects the quality and accuracy of your work.
Organizing the Estimate Selecting the correct structural format for the estimate; Uniformat or a Schedule-Based WBS format. How you organize your estimate is almost as important as how carefully you prepare your quantity take off. We will teach you about the common organizing methods.
Estimating Materials , we’ll teach you about quantity take-off procedures, waste factors, and pricing methods for materials and the proper use of material allowances.
Estimating the Cost and Quantity of Labor. Perhaps the trickiest and most intimidating part of estimating we will teach you about using and developing production rates and how to adjust your estimate for a wide variety of factors that can affect those production rates.
Estimating Equipment. We’ll teach you the correct quantity take off procedures, pricing, and estimating techniques that will correctly tie your production rates with equipment rental costs. Learn how to choosing the correct equipment for the job can also possibly reduce your overall production costs.
Contingency Estimating. The how, when and why of planning and estimating contingencies. Adjusting the estimate for risk, inflation, and geographic location will be covered.
Estimating Errors. Learn about common errors estimators make and how to avoid making them.
Determining and Using Unit Prices. How to use unit prices effectively. The crew method, what it is and how to use it. Using unit prices for conceptual estimating and for detailed estimating will be covered.
Estimating Overhead and Profit Markups. An introduction to the basics of determining and applying the correct mark-up.