768 Pages
    by CRC Press

    Companies live or die on the basis of estimating their costs. Preparing estimates and bidding for new jobs is a complex and often costly process. There is no substitute for on the job training -- until now. Drawing on the authors' combined experience of more than 70 years, Estimating Building Costs presents state-of-the-art principles, practices, and techniques for assessing these expenditures that can be applied regardless of changes in the costs of materials, equipment, and labor. The book is an efficient and practical tool for developing contracts or controlling project costs.

    The authors cover the major components of the direct cost: estimating procedures and cost trends related to materials, construction equipment, and skilled and unskilled labor. They describe various types of building estimates encountered during the lifecycle of a project, as well as the role and accuracy of each. The book provides an overview of the industry, cost indexes in use, approaches to preparing a detailed estimate, and an in-depth description of the organization and function of the estimating group. Including CSI Master Format and UniFormat codes, estimating forms, a list of available estimating software packages, a detailed construction site and investigation report, the book provides a cost estimating methodology that readers can tailor to their own organizational needs.

    INTRODUCTION
    Construction Industry
    Construction Cost Indexes
    Preparing the Detailed Estimate
    Sources for New Projects
    Building Cost Information Standards
    Errors and Omissions Management
    The Estimating Department
    Review Questions

    TYPES OF ESTIMATES
    Building Cost Estimates Classification
    Conceptual Estimate (Engineer's Estimate)
    Firm Price Contracting Estimate
    Non Firm-Price Contracting
    Accuracy of Cost Estimates
    Review Questions

    ESTIMATING THE COST OF MATERIALS
    Determining Material Quantities
    Waste Factors
    Pricing Materials
    Material Pricing Sources
    Trends in Material Prices
    Review Questions

    ESTIMATING THE COST OF LABOR
    Construction Labor
    Construction Labor Environment in the United States
    Monetary Factors
    Labor Productivity
    Review Questions

    ESTIMATING THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
    Introduction
    Construction Equipment
    Equipment Planning
    Equipment Procurement Sources and Associated Costs
    Construction Tools
    Review Questions

    THE BIDDING PROCESS
    Getting a Construction Contract: A Contractor's Perspective
    Subcontracted Work
    Pre-Bid Conference
    Bidding Flowchart
    Alternates and Unit Prices
    Closing the Bid
    Review Questions

    SITE WORK
    Introduction to Site Work
    Subsurface Investigation
    Site Preparation
    Earthwork
    Excavation Support
    Construction Dewatering
    Piles Foundation
    Paving and Surfacing
    Site Improvements and Landscaping
    Review Questions

    CONCRETE
    Introduction to Concrete Work
    Basic Concrete Materials and Methods
    Concrete Forms and Accessories
    Concrete Reinforcement
    Cast-in-Place Concrete
    Precast Concrete
    Cementitious Decks and Underlayment
    Review Questions

    MASONRY
    Introduction to Masonry
    Clay Masonry Units (Brick)
    Concrete Masonry Units
    Other Types of Masonry Units
    Masonry Mortar
    Masonry Grout, Reinforcement, and Masonry Accessories
    Masonry Cost Estimation
    Review Questions

    METALS
    Introduction to Metals
    Structural Metal Framing
    Metal Joists
    Metal Decking
    Light-Gauge Framing and Miscellaneous Metals
    Review Questions

    WOOD
    Introduction
    Rough Carpentry
    Finish Carpentry
    Review Questions

    THERMAL AND MOISTURE PROTECTION
    Introduction to Thermal and Moisture Protection
    Waterproofing
    Dampproofing
    Insulation
    Roofing
    Sample of Quantity Take-Off and Pricing for Moisture Protection
    Review Questions

    DOORS AND WINDOWS
    Introduction to Doors and Windows
    Doors and Door Frames
    Windows and Window Frames
    Glazing, Hardware, and Accessories
    Doors and Windows Cost Estimation
    Review Questions

    FINISHES
    Lath and Plaster Work
    Gypsum Plasterboard Systems
    Ceramic Tile Work
    Marble and Stone Flooring
    Terrazzo Work
    Acoustical Treatment
    Finished Wood Flooring
    Resilient Flooring
    Carpets, Underlay, and Trim
    Painting and Decorating
    Wall Coverings
    Review Questions

    Mechanical Work
    Introduction to Plumbing and Sewage Systems
    Rough and Finish Plumbing
    Plumbing Codes and Specifications
    Plumbing Systems
    Sewage Systems
    Materials for Plumbing and Sewage Systems
    Labor for Plumbing and Sewage Systems
    Cost Estimate for Plumbing and Sewage Systems
    Introduction to Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
    Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Systems
    Labor for HVAC Systems
    Cost Estimate for HVAC Systems
    Review Questions

    ELECTRICAL WORK
    Introduction to Electrical Work
    Take-Off Procedures for Various Electrical Components
    Pricing Electrical Work
    Review Questions

    JOBSITE OVERHEAD
    Introduction: The Cost of Doing Business
    Jobsite Personnel
    Travel Expenses
    Site Engineering Support
    Construction Equipment and Aids for General Use
    Temporary Field Buildings -Offices
    Temporary Site Utilities
    Horizontal Temporary Construction
    Materials Storage Facilities
    Camp Facilities
    Production Facilities for Remote Sites
    Personal Protective Aids
    Site Security
    Miscellaneous Expenses
    Review Questions

    SURETY BONDS, INSURANCE, AND TAXES
    Surety Bonds
    Insurance
    Taxes (County, State, Federal)
    Review Questions
    General Overhead, Contingencies, and Profit
    General Overhead (Home Office Expenses)
    General Overhead Allocation
    Construction Contingencies
    Contractor/Subcontractor Profit
    Review Questions

    Appendix 1:MasterFormat Lite and UniFormat Lite
    Appendix 2:Estimating Forms
    Appendix 3:Cost Estimating Software
    Appendix 4:Cost Estimating Sources
    Appendix 5:Construction Site Investigation Report

    References
    Index

    Biography

    Calin M.Popescu (University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, U.S.A.), Kan Phaobunjong (Turner Construction Company Houston, Texas, U.S.A.) and Nuntapong Ovararin (King Mongkut’s University of Technology, Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand)