Building cost estimators are professionals who determine building costs to help architects, engineers, building owners, or others estimate building costs.
The purpose of building a cost estimator
They should determine the total materials and labor required for a building project. This includes considering the square footage of the proposed building space, building specifications, building design features, building location, and building access.
Scope of building cost estimator
Building cost estimators may work for general contractors or subcontractors in the construction industry. Other building cost estimators are self-employed consultants who work with architects, building owners, engineers, or general contractors to determine building costs for specific projects.
Salary of building cost estimator
The salary of building cost estimators can vary greatly depending on geographical location, building industry experience, and education. They have to have building construction knowledge as well as building business knowledge.
How to become a building cost estimator
To become a building cost estimator, you need formal building cost estimating training and professional certification with professional organizations such as AIBC (International Association of Building Cost Professionals), APPA (Appraisal Institute of Canada), or RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors).
Recommendation
It is highly recommended that one have a building construction training course to become a building cost estimator.
Courses for building cost estimator
Building cost estimators can complete building construction university courses, building management classes, and certificate programs. Building cost estimators can take building management classes through building service contractors’ associations such as Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) or building trade associations such as the Associated Builders and Contractors.
Also, the building cost estimator suggests building design courses like building design, building drafting, and building construction program to be a good building cost estimator. Building construction courses and building trade classes can also provide building cost estimators with building estimating knowledge.
Qualities of building cost estimator
Building cost estimators need to know building construction terminology and building construction methods. They must communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with clients, architects, and subcontractors, so building cost estimators should have good communication skills. Building cost estimators should be mathematical experts, which means building cost estimators need building costing courses and construction training.
Building management courses, building design classes, building estimating training, building costs training will make a good building cost estimator.
Building cost estimators need building management training, building design classes, and building cost estimating activity.
Good building cost estimators have good building management education, building design education, building construction education, and building costs knowledge.
They should use PC-based building programs or calculators to estimate building costs quickly to save time.
Types of building cost estimator
There are many different building cost estimators. Many building professionals such as building inspectors, building project managers, and building engineers perform building cost estimation functions for their organizations or clients to assist in the building process or help with budgeting. Other building cost estimators are self-employed. Since building professionals who practice building cost estimation all provide building cost estimates to their clients, For example, a building inspector may give an estimate of the construction costs involved in repairing a deteriorated window seal before building permit. He may compare this estimate to his building owner’s budget or project plan and recommend selecting a contractor based on the budget or timeline.
A building inspector working for a building engineering firm will use cost estimation techniques to assist in designing an addition to a building taking into account what is physically possible with the existing building structures.
A building cost estimator may be employed in building design, construction, or engineering services. Building cost estimation identifies and represents the various costs associated with the building projects in monetary terms. For example, a building owner may require an estimate of the costs involved in constructing a new building floor for a building-designed. Before building a building permit application, a building inspector may need to estimate the costs of repairing a deteriorated window seal on an existing building.
Building cost estimation techniques
Building cost estimators may use standard estimating techniques such as multiplying amounts by average percentages or by construction material unit quantities to produce building cost estimates. This is called conventional building cost estimation. For building inspectors, building project managers, and building engineers, building cost estimates provide a building professional’s opinion of probable construction costs to be incurred in building a proposed building project. In contrast to conventional building cost estimates, time-value of money (TVM) building cost estimates incorporate the concept that money has value over time.
Building cost estimates are used by building professionals, consultants, and contractors to estimate probable construction costs. Building cost estimations may also determine the building professional’s building fees for making services they provide. The hired building inspector will use different techniques to arrive at a building cost estimate than those used by an owner-builder building his own home.
Construction Cost Estimators’ Common Pitfalls
As a building cost estimator, you will be required to supply accurate building costs to clients. This article looks at some common pitfalls for building cost estimators.
The following are the most common mistakes made by building cost estimators during their building cost estimation duties. Building Cost Estimator Common Pitfalls
- It does not make allowances for building items not included in the tender documents. It is straightforward to forget about creating things not included in the building contract sum or that you have not been asked to estimate. When completing your building costing, all building items should be included.
- You do not understand building item quantities and descriptions provided on building estimating documents. A building cost estimator must fully understand the construction evaluating documentation and all building items included in a contract before completing their building estimation. If you do not understand your building estimating documentation, seek clarification from your project manager or contact the person who created structure estimating documents.
- You are not reading building item quantities and descriptions on building estimating documents correctly. It is common for building estimators to miscalculate building items because they have not read building item quantities and descriptions correctly. When reading your building estimating documentation, ensure that you understand each building item quantity and note building item quantities used in the construction estimating document.
- They did not understand building construction methodology and building construction standards or specifications. A building cost estimator must fully understand building construction standards, building construction methodologies, and how building items are constructed to provide accurate building costs. A building cost estimator must know what each building item price includes and how it has been calculated to use this information when completing their estimate.
- They are not using resources provided by your company. Building cost estimators should ensure that they use all resources provided by their company, such as building estimating policies, training opportunities, and software programs, when providing project building costs. Building costing resources you supplied will help you reduce errors when construction estimating.
- They are not building forecasting building items used on similar building projects into your building estimate or building forecast. Suppose you are asked to provide building costs for a building project that is substantially the same as another building project. In that case, it is straightforward to derive accurate building item prices by using information from previous building estimates and forecasts. Building cost estimators should base their building item prices on actual quotes provided during the last few months if they cannot find an exact match for a building estimate or forecast.
- Not understanding methods of tendering and contract types included in your company’s bidding process policy. A building estimator must understand different tendering procedures and contract types before completing their estimation documents because this will help them achieve their building cost estimate more quickly. You can learn about building estimating methods used by your company by asking building estimators, building project managers, or people involved with building tenders which process is currently being used on building projects.
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FAQs
Q: What is the building cost estimator?
A building cost estimator is a professional who uses building information modeling to calculate building costs for building projects. Building cost estimators use information modeling, creating and managing information models by combining BIM data with other data sources, such as plans, 3D CAD models, material takeoffs, and building codes.
Q: How much does it cost to use a building cost estimator?
Some professional building cost estimators charge per hour or have a flat fee for their services. The average hourly rate charged by an experienced building cost estimator is $70, but prices depend on the area you live. Whichever method is used, it is essential to determine how much time the building cost estimator thinks will be needed before working on your project.
Q: Who are some famous building cost estimators?
Famous building cost estimators include Hélène Binet, Bill Philbin, and Eric Karsh. Many building cost estimators have become famous because of their ability to reduce construction costs or because they helped save a historic building from being destroyed.
Q: How do I become a building cost estimator?
There are many ways to become a building cost estimator. If you have an architectural or engineering degree, then this is one route that you can take to get into the field of estimating costs for building projects. However, it may be possible to begin your career.
