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Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Construction Estimating Checklist: A New Era of Estimating Service

If you are a newbie in the estimating service zone then you should know about construction estimating checklist and how to organize them. it is not possible to get the help of expensive software for fancy estimate proposals. Well you need at the very least some sort of checklist. There is a lot of free e4ducation and tips online to help your design a good construction estimating checklist. From how to methods to tips, all you have to do is search on the Google.

The Checklist of Construction Estimating

But you have to follow a basic structure for your construction estimating checklist should consist. Assuming you have the name of your company and address already registered, your form should have the following main features on it: Client Information like full name, address, phone number of both work and at home, email address; Project Description like brief description of project to ensure that your estimate includes all the client wants, example would be Kitchen remodel or Bathroom remodel or roof repair and Project ID: as your business grows and you end up deciding on what software will best help you manage your business, you will need each project to have the separate id. As the hope that the client will continue to use you for other projects, each project should have their own identification.


The teamwork to create a checklist

The Estimate: Now break down all the different steps the job will entail with a cost of 10% more that you think you can do the job for. This gives the client some wiggle room to negotiate bringing you back down to where you would have estimated the job to cost but giving the client a feeling of win/win negotiations. Total the cost. But the most important part of this estimate is that it should have an expiration date. You have no control over material cost but know that your supplier revises their cost on a particular day of the week and then your estimate should be in direct correlation to that cost. Your suppliers will give you an estimate of cost in writing guaranteeing the quote till a particular date. Make sure to make note of that date and make sure to include that date in your estimate.

Now make sure to organize your estimate by phases, no more than 3 phases. As you will ask for upfront payment per phase and schedule a walk through the completion of every phase with the client. Make sure to charge them for walk through inspections as the project may require city inspections in addition to your detail inspection which cost time. But this will also help you control the client wanting to do an unscheduled inspection which would take you away from your work and may be an insurance liability.

This should give you a good idea how to get started making an effective construction estimating checklist.

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