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Specification Writing and Quantity Surveying: Collage of Engineering, Architecture & Technology

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ISABELA STATE UNIVERSITY – ILAGAN CAMPUS

Collage of Engineering, Architecture & Technology

SPECIFICATION WRITING
AND QUANTITY
SURVEYING
BUILDING TECHNOLOGY - 04 PROGRAMMED COURSE

INSTRUCTOR: Arch. V. G. Guntayon Jr, RMP


1. Estimating
Construction Estimates
 
Is simply the process of predicting and planning the expenses of any given construction project, The final
product is usually a document or presentation of some kind that lays out, in detail, what you plan to do,
what materials you’ll use, and how much it’s going to cost.
 
Estimating the ultimate cost of a project requires the integration of many variables. These variables fall
into either direct field costs or indirect field costs.
 
The indirect field costs are also referred to as general conditions or project overhead costs in building
construction. The direct field costs are the material, labor, equipment, or subcontracted items that are
permanently and physically integrated into the building. For example, the labor and materials for the
foundation of the building would be a direct field cost.
 
The indirect field costs are the cost for the items that are required to support the field construction efforts.
For example, the project site office would be a general conditions cost. In addition, factors such as weather,
transportation, soil conditions, labor strikes, material availability, and subcontractor availability need to be
integrated into the estimate.
Construction Estimator
A person that is responsible for determining the total quantity and cost of a construction project, it involves
validating the project’s Scope of Work. The Scope of Work is a document that lays out the entirety of work that
needs to be done in order to complete the building project. The scope documents, along with the building plans or
the working drawings and specfictions, give an estimator a place to start for compiling a list of materials, called a
quantity takeoff that will be needed to construct the building.
 
4 key Types of Estimate
 Preliminary Estimate - Preliminary estimates are also called rough or approximate
estimates, this is because they are not final—they give a ballpark idea of how much a
project will cost. A preliminary estimate is made at the very commencement of a project
when there’s partial data available. A very early preliminary estimate is called a
screening estimate and is usually based on information from similar projects done in
the past.
 Detailed Estimate - A detailed estimate is drawn up when there’s more information
available or the scope of the project is better known. Detailed estimates include
incredibly detailed information on quantities, costs and rates thus, all items necessary
to complete the project is defined. All the line items are added together to reach the
final cost.
 Quantity Estimate - A quantity estimate includes a list of quantities for all materials
needed to complete a project. Its purpose is to give the client a complete list of all the
quantities required for the project and what the cost will be for each quantity. It is a key
estimating method in construction.
 Bid Estimate - A bid estimate is submitted to a potential client in hopes of winning a
project.
Types of Estimate (Frank R. Dagostino Steven J. Peterson Weber State University, Estimating in Building Construction
7th ed. - F. dagostino, S. Peterson (Pearson, 2011) BBS)
 Detailed Estimate
The detailed estimate includes determination of the quantities and costs of everything that is required to complete the
project. This includes materials, labor, equipment, insurance, bonds, and overhead, as well as an estimate of the profit.
 Assembly Estimating
In assembly estimating, rather than bidding each of the individual components of the project, the estimator bids the
components in groups known as assemblies.
• Square-Foot Estimates
Square-foot estimates are prepared by multiplying the square footage of a building by a cost per square foot and then
adjusting the price to compensate for differences in the building heights, length of the building perimeter, and other
building components. In some cases, a unit other than square footage is used to measure the size of the building.
 Model Estimating
Model estimating uses computer models to prepare an estimate based on a number of questions answered by the
estimator. Model-based estimating uses a 3D model instead of the traditional 2D drawings to extract quantities and
develop a project cost estimate.

• Parametric Estimates

Parametric estimating is a statistics-based technique to calculate the expected amount of financial resources or time that
is required to perform and complete a project, an activity or a portion of a project.
2. Quantity Surveying
For the most part, it deals with managing and controlling various aspects of construction. It gives an understanding of the
technical elements of construction over the life cycle of the facility or building, it covers a wide variety of construction activities
such as tendering, value management, change control, cost estimation and claims management.
Quantity Surveyor

Quantity surveyors have roles to play from pre design to post construction, they examines plans prepared by specific field of
professionals such as architects and engineers, distinguished the expenses involved throughout project delivery and turnover,
and then defined a general assessed budget plan in each trade or task in a project.
 
The key differences between estimators and quantity surveyors include:

The projects they take on. Quantity surveyors are frequently engaged with larger and more complex projects. They are
often contacted to handle large projects for the public and private sectors. While this isn’t necessarily always the case,
estimators are more frequently engaged with residential and smaller commercial projects.

The priorities they have. The main priority of an estimator is to provide cost estimations for that are accurate and timely,
with the goal of helping their clients win tenders. On the other hand, a quantity surveyor’s main priority is to provide the Bill of
Quantities (BOQ), which details the quantities of materials and labour required to complete the project. The BOQ assists in
resolving any potential discrepancies between tender documents, which helps tenderers prepare a fair and accurate
calculation of construction costs.

The role they play. Quantity surveyors typically provide support before, during and after the life of a construction project.
Alternatively, estimators are mostly involved before a project begins (i.e. in the tendering phase). During this phase, estimators
must create a cost summary presentation based on labor, material and feasibility requirements.
Requirements for Estimating and Quantity Surveying
Depending on the type of estimation each one will follow, there are few requirements required to best perform this activity, such
requirements includes:
To be able to do quantity takeoffs/estimation, the estimator must:
 
 Be able to read and quantify plans.
 Have knowledge of mathematics and a keen understanding of geometry. Most measurements and computations are made in linear
feet, square feet, square yards, Cubic feet, and cubic yards. The quantities are usually multiplied by a unit price to calculate material
costs.
 
 Have the patience and ability to do careful, thorough work.
 Be computer literate and use computer takeoff programs such as On-Screen Takeoff or Pay dirt. To be an estimator, an individual
needs to go a step further. He or she must
 Be able, from looking at the drawings, to visualize the project through its various phases of construction. In addition, an estimator must
be able to foresee problems, such as the placement of equipment or material storage, then develop a solution and determine its
estimated cost.
 
 Have enough construction experience to possess a good knowledge of job conditions, including methods of handling materials on the
job, the most economical methods of construction, and labor productivity. With this experience, the estimator will be able to visualize
the construction of the project and thus get the most accurate estimate on paper.
 
 Have sufficient knowledge of labor operations and productivity to thus convert them into costs on a project. The estimator must
understand how much work can be accomplished under given conditions by given crafts. Experience in construction and a study of
 Be able to keep a database of information on costs of all kinds, including those of labor, material, project
overhead, and equipment, as well as knowledge of the availability of all the required items.
 Be computer literate and know how to manipulate and build various databases and use spreadsheet programs
and other estimating software.
 Be able to meet bid deadlines and still remain calm. Even in the rush of last-minute phone calls and the
competitive feeling that seems to electrify the atmosphere just before the bids are due, estimators must “keep
their cool.”
 Have good writing and presentation skills. With more bids being awarded to the best bid, rather than the
lowest bid, being able to communicate what your company has to offer, what is included in the bid, and selling
your services is very important. It is also important to communicate to the project superintendent what is
included in the bid, how the estimator planned to construct the project, and any potential pitfalls.
3. Construction Specification and Working Drawings
The principal materials upon which are based the computation and calculation of bill of materials and quantities
are primarily the construction working drawing and construction specifications.
The Working drawings usually contain information relative to the design, location, dimensions, and
construction of the project, a graphical presentation that enables readers to visualize how the project is to be
constructed.
While the Specification as part of project manual is a written supplement to the drawings and includes
information pertaining to materials and workmanship, as well as information about the bidding process. The
working drawings and the specification constitute the majority of the contract documents, define the scope of
work, and must be considered together when preparing an estimate. The two complement each other, and they
often overlap in the information they convey. The bid submitted must be based on the scope work provided by
the owner or the architect.
The Following are the standard drawings included in the construction plans or working drawing required to
accurately quantify construction projects.
The Following are the standard drawings included in the construction plans or working drawing required to
accurately quantify construction projects.
 
1. Architectural Plans and Documents
 Perspective (Interior and Exterior)
 Site Development and Vicinity Map
 Floor plans, Elevations and detailed Sections
 Finishes and other Notable Building Features

1. Structural Plans and Documents


 Foundation Plan
 Column and Beam Details
 Schedules of Structural Elements
 Roof/Roof framing and other structural framing details

1. Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Electronic plans, and other supplementary plans.
4. The Estimate
1. Organization - The estimator must maintain a high degree of organization throughout the estimate development stage. A
well-organized estimate improves the probability of getting the work, facilitating the actual work in the field, and completing the
work within budget. The organization required includes a plan for completing the estimate and maintaining complete and up-to
date files.
2. Notebook - should be kept for each estimate prepared. The notebook should be broken down into several areas:
The workup sheets, summary sheets, errors and omissions sheets, proposals received from subcontractors,
proposals received from material suppliers and manufacturers’ representatives, and notes pertaining to the project.
Also, a listing of all calls made to the architect/engineer should be kept together, specifying who called, who was contacted
at the architect/engineer’s office, the date of the call, and what was discussed. The notebook should be neat and easy to read
and understand.
3. Site Investigation - It is often required by the contract documents that the contractor visit the site and attend a pre-bid
conference. The importance of the visit and the items to be checked vary depending on the type of the project and its location.
4. The Estimate

(Source: Frank R. Dagostino Steven J. Peterson Weber State University, Estimating in Building Construction 7th ed.
- F. dagostino, S. Peterson (Pearson, 2011) BBS)
4. Work Up Sheets - The estimator uses two basic types of manual takeoff sheets: the workup sheet and the summary
sheet. The workup sheet can be a variety of forms contingent upon what is being quantified.
5. Summary Sheets - All costs contained on the workup sheets are condensed, totaled, and included on the summary sheet. All items of labor,
equipment, material, plant, overhead, and profit must likewise be included. The workup sheets are often summarized into summary sheets that cover
a particular portion of the project.
5. Computers in Estimating
Benefits and dangers of computerized estimating - Computerized estimating offers many benefits to the estimator.
When set up and used properly, computerized estimating can increase the efficiency of the estimating process.
The following are some of the benefits of computerized estimating:
 Computerized estimating can reduce calculation errors, which gives the estimator a more accurate cost for the
project.
 Computerized estimating increases the speed at which the estimate is prepared by performing the math that the
estimator would have to do. T
 Many computerized estimating packages allow the estimator to track where the quantities came from.
 Computerized estimating allows the estimator to quickly change a price or a productivity rate and get an
instantaneous change in the project’s cost.
The first danger is to turn the thinking over to the computer, making the estimator nothing more than a data-entry
person.
The second danger is to use the software for a project that it was not designed to estimate. When using estimating
software, it is important for estimators to understand the intended use and limitation of the software.
Estimating software can be divided into three broad categories:
 Spreadsheets - Spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel, is a powerful tool for the construction estimator. Its usage ranges from
simple spreadsheets that are used to add up quantities to complex spreadsheets that take hundreds of hours to develop and continue
evolving over time. Spreadsheets are often used to augment specialized estimating software packages.
 
 Specialized estimating software – (such as WinEst or Timberline) - These estimating software packages use a spreadsheet layout for the
estimate, similar to what you would see in Excel (Figure 5.1), and combine it with a database (Figure 5.2). The spreadsheet layout displays
the costs associated with each bid item in table format. These items are selected from items in the database.
 
 Takeoff software - allows the user to determine the estimate quantities from an electronic set of drawings.
Software such as On-Screen Takeoff allows the user to determine the lengths, areas, and volumes (Figure 5.4)
of the different components in a building project. Other packages are designed for specific trades.
 

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