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Tips for Choosing a Construction Cost Estimator

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A fellow blogger friend that I follow once shared some tips with me in a deep talk about roofing and how his San Antonio Roof Repair company has thrived in the year 2019. In this talk he shared some tips he wanted me to have about figuring out the costs of a construction project, and shares that a qualified construction cost estimator provides an invaluable service to the project owner and contractor. When it comes to any project, getting an accurate estimate enables you to determine the feasibility of a construction project. Whether you are an independent contractor, a construction company, or an individual that needs an estimate for a project, you need the right estimator. Ideally, you should hire a reputable estimator that will give you a detailed, accurate estimate to help you secure financing and start your project on the right footing. 

Here are important things to look for when hiring a construction cost estimator: 

  • Effective and proven method of preparing accurate construction cost estimates. 
  • A thorough understanding of different architectural drawings and designs. 
  • In-depth knowledge of construction methods, building materials, industry trends, and building codes. 
  • Extensive knowledge and experience in construction works, materials costs, lead times for materials, hourly labor outputs, and overhead expenses. 
  • Expertise in calculating costs with precision and accuracy. 
  • Ability to classify, collect, and evaluate data that relates to your project. 

Why Choose an Experienced Construction Cost Estimator 

Choosing an inexperienced construction cost estimator can lead to problems down the road. For instance, you can end up with cost overruns that will result in added expenditures. For a construction company, an inexperienced cost estimator can taint its reputation. That’s because most clients want to get accurate estimates upfront. 

Therefore, make sure that the estimator that you choose is an experienced professional. Most construction companies prepare estimates with the help of their project managers. However, this is not the best industry practice. To be successful, a construction company should work with a seasoned professional estimator. This should be an expert that deals with suppliers and contractors every day. A professional estimator is not just an individual that does the estimation work as a part-time job. Instead, estimating costs of construction projects is their full-time job. …

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Overview of Construction Cost Estimation

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A cost estimate depends on different estimation techniques. These techniques vary in terms of potential accuracy and speed. Here are the primary costs estimating approaches.

Joint Costs Allocation

To allocate the costs that are considered hard to assign to different elements of the project, estimators use different mathematical formulas. For instance, an estimate can prorate supervision in the field proportionally to different tasks on the basis of their total basic costs share.

Empirical Cost Inference

This is a statistical method that employs regression analysis in relating construction cost to a predictors’ model. This model’s accuracy is largely dependent on the predictive model’s quality. As such, it requires the estimator to be familiar with different predictors of construction costs and expertise in statistical methods.

Production Function

Production function basically relates the output or the amount built to factors like labor and materials or the input. As such, to achieve output at a certain level or build specific square feet, you should define your optimal input or labor hours per every square foot. When it comes to forecasting a project’s input-output relationship, production functions tend to be fairly accurate. Nevertheless, this depends on the project type and the extend of the available data.

Stick Estimating

This approach is extremely accurate. However, it’s incredibly time-consuming. It’s basically about determining the total expenses by listing the costs of single components of a project in order. Producing a stick estimate takes time and human error can occur during the estimating process. What’s more, the long time required for stick estimating can lead to concentration loss or carelessness.

Unit Cost Estimating

This form of construction cost estimation associates the unit costs with the involved assembly throughout the construction process. This approach is relatively accurate and quick especially if the assemblies have been used before since the available evidence justifies the unit costs for the assemblies.

Each construction cost estimator uses a different estimate approach. Talk to your cost estimator to understand the approach they intend to use.…

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Major Types of Construction Companies

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Categorization of construction companies is based on the type of the job a company performs. Some of the roles of a construction company include land acquisition, design, execution, financial planning, maintenance, and paperwork. Here are the major types of construction companies.

Small Renovation Contractors

A small renovation contractor works on projects that require small capital amount and work that doesn’t require major construction organization or too much estimating. Some of the jobs done by small renovation contractors include office and small commercial work as well as home alternations. Most small renovation contractors work from their home offices and they usually handle paperwork at night.

General Contractors

A general contractor is often an expert in alternation work or new buildings. Majority of building contractors tend to subcontractor a large part of what they do. Alternation contractors use their forces to handle most projects. There are also general contractors that specialize in public works.

Real Estate Developers

Real estate developers are owner-builders. Apart from building for their ownership, real estate developers build with an aim of selling before or even after completion. This category can also include one and two family home contractors or builders.

Owner-Builder

This is a company that works as an owner-builder and it may not be categorized as a contractor in strict sense. This company constructs buildings to own them but it can sell them upon completion, operate, or rent them out. On occasion, most owner-builders act as general contractors or construction managers as the sideline of the main business which is building for personal ownership.

Package Builders

These are companies that take handle contracts from designing to construction. In addition, their services include land acquisition and project financing. Companies that handle package building show their prospective clients the prototypes of the buildings they have completed. Their staff includes engineers, architects, and construction personnel.

Other construction companies can be categorized as sponsor builders, program manager, and construction manager. It’s crucial to know what a construction company can do before you entrust it with your construction project. Choosing the right construction company will influence the outcome of your project. For more details on construction companies, check out this website here.…

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Major Types of Construction

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Construction is a building process that results in the remodeling or completion of a structure. A construction project can be commissioned by a private property owner or a municipal agency. Here are the major types of construction.

Residential Building

Residential construction entails repairing or remodeling structures for housing people, supplies, or equipment. Multi-family dwellings and single family homes fall in this category. Residential construction may involve building apartments, duplexes, utility sheds, and garages. This construction can also include installation of different utilities including sewer, water, and electricity.

Commercial and Institutional Building

This includes medical facilities like hospitals, schools, stadiums, sports arenas, retail stores, skyscrapers, and shopping centers. Institutional and commercial construction includes construction of new structures, upgrading and maintenance of the existing structures. Typically, private companies or owners commission the construction of institutional and commercial buildings like retail stores. Medical facilities, sports arenas, and schools are paid for or managed by national and local government agencies.

Industrial Construction

Industrial construction involves building specialized structures. This requires specialization as well as technological skills in planning, design and construction. Industrial construction is typically done by for profit or industrial corporations. Industries like medical, chemical, and power generations build these structures. Nuclear power plants, steel mills, and oil refineries are also categorized under industrial construction.

Heavy Construction and Infrastructure

This type of construction entails building railways, communications, and roads around the existing buildings. Typically, this construction is aimed at serving the public interest. It is mostly done by large private companies and government agencies. Tunnels, highways, pipelines, drainage systems, overpasses and bridges as well as drainage systems are some of the projects under the heavy construction and infrastructure category.

Each of these types of construction requires certain level of expertise and equipment to complete. Choose a contractor for your project depending on the type of construction you want to undertake and their capabilities.…

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Qualities to look for when hiring employees for a building site

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Before you start placing people in a construction site, you need to make sure that they are best suited for that particular job description. Otherwise, you will end up with a sit full of chaos and fatalities.

There are some qualities that you should consider before you give them contracts to sign.

Some of the things to look out for depends on the position that you are hiring the person to occupy.

You need to have a manager who will be able to run things when you are not around, a supervisor to keep the workers on toes and the rest of the construction team.

You should look for 

Physical strength

This is very important, especially for the workers themselves. They need to be able to carry heavy loads whenever necessary. They should have the power to climb up, dig, bend, and be able to do manual labor when needed. They should have stamina as well so that they can endure the harsh condition of a construction site. They should be in good health too. If any of them is suffering from allergies and chronic diseases, then inhaling the dust and chemicals found at the site might aggravate their health conditions.

Great co-ordination skills

A building site is a place where there are a lot of activities happening at once. Some people may be digging while some are filling the trenches. They need to be able to coordinate their limbs well; otherwise, they may end up getting hurt. A worker should be able to sit down, bend over, and even lie on the ground without difficulty.

Certification

You should be very safety conscious when you are hiring a machine operator. They should produce evidence of going through training to handle it. If not, then you will be endangering not only others but themselves as well. They might also spoil the expensive pieces of equipment.

Construction knowledge 

When hiring a worker, you should ask them if they have previous experience in building. This is important because they will be already familiar with the materials found in the site and hence be able to work efficiently with them. Hiring someone new to the construction industry will force you to spend extra time and money in training them to use the machines. A worker should be able to read the blueprints so they should be literate. They are supposed to calculate measurement given to them accurately so that they don’t make mistakes.

 Good eyesight 

For one to be a good worker, they need to have excellent vision. It is essential to have great perception at the site. Good eyesight will also make it easy to spot any errors made. Once they see the mistakes that have been made, then they can rectify it. The operators are supposed to see and gauge the distance when they are on the types of equipment.

Take your time and hire the right people because that can affect the timeline stipulated to finish construction.

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