The Connected Construction Professional Series: Construction Estimating Professionals

As a construction estimating professional who cares about your craft, your role is to determine the complete cost of the construction project before it has even begun, which is no small task. Of course, each estimating role itself and the tools you use to do your job might be different, depending on whether you’re working on a general construction project, a heavy or civil project, or a mechanical, electrical or plumbing (MEP) project.

One commonality though, is that your role often requires a thorough understanding of mathematics, engineering and architecture, and cost and supply chain economics, all of which heavily influence your day-to-day work. In addition, construction estimating requires an acute attention to detail as well as patience for the meticulous process. Of course, you also must be capable of communicating clearly with other construction professionals such as architects, material suppliers, and finance professionals. All of these skills are important for reducing estimating errors.

But before you can start crunching numbers, there are few key documents you need. First, a finalized scope of work, which details the parameters of the project, is key to your success. The boundaries set by the scope of work document are essential to your ability to estimate figures in your takeoff.

A second requirement, the takeoff, is also a key factor in determining total cost of the project. Takeoff determines the amount of materials needed for the project (or project phases) and relies on building plans and specifications.

Creating a takeoff can be a difficult process, but developing the cost estimates for your assigned projects can be even more challenging. What if supply prices rise due to inflation or supply chain inefficiency? What happens if supplies are lost or damaged during the building process? If factors change, how can you efficiently change your estimate and manage communication of those changes?

Your job is imperative to a successful construction project, and reducing estimating errors will have a significant effect on your bottom line. So what is it that construction estimating professionals want and need to reduce errors?

Estimating is a data heavy role, and therefore the greatest need among estimation professionals are tools to help them better work with data in real time. For instance, if you're manually entering data into a spreadsheet, it's extremely easy to make a small mistake that could complicate the estimating process farther down the line. However, automated data entry solves many of these errors.

Connected, centralized data is another key to reducing estimating errors. Problems quickly arise when important estimating data is spread across multiple spreadsheets or even physical papers that must be found before they can be used. And the time needed to manually reconcile all of this data means that it isn’t exactly fresh and accurate by the time it’s submitted. Especially when errors need to be corrected, connected data is essential. For instance, imagine that the cost of labor increases due to the shortage of workers. You need to be able to update this figure in one place, and have it updated across your entire estimate instantly.

Quicker, more accurate estimates. That’s what you want, because less estimating errors equals higher profitability, and that’s what a connected construction software suite can deliver.

Trimble Construction One is a connected construction suite built to connect all facets of the construction project together through connected, real-time data and solutions. Unlike other construction management solutions, Trimble Construction One leverages a host of leading-edge Trimble estimating solutions designed for all facets of construction and connects your essential estimating data with the rest of your construction data so that you don’t have to waste time re-entering data in other applications.

Trimble Construction One offers benefits such as digital takeoff, the ability to track estimates and detailing through the entire project lifecycle to understand profitability, integrated up-to-date material and labor pricing, and much more. These factors benefit not only your role, but everyone involved down the project chain. Trimble Construction One allows your estimating data to seamlessly feed into accounting, project management, ERP, and so on.

A connected construction suite allows you to reduce estimating errors, increase efficiency in your work, become more competitive in your bids, and increase your accuracy.