I attended a meeting this past week on the topic of “Ethics in Construction: There is no Free Estimate”. There were numerous contractors that have been bitten by providing a free estimate and who were then not even asked to bid the project. One good suggestion was made and that is to ask three questions [...]
Once again actions by politicians and political appointees are dealing a blow to progress and success. This latest example can be found in Florida where the Florida Public Service Commission denied rates hikes needed to construct new power facilities and modernize existing plants and infrastructure. This rate hike would help fund the construction of two [...]
I have had the opportunity to sit in on contract and pricing discussions over the years on a wide variety of projects. Some of them are simple and straight-forward others are large and complex. I have also had the opportunity to participate as an expert or as an arbitrator when disputes develop over cost reimbursable [...]
When you are preparing an estimate for a project that is not 100% designed – documentation is the key to a successful estimate. You as the estimator have to document what you have included in the estimate so when it comes down to the estimate resolution meeting you can fully explain what you have in [...]
We are seeing a small bit of life in the pipeline for private projects. However, these owners and developers may have some tough times coming up. It is not from being unable to finance the project but from taking bids that are too low. The firms contemplating construction are expecting the exceptionally low bids to [...]
Hot off the wire: The recession is over. Stimulus spending works. The country is on the road to recovery. Inflation is not a concern. The moon is made of cheese. Construction unemployment is over 23%. Only one of these is true. One is a fairy tale. The rest are “facts” put out by the government. [...]
Some of the mistakes that are made in estimating could have been easily avoided. The first mistake is not checking all of the drawings to make sure that you have “found” all of the work for your scope of work. The best way to remedy this mistake would be to make sure that you mark [...]
I conclude this blog series to break a decades-long silence in the construction industry – the nine true secrets of successful estimates! NINTH SECRET The ninth secret is that there are no secrets in estimating! Well, perhaps for one estimate or two, but then again, that’s a different story! P.S. There is a tenth secret! [...]
I continue this blog series to break a decades-long silence in the construction industry -the nine true secrets of successful estimates. EIGHTH SECRET The eighth secret is the profit amount. How secret can profit be on a project? Profit on a project that has not yet bid is somewhat secret. I definitely wouldn’t let anyone [...]
I continue this blog series to break a decades-long silence in the construction industry -the nine true secrets of successful estimates. SEVENTH SECRET The seventh secret is the indirect costs of a project. Indirect costs are the identification of labor, material and equipment items required to support the overall project. Indirect costs associated with a [...]
