Residential Construction Takeoff Services vs. Traditional Takeoff Methods: Which is Right for Your Project?
Takeoff is one of the crucial steps in construction as it helps contractors to figure out the exact quantity of materials needed for the specific project. Due to this, it is also known as quantity or material takeoff. The exact material quantity helps the contractors know the expense before bidding, helping them to prevent overpaying and increase their revenue. For instance, if you are bidding for a residential construction project, residential construction takeoff services will help you determine the expense and increase revenue.
However, the takeoff process can be done manually or digitally using the software. Contractors use different methods based on their requirements, but accuracy and efficiency are vital irrespective of methods. This blog will show which takeoff methods are right for your project.
What Is Takeoff Service?
Construction takeoff aims to provide information on all the required materials. A construction takeoff service like residential construction takeoff services is essential whether you are starting a new project or renovating an existing project. It allows the contractors to know the exact material needed for the project. On the other hand, estimating takeoff services helps them understand the required material’s total cost. However, both steps are done separately.
Many people are investing money to find an accurate estimate for their residence to know the expense, but they are still not getting the desired result. If you want take-off service to align effectively with your goal, you must choose accurate residential construction takeoff services. It will help you cover all your material needs to complete the project. Remote Estimation is a construction estimation company that will help you with accurate estimation. We ensure accurate estimation with the help of our experienced team.
Manual Construction Takeoff
It is the traditional takeoff method and has been around us for years. In this method, takeoff is done manually without any assistance from software or digital capabilities, as takeoff is done by hand, and the blueprint is read physically. An effective traditional takeoff demands a high level of skills to succeed. Manual takeoff is a time taking process; however, some contractors and subcontractors do it relatively quickly due to their years of experience.
Few estimators are available in the market that don’t take the software’s benefit and provide the manual takeoff service. In this method, estimators work directly on the physical blueprint to determine the required material based on the engineer’s instructions. An estimator must know construction drawings to give the best traditional construction blueprint.
Traditional takeoffs also demand high mathematical knowledge to calculate the problem, such as area, volume, and length, as it contains complex mathematical equations. If you take manual estimating takeoff services, the estimator will determine the material pricing with more legwork. Manual takeoff might seem familiar to you, but in the digital era, it has many downsides. It required too much time compared to digital takeoff, as manual processes required too much attention to each detail to ensure data was not missing.
In the manual process, estimators take time to read construction diagrams as they have to pay attention to all the required material that has been ordered. Manual residential construction takeoff services are not excellent for complex projects like residences. Humans are prone to error, leading to a less effective takeoff. For instance, the material might be missed from the blueprint. The error probability is high in the manual takeoff, making it a weaker option.
Digital Construction Takeoff
In recent years, digital takeoff has become popular, and its popularity is increasing every year. It has become the go-to choice for people due to its several benefits. In the digital method, the accuracy increases, production time decreases, and is a low requirement for expertise. Choosing software for digital takeoff has several benefits, as it can easily integrate with construction cost estimation software. With the help of software, digital construction takeoffs can be easily produced as it streamlines the takeoff process. It produces an effective estimate as software and construction cost estimating suites are integrated, helping the entire estimating process.
Digital takeoff is not different from manual takeoff, but the complex processes are automated with the help of software. There are various software available in the market with their unique functionalities. The software reads the blueprint and gives you the required material list. If any adjustment is required in the blueprint, the estimator can make immediate changes like an increment in the materials account. The price information of a material is one of the complex parts, and digital takeoff simplifies this process. However, if you want to estimate your residence effectively, take the residential construction takeoff services from Remote Estimation.
The Bottom Line!
Takeoff is a crucial part of whether you are starting a new project or renovating your home. It helps you know the exact material required for the project and the estimated budget. Takeoff can be done – manually and digitally. The manual is the traditional method, where takeoff is made by hand. The digital process is the recent method, where takeoff is made with the help of software.
In the digital era, the digital process has various advantages and has become the contractors’ favorite. Remote Estimation is a construction estimation company that provides construction bid and residential construction takeoff services for your dream residence. We have an experienced team of estimators that will work on your dream project.
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Estimating Concrete Costs
Construction is all about giving birth to something new and modern. In the process of construction, there are endless constraints and mistakes. For example, people do common mistakes like wrong estimation, the mistake in choosing material or wrong mapping, etc. However, these mistakes sometimes stay in the concrete. Some mistakes are inevitable sometimes.
To get away with major construction mistakes you would need a professional who will give an estimation of everything and give life to your vision. The industry of architecture and construction has many professionals who can let you plan your dream home or office. Whether a commercial construction or a residential property, everything needs to be done with end-to-end planning.
You might get a consultation from your professional, but here are some mistakes that you should avoid when estimating concrete costs:
Not Visiting Site
Construction sites play an important role in the process. The piece of land has everything. Before estimating anything, you should know the type of land, its measurement, whether commercial or residential, or neighbouring, and the space that can be used further. Planning without visiting the site may lead to confusion and hassle later. This can cause major mistakes while constructing on that land.
Sometimes people want to lay off the building and construct new buildings on that piece of land. So, in any situation, the foremost part is visiting the site.
Not Assessing Risks
While estimating the cost of construction, you should keep an eye on the risk factors as well. There should be a backup for any type of risk. There could be situations like natural calamities, investment risk, labour management, etc. In any case, you cannot leave things abruptly, and you would need proper management. Any professional in this industry would give you loopholes beforehand. All you need to do is use your presence of mind and avoid mistakes while estimating things.
For example, as per the estimation you need 3 labourers, which costs around $7. However, one of them gets sick and is not available for a few months, and the rest of the two are not able to complete the work. Here you would need more labour to finish the work quickly. No, your labour costs 10$. If you assessed this risk, you might not face a problem, but if you did not, then your budget has gone wrong.
Focusing Only on Preliminary Cost Estimation
Preliminary cost estimation is the cost estimation that is done without any solid planning. It can be called rough thinking. So, if you go according to preliminary cost estimation, things will ruin, and all you would get is a hassle during the construction. To avoid this mistake, ensure you do detailed planning and cost estimation.
For example, while getting a rough idea of the construction cost you do not include labour cost or material costs, and while contracting the building your labour cost takes a bigger chunk of the budget. Then, what would you compromise on?
Not Including Ad Hoc Choices
As an owner, you will be having a lot of things in your head. But you might not put them all in front of the cost estimating professional. While construction you might ask the architects to change different things according to your choice. As per the concrete estimation services, things were going well. But when you came up with a fresh choice, it was not included in the estimation, now the budget is disturbed.
While estimating the cost, you should take an extra budget, just in case there are ad hoc changes. For example, as per the estimation, your wall material would cost around 50$, but during construction, you did not like the quality and wanted a better one. In such cases, the budget will exceed.
Market Conditions
The whole world has seen the unprecedented time of COVID. Such situations can cause tension in the construction industry. If anything like this happens during construction and the market falls, you would be at loss. While estimating the cost of the project you have to undertake market conditions. If anything like a lockdown or rising in price happens, it should be catered on the spot.
The Bottom Line
So, these were a few of the mistakes that happen while estimating the cost of construction. Constructing and planning related to it can be tough, but you do not have to worry until you have remote estimations with you. Their world-class performance in designing, panning, estimations, concrete takeoff services, and much more has made them a reliable source in the industry.
How to Win Construction Bid Proposals
Everyone thinks the hard work in construction is in the actual building. But in fact, that’s the fun part—it’s what you signed up for when you first got involved in this industry.
The real grind happens before a single shovel ever hits the dirt: the construction-bid-proposal process, in which you essentially apply for jobs over and over again, only to get “laid off” at the end of each project, left to find another employer. It’s a necessary part of the business, but that doesn’t make it any more fun.
For general contractors, a bid-to-win rate of one out of six is standard, and some see worse returns than that. Roughly 83 percent of your bid-proposal time is spent on the drudgery of paperwork, and when a client chooses the lowest bid from a less-qualified competitor, it can be maddening. But, take heart; there are a few simple things you can do to set your bids apart from the pack and make your potential clients take notice.
1. Move quickly
According to Honest Buildings, a capital planning and project management platform purpose-built for real estate owners, the median time it takes for the first bid to come in following a request for proposals is 8 days. That means there’s more than a week’s time between when the client begins to expect bids and when the very first contractor is able to talk to the client. This time gap is a huge opportunity for any construction business looking to win a bid.
Obviously, crafting a bid proposal isn’t like applying to a job ad on Craigslist. You first have to compile a huge quantity of data, measurements and budget figures to create a cohesive argument as to why the client should select you. That takes time. But take a good, hard look at your current timelines. Then decide: If you really tried, could you shorten it?
If you could turn that bid proposal around in, say, 4 days, think about the tremendous advantage that would give you. You’d most likely be the very first bidder to reach the client’s inbox. At this stage, clients are working through myriad questions in their minds—questions like, “Is this part of the project even feasible from an engineering standpoint?” and, “Is my cost expectation for the flooring reasonable?”
As soon as the client receives that first bid, they’re looking to find the answers to those burning questions. If you’re the first to move, your proposal becomes the standard by which they judge their project expectations. Don’t underestimate the importance of this aspect of your proposal. It’s a simple change that can have a gigantic impact on your ability to win bids.
2. Talk to the Client
Of course, being first won’t keep you on top of the client’s mental list forever. You must nurture the relationship you’re building and keep redirecting the client’s attention to your proposal. Don’t worry about the client comparing other proposals to yours—you’ve already set the standard. Just keep “teasing” your potential client with more information at each stage of the process. Here are a few ways you can do that:
- Anticipate your competitors’ bids—You probably have an idea of some alternatives your competitors might propose. Follow up with the client to discuss these alternatives and why your approach is superior. Otherwise, your potential client may give these alternatives equal footing with yours.
- Anticipate your client’s concerns—Research past projects on which the client has been involved, as well as what sort of issues were most important. Or, even better, ask them outright. For example, if a previous contractor badly underestimated heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) costs, explain how your company will avoid committing the same mistake.
- Create a one-sheet—A single sheet that lays out the basics of your proposal in a visual style is a great item to pass on to your potential client at a key point in the process. A perfect time would be on the twelfth day, after the request for proposal is released, and the client probably has a few bids in and is starting the process of figuring out which one to go with.
3. Work on Your Value Proposition
You may not think that a past competitor who lowballed you and won the job had a compelling value proposition, but actually, they did. They offered the client the opportunity to save a bunch of money at the outset. That’s the simplest value proposition there is. What you need to do is offer the next client a better value proposition than being the cheapest. That race to the bottom just means disappointed clients and razor-thin profit margins.
All clients want to save money, but most realize that they have to pay for high-value products and services. People pay for value over price all the time, whether it’s brand-name paper towels that do a better job than the generics or higher-quality electronics that offer more features and last longer than those of lesser quality.
our future clients are no different—they will pay for value if you can show, not tell, your value proposition to them. So, how do you show value? Take the hypothetical client with the previous HVAC disaster as an example. If you hired a competent HVAC specialist to work (successfully) on previous projects, that information is will render you more than enticing to someone who saw the budget of their past project balloon by tens of thousands of dollars because of the mistakes of an unqualified firm.
If you don’t have such a specific example to point to, focus on your customer service. Show how you treated your past clients when crises inevitably arose and how you kept their minds at ease. Whatever it is, there’s something you do better than anyone else. Identify that and then find ways to demonstratively communicate that to potential clients.
4. Put a Plan into Action
These are simple, fundamental ways you can increase your rate of bids won. Now it’s time to take action and come up with a plan. To begin:
- Hold a meeting with your team to figure out how you can shorten the bid-proposal timeline so that you can submit your bids first.
- Carve out some time to research your potential client after the initial bid is in so that you can begin crafting a follow-up strategy.
- Create a simple, succinct value proposition that will separate you from the pack and then figure out ways you can demonstrate that to the client.
Source: https://www.constructionbusinessowner.com/technology/how-win-construction-bid-proposals
Construction Cost Impact Due To Covid-19
How Was The Construction Sector Affected By Covid?
There’s no doubt that the ongoing pandemic and crisis have affected nearly every aspect of our lives. This kind of global shutdown and panic hasn’t been seen with a health crisis in living memory, which is saying a lot. However, this doesn’t mean that the world has to stop turning. There are tons of everyday operations that can be carried out despite the effects of the pandemic. Let’s take a look at how that this pandemic has impacted construction cost estimation and its related processes.How Is Inflation Impacting Construction?
How the Pandemic Affects Construction? Sitework estimation and quantity takeoffs are two of the main factors associated with construction cost estimation. Before we get into how these have changed, we must understand how construction itself has changed direction. Global health experts and epidemiologists are arguing that our existing methods of conducting work, current building infrastructure, and even homes are incompatible with social distancing guidelines. This means that contractors will have to evaluate the possibilities of social distancing during construction work, architects will rethink how they design commercial spaces, and residential projects will be realigned. Amid all this, we’re also dealing with an economic crisis, which means investment in large projects is volatile and, in some cases, has dried up.What Is the Current Construction Inflation Rate?
How New Construction Procedures Can Affect Costs? With our previous methods for construction designed to lower costs and raise efficiency, it’s time to re-evaluate how labor is utilized and construction tasks are completed. The kind of social distancing required means that labor costs could rise because of longer completion hours. Moreover, as with any workplace where people are collaborating to finish projects, the risk of the space turning into a transmission hotspot is very real. This means that health insurance costs, days off, and demanded wages can be higher. If we’re talking redesigns from scratch for commercial spaces that are purpose-built to allow social distancing, then metal and lumber quantity takeoffs are likely to look different. This is because essential design priorities are changing for good.Why That Makes Construction Estimation a Harder Task?
Essentially, all of these factors mean that construction estimation services are walking a new path. With previous methods of estimation, there were certain ground rules that were taken for granted. With high labor costs, material shortages, raised prices, and extra design costs, estimating total costs is a dicey task right now. Even construction cost estimation software may fail here, since taking the larger climate into account isn’t a system capability. Instead, the need of the hour are expert construction estimation companies that have experience with manual calculation as well as digital calculation to ensure that no detail is missed. At Remote Estimation, we can help you get an accurate cost estimation in the USA, including both residential and commercial estimatesDetermining Drywall Installation Cost For New Project
New Drywall Installation Cost Estimation
Rapid changes in material costs can make it difficult to determine the cost of your next drywall project, especially since the cost of a drywall installation can fall anywhere between $955 and $2547. The geographic location, job specifications, and labor costs all have a substantial impact on the final price. Plus, if you’re adding specialty material such as Class X drywall or greenboard or installing elements that require expertise such as archways, then you can expect the price to go up further. Clearly, there’s a lot that goes into a drywall project estimate—which is why choosing a reliable drywall estimating service can help you avoid the headache and enjoy accurate estimates that land you successful bids. Here are some key aspects a professional construction estimation company takes into account:1. Material Costs
While this one is quite obvious, the tricky part is managing different requirements. For instance, are there any special projects that require quarter-inch drywall? Or do damp areas require greenboard installation? What about fire-prone areas that need heavy Class X drywall sheets? The second part is keeping track of material prices that fluctuate rapidly. An accurate estimate of current material costs can help you land an agreement with the supplier and lock in prices for the future.2. Labor Costs
Having the right crew on hand can make or break your project—it can make a significant difference in the efficiency, cost, and profitability of the job. Experienced drywall hangers and tapers might charge more, but they’re better equipped to handle specialty projects and often work at a faster pace too. The specification of the job will determine the level of expertise you require.3. Job-Related Costs
Additionally, drywall estimating service providers will look at miscellaneous costs that you’ll incur for a specific project. This includes permits, prep work, and possible rentals that you might require. Even smaller expenses, such as providing lunch to your workers on a fast-track project, will eventually burn through your profits. Hence, it’s critical to understand the nature of the job and consider every potential expense.Looking for Reliable Drywall Estimation Services in the US?
With several decades of combined experience in the construction industry, the team of expert cost surveyors at Remote Estimation can develop reliable cost estimates for your project. Choose our precise drywall estimating services to save time, effort, and money. For further details, call (630) 999-6501 or request a quote now.How Construction Cost Estimating Services Can Help Increasing Profit Margins
What Cost Estimation Companies Can Do?
We know what you’re thinking: What can a construction estimation company do to improve my bottom line? Why outsource estimation when I can do myself for less? Well, it’s all about ensuring your construction business operates profitably, rather than incurring a loss. Inaccurate cost estimates are the primary reason why contractors lose significantly more bids than they win. In many cases, even when contractors win a bid, they still ending up losing out because the actual costs are more than the estimate. Designing a detailed and precise material takeoff or construction estimate isn’t an easy task—and an inaccurate estimate determines the fate of your project. While outsourcing estimation might seem like an added expense, it’s an investment that helps you determine exactly how lucrative the project will be.What Are The Benefits of Cost Estimation?
Both commercial and residential construction estimating services can take advantage of these five great benefits: 1. Win more bids: Fast, accurate, and detailed estimates increase your chances of winning bids. 2. Eliminate overheads: Avoid overheads that cut into your profit margins. 3. Save money: Stay within budget and ensure better margins. 4. Eliminate wasted time: Avoid the downtime and hassle associated with going over-budget. 5. Grow your business: Win profitable bids and expand your construction business.Find Reliable Construction Estimation Services in USA
Outsource the estimation process to the experts at Remote Estimation and focus on other tasks that’ll get you winning bids. Our team of experienced takeoff estimators can save you time, effort, and money. ParagraphWith over ten years of experience in the industry, we offer high-quality cost estimation services to clients in over 20 states. Our extensive list of offerings includes residential projects estimating services, concrete estimating services, sitework estimating services, and much more. For further details, call (630) 999-6501 or request a quote online.3 Key Components of Construction Estimating
Developing a construction estimate is one of the most crucial—and difficult—aspects of a project because it directly impacts the profit margins. This is also why it’s imperative for the estimate to be precise and accurate. The entire project budget can be affected if the estimates are off by a considerable amount, leading to costly delays and project losses.
With the help of a construction estimating firm, general contractors and sub-contractors can keep projects on schedule and put together a budget that ensures project success.
Professional estimators keep track of the actual labor costs, equipment and material costs, subcontractor expenditures, and other budgetary matters while also taking into account the realities of the site, including the soil conditions, environmental protection, weather, site layout, etc.
With an accurate construction estimate at-hand, contractors can determine exactly how long the project in question will likely take and how much it will cost them.
Let’s look at some other components that go into creating a comprehensive and precise construction estimate:
1. Quantity Takeoff
Quantity takeoff is the process of converting information from structural engineering drawings, architectural drawings, plumbing drawings, and electrical drawings into a list of items whose quantities can be measured.
A construction estimator determines the actual costs, measurement of material, and labor needed to complete a project. Quantity takeoff is a crucial part of the process since it helps the contractor determine if the project is profitable.
2. Labor Hours and Rates
Professional estimators use their experience to estimate the labor hours required and the rates at which they’ll be paid.
Additionally, the labor productivity at each stage is also taken into consideration, along with the possibility of overtime work and the cost associated with those hours.
3. Direct and Indirect Costs
Expenditures of the project are classified into direct and indirect costs.
Direct costs are the labor, material, and equipment costs that directly account for a specific activity in the project.
Indirect costs or overhead costs, on the other hand, are expenses of items that aren’t directly allocated with construction activities. These overhead expenditures include security costs, administrative costs, quality control, legal fees and permits, and costs of temporary structures.
Outsource Construction Estimation Today!
Cost estimation not only helps contractors determine the profitability and feasibility of a construction project, but it also ensures that all the involved parties deliver the project within budget and on time.
At Remote Estimation, our quantity surveyors and estimators take into account the market trends and current construction standards to provide accurate bids that allow construction projects to move forward successfully.
From drywall, flooring, and lumber estimation to sitework estimating services, we offer it all. Get in touch with our team to request a quote.