Estimating Building Costs for the Residential and Light Commercial Construction Professional E-Book

Wayne J. Del Pico

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Serie: RSMeans
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 770

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

How to succeed in the construction business--step-by-step guidelines for estimating To be competitive, contractors and homebuilders need to know how to generate complete, accurate estimates for labor and material costs. This book guides readers through the entire estimating process, explaining in detail how to put together a reliable estimate that can be used not only for budgeting, but also for developing a schedule, managing a project, dealing with contingencies, and ultimately making a profit. Completely revised and updated to reflect the new CSI MasterFormat 2010TM system, the Second Edition of this practical guide describes estimating techniques for each building system and how to apply them according to the latest industry standards. Cost considerations and quantity takeoff and pricing are included for virtually every type of work found in residential and light commercial projects, from demolition, concrete, and masonry to windows and doors, siding, roofing, mechanical and electrical systems, finish work, and site construction. Complete with many new graphics and references to professional construction cost databases, the new edition provides experienced contractors and novices alike with essential information on: * How to correctly interpret plans and specifications, reflecting updates to contract documents since the first edition * Computer estimating techniques and new estimating software for performing quantity takeoff * The best methods for conceptual estimating as well as the extremely useful topic of parametric estimating * How to allocate the right amounts for profit and contingencies, and other hard-to-find professional guidance * How a unit price estimate is built along with labor issues and budgeting for subcontractor work

Leseprobe

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Foreword

About the Author

Introduction

1: The Working Drawing

THE ROLE OF THE DRAWINGS

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

ORGANIZATION OF THE WORKING DRAWINGS

TITLE BLOCK

GRAPHIC FORMATS USED IN DRAWINGS

DRAWING CONVENTIONS

CONCLUSION

2: Understanding the Specifications

THE ROLE OF THE SPECIFICATIONS

ORGANIZING SPECIFICATIONS BY CSI MASTERFORMAT

THE PROJECT MANUAL

CONFLICTS BETWEEN DRAWINGS AND SPECIFICATIONS

MODIFICATIONS TO THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS

CONCLUSION

3: Calculating Linear Measure, Area, and Volume

UNITS OF MEASURE

DECIMAL EQUIVALENTS

LINEAR MEASUREMENT

ANGLES

AREA AND SQUARE MEASURE

VOLUME AND CUBIC MEASURE

CONCLUSION

4: The Quantity Takeoff and Pricing

REVIEWING THE DOCUMENTS

BEGINNING THE QUANTITY TAKEOFF

RULES TO FOLLOW FOR ACCURATE TAKEOFFS

ACCOUNTING FOR WASTE

OTHER FACTORS THAT AFFECT QUANTITIES

THE UNIT PRICE ESTIMATE

PRICING THE QUANTITIES

SUBMITTING A BID

CONCLUSION

5: Understanding Material and Labor Costs

MATERIALS

LABOR

INDIRECT OVERHEAD

PROFIT

CONCLUSION

6: General Requirements

FIXED AND VARIABLE COSTS

IDENTIFYING GENERAL REQUIREMENTS COST ITEMS

APPLYING PRICES TO GENERAL REQUIREMENTS ITEMS

CONCLUSION

7: Existing Conditions

ASSESSMENT

SUBSURFACE INVESTIGATION

DEMOLITION AND STRUCTURE MOVING

REMEDIATION

EXISTING CONDITION DRAWINGS

CONCLUSION

8: Concrete

CONCRETE MATERIALS

READY-MIXED CONCRETE

FORMWORK

FLATWORK

EXPANSION JOINTS

CONTROL JOINTS

CURING AND SEALING

REINFORCEMENT

PRECAST CONCRETE

CEMENTITIOUS DECKS

EMBEDDED ITEMS

VAPOR BARRIERS AND RIGID INSULATION

CONCLUSION

9: Masonry

MORTAR

BRICK

CONCRETE MASONRY UNITS (CMU)

STONE

MASONRY REINFORCEMENT

GROUT

MASONRY ANCHORS AND TIES

MASONRY RESTORATION

MASONRY CLEANING

MASONRY INSULATION

FLASHINGS

CUTTING MASONRY UNITS

ITEMS FURNISHED BY OTHER TRADES

CONTROL JOINTS

INCIDENTALS FOR FIREPLACE AND CHIMNEY CONSTRUCTION

FREIGHT OF MASONRY UNITS

STAGING AND SCAFFOLDING FOR MASONRY WORK

CLEANUP

MASONRY SEALING

CONCLUSION

10: Metals

STRUCTURAL STEEL

OPEN-WEB STEEL JOISTS

METAL DECKING STRUCTURE

LIGHT-GAUGE METAL FRAMING (LGMF)

STUDS AND TRACK

MISCELLANEOUS AND ORNAMENTAL METALS

MISCELLANEOUS COSTS

CONCLUSION

11: Wood, Plastics, and Composites

ROUGH CARPENTRY AND FRAMING

FINISH CARPENTRY

ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK

STRUCTURAL PLASTICS

CASEWORK AND CABINETRY

CONCLUSION

12: Thermal and Moisture Protection

WATERPROOFING

DAMPPROOFING

INSULATION

VAPOR BARRIERS

AIR INFILTRATION BARRIERS

EXTERIOR SIDING

ROOFING

FIRE-STOP SYSTEMS AND SPRAYED FIREPROOFING

EXPANSION JOINTS

CONCLUSION

13: Openings

ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS

HOLLOW METAL FRAMES AND DOORS

WOOD DOORS AND FRAMES

SLIDING GLASS DOORS

SPECIAL DOORS

GENERAL NOTES ON ESTIMATING DOORS

OVERHEAD AND COILING DOORS

ENTRANCES AND STOREFRONTS

WOOD AND PLASTIC WINDOWS

METAL WINDOWS

GENERAL NOTES ON WINDOWS

ROOF WINDOWS AND SKYLIGHTS

FINISH HARDWARE

GLASS AND GLAZING

LOUVERS AND VENTS

CONCLUSION

14: Finishes

PLASTER SYSTEMS

GYPSUM WALLBOARD SYSTEMS

GYPSUM SHEATHING AND UNDERLAYMENTS

METAL STUD FRAMING AND FURRING

TILE

WATERPROOF MEMBRANE FOR TILE

ACOUSTICAL CEILING SYSTEMS

FLOORING

ACOUSTICAL TREATMENT

PAINTING

HIGH-PERFORMANCE COATINGS

WALLCOVERINGS

GREEN OR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

CONCLUSION

15: Specialties

INTERIOR SPECIALTIES

EXTERIOR SPECIALTIES

TAKING-OFF QUANTITIES

CONCLUSION

16: Equipment, Furnishings, Special Construction, and Conveying Equipment

DIVISION 11—EQUIPMENT

DIVISION 12—FURNISHINGS

DIVISION 13—SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION

DIVISION 14—CONVEYING EQUIPMENT

CONCLUSION

17: Fire Suppression

FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS

CONCLUSION

18: Plumbing

PLUMBING SYSTEMS

CONCLUSION

19: Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC)

HEATING, VENTILATING, AND AIR-CONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEMS

CONCLUSION

20: Integrated Automation

INTEGRATED AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

CONCLUSION

21: Electrical Systems

ELECTRICAL LABOR

RACEWAYS

CONDUCTORS AND GROUNDING

WIRING DEVICES AND BOXES

STARTERS, BOARDS, AND SWITCHES

LIGHTING

EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND DEVICES

EQUIPMENT HOOKUPS

MISCELLANEOUS ELECTRICAL WORK

CONCLUSION

22: Communications, Electronic Safety, and Security

COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONIC SAFETY AND SECURITY

CONCLUSION

23: Earthwork

CIVIL DRAWINGS

SITE CLEARING/SITE PREPARATION

EXCAVATION AND BACKFILL

EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION CONTROL

SHORING AND UNDERPINNING

SPECIAL FOUNDATIONS AND LOAD-BEARING ELEMENTS

MISCELLANEOUS CONSIDERATIONS

CONCLUSION

24: Exterior Improvements

CIVIL DRAWINGS

BASES FOR PAVING

FLEXIBLE PAVING

RIGID PAVING

CURBS

PAVING/PARKING SPECIALTIES

SITE IMPROVEMENTS

LANDSCAPING

LABOR FOR EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS

MISCEL LANEOUS CONSIDERATIONS

CONCLUSION

25: Utilities

CIVIL DRAWINGS

WATER UTILITIES

WATER SUPPLY WELLS

SANITARY SEWERAGE UTILITIES

STORM DRAINAGE UTILITIES

ELECTRICAL/COMMUNICATIONS UTILITIES

MISCELLANEOUS CONSIDERATIONS

CONCLUSION

26: Profit and Contingencies

PROFIT

CONTINGENCIES

CONCLUSION

27: Estimating by Computer

ESTIMATING SOFTWARE

QUANTITY TAKEOFF SOFTWARE

PROJECT OVERHEAD SUMMARY SHEETS

CONCLUSION

28: Conceptual Estimating

CONCEPTUAL ESTIMATING

CONCLUSION

Index

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Copyright © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Del Pico, Wayne J. Estimating building costs for the residential & light commercial construction professional / Wayne J. Del Pico.—2nd ed. p. cm.—(RSMeans ; 80) Rev. ed. of: Estimating building costs / Wayne J. Del Pico. c2004. Includes index. ISBN 978-1-118-09941-4 (pbk.); ISBN 978-1-118-21956-0 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-21957-7 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-23742-7 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-24352-7 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-24354-1 (ebk) 1. Building—Estimates—United States. 2. Building—Estimates. I. Del Pico, Wayne J. Estimating building costs. II. Title. III. Title: Estimating building costs for the residential & light commercial construction professional. TH435.D355 2012 692″.5—dc23 2011040423

This book is dedicated to my wife Krisanne, and my daughters Maria Laina and Kristina … my family, my life

Foreword

Estimating has taken on a new significance in today's competitive construction marketplace. If you consider new technology, the size in both scope and dollar amounts of today's construction projects, and the creative delivery systems employed by today's construction professionals, estimating is perhaps the most important function of the successful construction company. From the time a construction project is proposed, and throughout its life, the estimate provides information that is critical to its success.

If you are a student of construction or pursuing a career as a construction professional, you understand the need to create, organize, format, and deliver an estimate for use in budgeting for a project, developing a plan or detailed schedule, and managing the project. The estimate is essential to the execution of all work and for maintaining project control.

The key to producing an accurate estimate lies in the organization of the information that will be used to determine the amount of material, labor, and equipment required for the project. Based on this information, the estimator can apply prices, contingencies, and then profit. The estimating process does not end here. Once the project is awarded and the work begins, the original estimate will be revisited over and over again. It will be reviewed, referred to, praised, criticized, second-guessed, and, yes, even cursed as the project progresses. And in the end, it will be put to the final test of profitable or not.

It is in the best interest of the construction industry that we develop competent estimators and accurate estimates. There can be no doubt that the future of the construction industry depends on the introduction of new technology and the development of information systems to accompany the urgency for accelerating the construction process. Industry professionals who have a fundamental knowledge of estimating will be better equipped to advance their careers.

Users of this book will appreciate the new chapters that cover industry advances in/for existing conditions, communications and electronic safety and security, and estimating by computer. All the chapters in Estimating Building Costs, second edition, have been rewritten by the author to reflect CSI MasterFormat 2010. The text also includes a discussion of parametric estimating, which is extremely informative and pertinent to estimating today.

Following the logical estimating sequence and organization of information outlined in this text will greatly improve an estimator's chances of producing sound estimates. Students learning estimating will benefit from the author's experience and advice on how to approach estimating. And, finally, no matter how you are currently doing your estimating, this text will either prove that you are doing it right or provide you with a system that will increase your accuracy and, in the end, make you more profitable.

—Howard Chandler, Retired Executive Director of the Builders Association of Greater Boston and Adjunct Professor, Wentworth Institute of Technology

About the Author

Wayne J. Del Pico is president of W. J. Del Pico, Inc., where he provides construction management and litigation support services for construction-related matters. He has more than 32 years of experience in construction project management and estimating and has been involved in projects throughout most of the United States. His professional experience includes private commercial construction, public construction, retail construction, and residential land development and construction.

Mr. Del Pico holds a degree in civil engineering from Northeastern University in Boston, where he taught construction-related curricula in cost estimating, project management, and project scheduling from 1992 until 2006. He is also a member of the adjunct faculty at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, where he currently teaches programs in construction cost analysis, estimating, project control, and construction scheduling.

Mr. Del Pico is a seminar presenter for the RSMeans Company, where he lectures on topics from plan reading to estimating. He is the author of Plan Reading and Material Takeoff (1994) and Estimating Building Costs (2004) and is a coauthor of The Practice of Cost Segregation Analysis (2005) all published by the RSMeans Company.

His construction experience and knowledge of the industry have qualified him to be the 2010 president of the Builders Association of Greater Boston. He is also a practicing Neutral for the American Arbitration Association, where he hears construction-related arbitration cases.

About the Reviewers

Howard Chandler, reviewer of this book and author of the Foreword, is the retired executive officer of the Builders Association of Greater Boston. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at Wentworth Institute of Technology, where he teaches classes in estimating and scheduling. He has spent more than 40 years in many aspects of the construction industry—as the owner of a residential construction company; as manager of field operations for a firm specializing in commercial, industrial, and institutional construction; and as a consultant, educator, and estimator.

Robert W. Mewis, CCC, reviewer of this publication, is a Senior Engineer/Editor at the RSMeans Company. He is responsible for overseeing several components of the Means cost database, in addition to teaching estimating seminars throughout the country. Prior to his tenure at Means, Mr. Mewis served as construction cost estimator for Hanscomb Associates and chief estimator for Franny's Landscape and Construction, where he was responsible for all bidding, takeoff, and development of material databases.

Introduction

Estimating has always been one of the weakest links in the construction process. Most contractors can recall one or two craftspeople whose talents have been enviable but who have ultimately failed miserably in business. Many of these failures were the result of poor estimating practices. As common a problem as estimating appears to be, a systematic approach is clearly needed.

This book was created as a reference for professional contractors—in both the new and the remodeling markets—who want to master organized, efficient industry standards for estimating residential and light commercial projects. It is designed and presented for use by the professional contractor or homebuilder who has some experience in the industry and is familiar with the materials and tasks typical of building projects. The chapters provide step-by-step guidelines—ideal for learning industry-accepted standards for estimating.

For novices, Estimating Building Costs, second edition, explains the fundamentals of the estimating process in a clear and concise format, which will become an essential part of their work. Experienced estimators will find the book useful for reviewing their own methods and enhancing their expertise. Regardless of whether the “estimating staff” is a dedicated person among a company's many employees or the same individual who performs the work, the principles are the same. The text is written in what is referred to as general knowledge estimating practice, from the point of view of the general contractor's estimator, yet it is equally helpful as a foundation for subcontractors' estimators. The second edition has been reorganized to reflect the new CSI MasterFormat 2010™ structure. Readers should find this a benefit in locating specific topics.

Chapters 1 and 2 explain what estimators can expect to find on the drawings and in the specifications—the information and details necessary to create an accurate estimate. These chapters have been revised to reflect changes in the contract document language and practice since the original publication. Chapters 1 and 2 still reinforce that plans and specifications are complementary tools that must be reviewed and understood before attempting to prepare a project estimate. Chapter 3 presents the time-tested mathematical principles needed to accurately take off material quantities, by calculating area and volume, and the extension of the units into the final estimating units.

Chapter 4 reviews the accepted rules for quantity survey, or takeoff, and the mechanics of the takeoff process. This chapter also explores the pricing part of the estimating process. It has been retitled to more accurately reflect its contents. Chapter 5 explains in detail how materials costs are derived, how to determine allowances for waste, and how to assign markups typical for materials and labor. These are essential to understanding how a unit price estimate is built. The chapter also covers labor productivity, crew and individual tasks, and budgeting for subcontractor work. It is a cornerstone of the book and has remained virtually the same.

The next group of chapters, 6 through 25, have been rewritten and reorganized according to MasterFormat 2010™ of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)—the most widely recognized and used system for organizing construction information in specifications and estimates. Learning estimating techniques for each building system in this format helps estimators understand and apply them according to the industry's most professional standards. Sections have been expanded and new topics added to reflect industry changes since the original publication date. Each chapter describes specific estimating tasks for that particular trade—including special cost considerations and standard quantity takeoff guidelines for each building system and material. The examples and easy-to-follow steps can be referred to time and again. These chapters include all of the work you might encounter on a typical residential or light commercial project—from demolition, concrete, and masonry, to windows and doors, siding, roofing, mechanical and electrical systems, finish work, and site construction.

Chapter 26 introduces two topics crucial to finalizing a reliable estimate yet rarely addressed by books or courses on estimating: profit and contingencies. This chapter considers both the tangible and the intangible aspects of residential and light commercial projects that must be evaluated before assigning a suitable profit or adding a contingency amount to cover unknowns. Some of the factors to evaluate are risk, scheduling impacts, and contractual obligations.

Chapter 27 explains computerized estimating, including benefits and cautions. It includes tips for developing and customizing simple spreadsheet estimating applications, rather than relying on “canned” software alone. New to the second edition is a discussion of software for performing quantity takeoff, which has become fairly mainstream since the original publication.

Chapter 28 is new to the second edition and is a discussion of conceptual estimating and its most common methodologies. It covers what can be expected for accuracy and how to determine when conceptual estimating is appropriate.

Two of the divisions of the Site and Infrastructure subgroup and all of the divisions of the Process Equipment subgroup have specifically been omitted, as they are beyond the scope of this text.

Overall, the second edition has updated and supplemented the graphics as a result of feedback from readers and students since the original text was published. We have added clarifications where needed.

Accurate construction estimating is an essential skill for every successful professional contractor. Estimating Building Costs, second edition, builds on the foundation of estimating principles in the original text and adds topics addressing changes to the industry since the original publication was released.

—Wayne J. Del Pico

2

Understanding the Specifications

As owners become more informed and technically savvy, they are no longer satisfied by the term industry standard when defining the quality of materials or workmanship to be included in a project. As a result, many design professionals in the high-end residential and commercial markets use technical specifications to establish the quality level for owners and as a guideline for subcontractors. During the last half century, in fact, specifications have become increasingly popular as standard of measurement for quality.