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As we all know, an architect designs his masterpiece through a brief given to him by a client. This masterpiece together with engineering construction drawings, surveyors and other reports usually ends up with an hydraulic consultant for the design of the usual drainage, stormwater, water and gas installations. These designs, now very sophisticated, land on the desk of the plumbing contractor, mostly via a builder. This is where the fun starts.
Imagine, a network of lines, squares, dots and symbols, all denoting important aspects of the design. Coupled with this a thick volume of written requirements and the stage is set for a major catastrophe.
However this is one method of keeping track of the services (lines) measured. Separate colours for water, drainage, gas etc. You truthfully and accurately assess what you write down. How long will it take this man to do that particular piece of work? And it is at that juncture that previous experiences are flooding back. A guessing game? It certainly is. But that is not all. You are bound to find situations where you cannot agree with the hydraulic consultantŐs design. Or will you be pricing this project as designed, note this in your estimate and sort out the problems later? It could well be that some smart operator redesigned it, submitted maybe a lower estimate and you have lost the project. This is not a maybe, it happens every day in the estimating game.
Let us now assume your estimate was attractive to the builder. Of course this firm would have received other estimates. It is difficult to find a builder or client, who will accept your figures at face value. The worst case scenario is one where you will have to table your figures. See builders are also out to make a dollar and if they can make it out of the difference between your estimate and theirs, you will most likely become the loser.
Most estimators are computer literate. It is not unusual to find estimators that have designed their own spreadsheet to suit their style of operation and to line this up with what is being used as an accountancy program. If you read all this and still have no program together, please spend some time with a person that is comfortable using such a program. You will be surprised at what it can do! Estimators are often seen as pivoting entities in a company. With that is meant that if the strike rate (success rate) is low, there will be little or no work for the men. If the rate is high, the estimator is worried because the offered prices for projects may be too low.
 Today it is not unusual for the estimator to also design for a builder. If builders are a design and construct company, very often an estimator is on his own. An hydraulic consultant could be brought into the picture but that would end up costing even more. Thus an estimator really needs to know his trade and more.
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Where do we start? We read through the specification and start making notes on the drawings. Points to watch!
Once a deal, yes, I call it a deal, has been made, your figures may have to be adjusted so that the entire project can be entered into an accountancy system, which most likely will be residing in a computer in your office.
| John Ronk - [Intro] | [Qualifications] | [Articles] |
| The views expressed in this article are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the management or staff of MasterPlumbers.com |
