Estimating Building Costs: A Low-rise School Project

Class Overview:

· This class is about the ground rules concepts and the methodology to develop a construction cost estimate. The skills are exposed through a practical case studies, a three-story school project, from A to Z.

What You Will Learn:

• You would learn the methodology and the skills required to develop a building cost estimate. And more specifically you would learn the followings:

• The ground rules concepts

  • Cost estimations, Sources of cost information, steps in developing a cost estimate.

  • Key stakeholders in a building projects, Comparison of the main project delivery methods, Contract documents, Building elements, Templates.

• The project

  • Rough Order of magnitude (ROM) estimates and adjustment for quantity, location and time.

  • The relevance of soil report

  • Estimating building structural components: Earthwork, formwork, rebars, concrete and finishes

  • Estimating building enclosure components: Control layers, curtain walls, windows and roof

  • Estimating building interiors: Drywall, doors, glass wall, finishes, specialties, stairs, cabinetry

  • Estimating Building services: Elevators, HVAC, Plumbing, Sprinklers, Electrical

  • Estimating general requirements: field requirements, high level project schedule, design fees, contingency

  • Summary analysis.

Why You Should Take This Class:

• Every household live in a house and the cost of housing represent their major spending. For professionals and citizens interested in building construction, the question is: What is the methodology to develop the cost of a building project?

• This class will provide you with the skills of an entry level cost estimator

• The professional will learn the basics and the ground rules that sustain every cost estimation

  
  

Who This Class is For:

• This class is geared to a broad audience; beginners who want to get the fundamentals and Professionals looking for consolidations – Technicians, Managers, Architects and Engineers, Non-Engineers, Entrepreneurs and contractors

• Prior knowledge required is basic algebra. Mostly counting, calculating areas, volume.

Materials/Resources:

• Presentations slides along with additional references

• Excel templates built for the project

The project in high level description:

• The case study is a school project with three storey above ground and a gross floor area of 54,000 square feet.

• Together the skills and methodology to develop high level estimates preliminary and detailed estimates will be highlighted.

• Preliminary drawings from a CAD software will be used for illustration purposes.

Questions to be addressed:

• What are the various classes of estimates?

• What is the Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimates for the project?

• How would a professional cost estimator reviews and estimates such a project?

• What are some of the ground rules concepts to be master by cost estimators?

• How to develop preliminary and detailed estimates using drawings and specifications?