4
Accuracy of Estimates
CHALLENGE: Lack
of information
causes guesswork
If your estimates are based on 2D, it's
likely they're also requiring you to do some
amount of guesswork. 2D drawings often
don't provide everything an estimator
needs to create accurate takeo‡s at the
pace required to bid competitively. When
you base material quantications on 2D for
structures that will come to life in 3D, the
risk for human error increases signicantly
because it's diŠcult to quantify every detail
of a project when you can't see it from every
angle. This means you can't catch potential
constructibility issues early, and those
can turn into expensive challenges during
construction that risk project protability.
Even more challenging, 2D doesn't provide
access to the cost information you need to
generate an accurate bill of materials.
SOLUTION:
Often times, the ability to analyze a project's constructibility can
provide the edge it takes to win a bid. Having this information in 3D
improves accuracy and makes it easy to see if something is missing.
With the condence that quantities are accurate, complete and up-
to-date, estimators can be better prepared to face the challenge of
ensuring the data quality and generate the required information for
the estimates within oŠce hours.
Using a strategic estimating tool also enables you to include actual
purchase costs into the nal bid, as opposed to just 'adding a
percentage of drop' to allow for waste. You'll be able to generate
precise estimates and exact quantities that translate into competitive
bids and more protable projects. By combining and pricing all
materials and generating a nal number that includes actual drop
costs, your workow will gain a competitive advantage to estimators
just going with an educated guess.