Make your construction estimating process smarter with aspenOne V8.6

Aspen Technology, Inc. (AZPN), the most trusted solution provider in engineering and optimization software, just unveiled the availability of aspenONE version 8.6 software. The latest AspenTech software is ideal for Engineering & Construction (E&C) as well as Oil, Gas and Chemicals industries to design and maneuver protected plants, calculate project costs precisely from concept to construction.

Benefits of construction estimators:-

Aspen Capital Cost Estimator (ACCE) comprises of newest detailed unit rate estimating which allows the estimators to make calculations into the detailed estimating phase of a project. ACCE V8.6 can easily modify the labor and material unit rates along with materials of construction. This feature enables organization to gain up to +/- 10% exactness and minimize project risk as well as enhance decision creation around the utilization of capital.

ACCE V8.6 facilitates the user to penetrate unit pricing, unit labor, and alter the description of line items in the bulks. Now ACCE can also be applied for figuring out detailed estimates as previously the users were unable to use detailed pricing which is now resolved.

ACCE V8.6 is will save considerable time on estimate, develop the correctness and accuracy of estimates with the progression of any project. The communication amid the estimator and the client as well as will collaboration among engineering disciplines will be enhanced to a great extent. The owners will be able to utilize their capital resource in a superior way under the escalation of cost in the energy and chemical sectors. Strategic Estimating Systems (SES) will be mostly benefitted with this new functionality.

The V8.6 release of aspenONE software, featuring updates to Aspen HYSYS, Aspen Plus, and Aspen Capital Cost Estimator, is available immediately. Customers having the aspenONE Licensing Model can promote to the new version without incurring any extra cost.

For getting more updates visit, http://www.aspentech.com/products/v8-release

  

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Published By

Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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Saudi Arabia Aims to Construct World's Tallest Building

Construction work begins for Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, which once completed is expected to take the record as the world's tallest building.

Three years ago Saudi billionaire Prince Al Waleed bin Talal announced to the world that the Kingdom intended to construct the world's tallest building, in a move to outbid Gulf neighbour Dubai.The tower, to be named Kingdom Tower, will be at least 3,280 ft, and will be the centrepiece of the Kingdom City development in Jeddah.

Dubai's Burj Khalifa is currently the tallest building in the world with a height of 2,716 feet.Designed by architects Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill, Kingdom Tower is expected to cost 1.2 billion U.S. dollars to construct.

"The main anchors of phase one will be the tower, the highest tower in the world, the icon of this project it will be the landmark and icon of the city of Jeddah and The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Mounib Hammoud, CEO of Jeddah Economic Company (JEC), said in an interview on Sunday."Phase one, will start being completely taking shape in 2018 because the tower will hopefully finish in 2018.

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Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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Common Cost Estimation Practice Traits

There are various issues that must be considered to avoid construction risks and some of the common cost estimation practice traits that must be followed in order to enhance the entire process are given below-

Consistency- Methods that are consistent with the industry standard classification systems such as the UniFormatT or CSI MasterFormatT systems as well as in logical order should be employed. The methods that meet the specific requirements of the client should be used. Employing consistent methods helps different estimators to complete various parts of the quantity survey and can also be continued later by another cost estimator. Through consistency cost fluctuation throughout the different project stages can be easily identified. This survey helps in creating the final account summary.

Documentation- Documentation is a crucial part of cost estimation practice. Documentation of all the segments of estimation should be done in a consistent, logical, precise and legible manner. If any specific detail is found to be vague, estimators should review the original estimate for reference. Clarity in documentation enhances its importance to the reader and turns out to be of great help in matters like settlements of claims, change order preparation and review of past estimates.

Verification- For easy and accurate verification, the quantity survey must be carried in a logical and methodical form which works as proof of the accuracy of any portion of the survey.

Evaluation- Evaluation of the bids must be done whenever the estimate involves use of bids from subcontractors. This helps in the scope and responsiveness to the project. Past performance records of the subcontractors submitting bids must be over viewed in this context as this would aid in determining the level of competence as well as the standard of performance.

 

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Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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Perform Multi-Component Estimates inside One Framework through PRICE TruePlanning

PRICE TruePlanning™ is a cost estimating framework useful for estimating, business management, engineering & program management. It aids in minimizing the time and experience necessary to perform convincing, data-driven parametric estimating required at all stages of an organization ranging from executive, financial, and project/program estimating and management.

It performs as the only cost estimating supporting structure that can incorporate numerous cost models along with hardware, software, IT, assembly, and program management costs inside the same estimate. The PRICE TruePlanning framework develops the importance of numerous PRICE® Cost Models, facilitating estimators to be benefitted with quicker, more insightful, more consistent parametric estimating.

PRICE TruePlanning also allows clarifying the value of project cost histories in the parametric estimating procedure (by PRICE® TrueFindings™) and providing supports to combine dynamic Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Cost Element Structure (CES) mapping (through PRICE® TrueMapper™).

 PRICE TruePlanning comes with great features and benefits that will help to create estimates as per your detailed requirements and preferences. Besides, TruePlanning cost estimating applies "discrete numerical values" for leading cost drivers, associated with historical data, to produce for more authentic calibration than competitive alternatives.

TruePlanning contains the following exclusive features:-

• Generate estimates instantly and it helps users to make 30-60% savings in cost and cycle time.

• Make analysis of alternatives (AoAs) easy, by contrasting the impacts of multiple variables.

• Provide a basis for program maintenance activities throughout the prolonged period, for a superior life cycle cost estimating.

• A product breakdown structure for System of Systems (SOS) estimating combining several components under one framework, involving parent-child file relationships that maintain all systems, subsystems, components, and processes inside a single file hierarchy.

• The capacity to relate and view product breakdown structures, cost drivers and outputs in a solitary screen view simplifies the capacity to calculate design tradeoffs across diversified project variables.

• Supplementary program attributes make flexibility in arranging, scrutinizing, and handling cost estimating data and procedures for better insight along with search and mass-edit, year-by-year and total-life-cycle-cost viewing, capability to evaluate views across numerous projects over time, and endless charting combinations to assure exceptional reporting requirements.

• TruePlanning also comes with a wide array of Companion Applications that facilitate users to create custom applications and bring them into the TruePlanning estimation engine and cost models. These consist of an Activity Mapper, an Excel Solution bi-directional interface, Parametric Data Forms, a Sensitivity Analyzer, @Risk Integration, and Crystal Ball Integration.

  

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Published By

Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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Why Professionals keep away from Cost Estimating Software Technologies

Lots of manufacturers utilize the professional software platforms to a great extent across the globe and reap huge benefits. But lots of people refuse to include this profit-making tool to their estimating resources due to the following reasons:-

Short-range, and short-sighted, thinking relating to profit making - Traditional manufacturers favor to include new machines to the production floor in place of new software. This may help in executing more work but not become effective to deal with omissions in competitive estimates and quoting.
 

A conviction that manual quotes on the basis of experience and ‘feel’ are rapid – It seems to be proper thinking in the preliminary phases of basic projects but jobs that gradually develop into considerably multifaceted or vary in scope and sequence midstream are managed by software technologies, where information is gathered from a database, in a superior way.

Lack of proper training to become expert with any new computer skill – It is not possible for many companies or they are reluctant to maintain the time, effort, and resources necessary to be trained with new software technology. But this primary sacrifice may result in understanding the vision and advantages of an up-to-date quoting process.

Since it is hard to measure what your existing process is providing any value to you – It may be avoided. As for instance, if one can easily find out that a significant amount of money is getting loss due because of overestimating – immediate measures should be undertaken to get rid of the issue.

   

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Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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Quantity Takeoff Sheet for Plumbing

A precise construction estimate details of every particular involved in construction including plumbing estimate. A plumbing takeoff is designed to acquire the necessary information about the plumbing materials required.

A proper plumbing estimate is very significant part of the construction estimate as it helps in preventing extra expenses and besides, it also helps in timely completion of the construction in the most cost efficient manner.

Takeoff sheet for plumbing includes size, schedule, material, connection, quantity, total length of the sewer pipes. The cost estimator requires following and adopting the listing in order to create an organized and accurate cost estimate.

  

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Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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Classic Job Estimate Sheet for Contractors

Different types of business houses, contractor, painter or person can utilize the Classic Job Estimate Form for producing a brief estimate to a client for the services these companies offered. The job estimate is segregated into three diverse sections to get an overview for materials applied, labor charges, and other expenses. This form combines all three costs collectively for finding out the total on one form, and serves as a job estimate for the client before proceeding to the work.

The contractor can customize the Classic Job Estimate with their business name, address, phone number and website address if required.

Download this form and it is available in Microsoft Excel format.

 

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Published By

Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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General Construction Estimate Spreadsheet

General Construction Estimate Spreadsheet is Microsoft excel workbook that can be edited completely. This estimating spreadsheet is formed with 16 division CSI Master format. The sheet includes numerous quantities, and unit costs associated with labor, material, and subcontractor. By applying this spreadsheet, one can figure out totals as well as provide a sales tax rate, overhead mark-up rate, performance and payment bonds, insurance, profit, contingencies, business license, permit etc.

The spreadsheet contains the following features:

• Comes with 16 divisions scheduled on the Estimate Worksheet compliant with the CSI Masterformat 1995 Edition.

• The complete Worksheet consists of a section for inserting a performance and payment bond based on the users input limits and rates per thousands. Once the bond rates and limits are assigned by the users, a P&P bond can be affixed by simply clicking a check box.

• Payroll Taxes and Insurance (Labor Burden) rate can be assigned to all items narrated in the "Labor" Column of the Estimate Worksheet.

• Material Tax rate can be assigned to all items mentioined in the "Material" Column of the Estimate Worksheet.

• Both PT&I (Labor Burden) and Material Tax are distributed from the Totals Worksheet to the individual activities on the Estimate Worksheet by marking a checkbox.

• The General Construction Estimate template will also work out a square foot cost breakdown on the Totals Worksheet on the basis of the total square feet submitted by the user on the Estimate Worksheet.

  

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Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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Deal with the layout tasks of a building construction with Trimble Field Link 2.20

Trimble just unveiled the availability of Trimble Field Link 2.20, the most updated version of its software for dealing with the layout tasks concerning the building construction. This latest release expands the management of field layout for contractors and field teams. Trimble Field Link 2.20 comes with task-oriented workflows, customizable views, and a touch-screen based user interface allowing optimization of the available information.

The users will be able to visualize the position within the 3D model corresponding to the layout point in their Field Link software by detecting the proper location of a point in the field. This will provide a more perceptive, pragmatic 3D perspective viewpoint and simplify the process for navigating to the selected point. Trimble Field Link version 2.20 covers updates to Trimble Field Link for MEP and Trimble Field Link for Structures field software, which now contain augmented 3D model support, and an improved in-model viewpoint of layout view for a having a productive and sensible field layout. Besides, Trimble Field Link facilitates the users to experience superior visualization, navigation and rendering of building models, and import bigger, refined models.

Trimble Field Link includes reporting routines to feature layout productivity, and the capability to document accessible site conditions for information requests (RFIs).

Trimble also tied up with Bentley Systems to develop information mobility amid the design and field construction processes. With this collaboration, the users can distribute their 3D constructible models among design and engineering applications and Trimble Field Link 2.20 through Bentley’s mobile i-model technology.

The users can avail Trimble Field Link 2.20 is through Trimble’s authorized distributors of layout solutions from Trimble Buildings’ MEP and general contractor/construction manager divisions.

 

  

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Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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Detailed Estimating Sheet

Detail sheets consist of the genuine quantities and unit prices intended for each of the construction categories. To make the estimating process uncomplicated, various formulas can be put in to carry out the calculations. It will save huge time for builder.

As soon as the detailed sheets are formed, the estimator just has to provide the take-off quantities for the different items. Line item totals, category totals as well as several line-item quantities are automatically calculated from the take-off quantities. If any alterations occur, all calculations are automatically and rapidly updated. The category totals on the detail sheets can be connected to the summary sheet in order that it automatically copies the totals from the detail sheets.

The Video Link is http://www.quantity-takeoff.com/detailed-estimating-sheet.htm

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Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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Solidworks costing tool review

The SolidWorks Costing tool helps you calculate how much it costs to manufacture sheet metal and machined parts by automating the cost estimation and quotation process. The tool helps designers make design decisions based on the cost to manufacture, and helps manufacturers create quotes for customers.

The Costing tool is driven by manufacturing and material information in templates that determine the manufacturing cost. In the templates you can specify the material used to create the part, the manufacturing processes (such as laser cutting, bending, or milling), and the associated costs of these materials and manufacturing operations.

See how easy can be to estimate manufacturing cost and provide price quotations for your products with SolidWorks Costing Tool!

 

  

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Published By

Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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The importance of construction cost database

At the time of construction projects, the general contractors utilize construction cost database with respect to cost estimation and budgeting progressions.

The construction cost database can be very effective in a short time span. With the help of a computer program, the general contractors can execute all construction projects promptly and competently.

The general contractors can buy a construction cost database and set up it on their computer. The cost database can also be web-supported. The general contractors can apply cost database for general purpose by scrutinizing the overall cost of a project and it can be also customized by the general contractors according to their requirements. There exist some programs catering to definite sections of the construction industry ranging from residential to general to heavy construction.

There also exist programs in support of carpentry estimating; conceptual estimating; concrete estimating and insurance claims estimating, plus diverse estimating work that should be executed. Some construction cost software programs like specializing in plumbing, piping and HVAC, as well as repair and remodeling tasks also present there.

A normal construction cost database can be obtained at a price of $60 and $250, based on the capacities of the software. Most construction cost databases is compatible with Microsoft's Excel program whereas some of them are stand-alone.

A construction cost database provides significant benefits to the general contractors. By applying software programs to supervise budgets and construction costs persistently, general contractors get the ability to monitor of the financial position on day by day or hourly basis. All budgetary information is preserved in a single location and can be availed without difficulty.

A construction cost database can improve the bottom line of a project because it decreases the number of required employees to fruitfully proceed to completion. By applying a software program, an individual person can keep track of a project, or part of a project's, budget.

 

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Published By

Arka Roy

www.quantity-takeoff.com

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