1. ESTIMATING By
Laith Jacob

2. INTRODUCTION TO ESTIMATING
Estimating is an approximation that defines the Cost of construction Activity or activities prior to commencement of work VS the cost of work during and after construction, which is the Actual cost.
Activity Cost in general is basically the cost of material, labor and equipment.

3. PROCEDURES AND STEPS Advertisement Section 00030
Purchase of Bidding Documents.
Site Tour and pre-bid meeting
Questions and clarifications – addenda
Meet bid date and time dead line – delivery of bid.

4. SECTION 00030 ADVERTISEMENT
Bid date and time
Project description
Bidding documents
Bid Security
Any local requirement
Contract time

5. BIDDING DOCUMENTS
Specifications
Drawings
Addenda

6. SITE TOUR AND PRE-BID MEETING
Site Accessibility
Temporary construction roads
Staging area
Storage area
Security
Site conditions and finishes

7. QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS
Clarify any existing site condition that we feel could affect the estimate (underground utilities not shown on documents, any dewatering and discharge, construction power and water needs….etc.
Any conflict between the drawings and specifications.
Ask for any missing detail or specification section.

8. TYPES OF ESTIMATES Conceptual Estimate
Construction Management Estimate
GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price) Estimate
Design Build Estimate
Lump Sum Estimate
Lump Sum Unit Prices

9. COST ESTIMATING Reading the Front End Documents (Division 0 & 1)
Division 0 “Administrative and Advertisement”
Instruction to Proposer (Pre-Bid Meeting and Site tour, Questions, Clarifications & Concerns, Delivery of Bids (time & location and number of copies)
Information to Bidders
Bid Forms
Bid Bonds
Bidder Qualification for certain type of projects and broker Contractors
Form of Agreement
General Conditions (Indirect Cost, e.g. Staging area, Access roads, Construction Building Access, Temporary offices, Daily/Weekly and Final Clean up, Temporary Power and Water Utilities, Safety…..etc)
Supplementary Conditions

10. COST ESTIMATING (CONT.)
Division 1 “General Requirements”
Administrative Provisions (Scope of work, Alternates, Coordination…..)
Progress Meeting
Construction Schedules and procurement of Equipment
Submittals
Quality Control (testing for soil, concrete, paving……..etc.)
Construction Facilities and Staging area
O&M manuals and Training.

11. COST ESTIMATING (CONT.)
Understand the Details of the Drawings and Scopes
Generate The Scope of Work for each Trade and coordinate with the project construction schedule.
Generate General Conditions Cost.
Take off of different trades and price it, as needed.
Generate the Bid Day Scope Check Sheets “Green Sheets”.
Generate The Posting Sheets.
Generate Bid day strategy and responsibilities

12. COST ESTIMATING (CONT.)
Risk Factors
Know the Owner
Type of work
Location of the project
Competitive Edge Meetings
Know your competitors.
Their weaknesses.
Educate the market through questions to the Owner/Designer and Subcontractors.
Know the Market

13. COST ESTIMATE AND BID SUMMARY SHEET
Direct Cost, Subcontractors bids, self perform work
Indirect cost, General Condition (Field cost, Safety, Permits, Clean up…etc) Insurance, Bond cost and Overhead & Fee.