For matters relevant to estimating and
costs, the best source of information is your historical data. These
figures allow for the pricing of the project to match how the company
actually performs its construction.
This information takes into account the
talent and training of the craft personnel and the management
abilities of the field staff personnel. In addition, it integrates
the construction companies’ practices and methodologies.
This is why a careful, accurate
accounting system combined with accuracy in field reports is so
important. If all of the information relating to the job is tracked
and analyzed, it will be available for future reference.
Computerized cost accounting systems
are very helpful in gathering this information and making it readily
available for future reference. See Construction Accounting and
Financial Management by Steven J. Peterson for more information on
managing construction accounting systems.
There are several “guides to
construction cost” manuals available; however, a word of extreme
caution is offered regarding the use of these manuals. They are only
guides; the figures should rarely be used to prepare an actual
estimate.
The manuals may be used as a guide in
checking current prices and should enable the estimator to follow a
more uniform system and save valuable time. The actual pricing in the
manuals is most appropriately used in helping architects check
approximate current prices and facilitate their preliminary estimate.
In addition to these printed guides,
many of these companies provide electronic databases that can be
utilized by estimating software packages. However, the same caution
needs to be observed as with the printed version.
These databases represent an average of
the methodologies of a few contractors. There is no simple way to
convert this generalized information to match the specifics of the
construction companies’ methodologies.
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