Identify the items in the specification that are in your scope of work. Identify items on the drawings that you have taken off or accounted for. Typically this would be done by coloring the item. Identify the notes on the drawings that you have completed. Review all of the drawings to make sure that you [...]
1) Not knowing what the schedule is saying. 2) Not getting input from your subcontractors or your field personnel. 3) Including activities in the schedule that have no impact to the schedule or any relationship to any activity in the schedule. 4) Trying to hide delays in the project so the schedule looks good. 5) [...]
1) Not including logic in the schedule. 2) Constraining activities that should not be constrained. 3) Including too many activities. 4) Not including enough activities. 5) Not putting in the correct duration for activities.
Is it time for a few of the lower end contractors to fold up shop? I think the resounding answer to the question is YES! I have heard horror stories from all over the country about how the low bidder is taking the job for less than the material and subcontract costs. Also the contractor [...]
How would you feel if you where asked to pay more taxes because someone could not properly prepare a budget? Well if you live in Denver you already know how it feels. With the project still at least 6 years from completion I would want there to be safeguards put in place to ensure that [...]
I was reading an article in the 12-7-09 issue of ENR about the Hoover Dam Bridge. The project was plagued by many problems; from funding to unlicensed concrete supplier. The one thing that really bothered me was the fact that wind caused lines to collapse and the Nevada towers fell. This incident caused a two [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 have had many people that have contacted me lately about getting started in the estimating profession. The advice that I tell them is to seek out a local chapter of the American Society of Professional Estimators and go to a few meetings. Talk to the members about the good and the bad of the [...]
