tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66732494841659613062024-10-06T21:19:35.041-07:00Construction Estimating One Bite at a TimeRory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.comBlogger11115tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673249484165961306.post-57365399372653982192012-05-31T07:53:00.002-07:002012-05-31T07:53:47.723-07:00

“What are the” appropriate” markups for overhead, profit and contingency when budgeting facilities construction projects?” I get this question a lot from my architect friends when helping them budget their projects through the design process. The answer can get messy considering all the factors that can impact the bottom line. There are many variables to consider. With this blog I will answer the

Rory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673249484165961306.post-78679733486195435512012-04-24T20:12:00.002-07:002012-04-24T20:12:41.450-07:00

I realize this is a repeat but for one I don't have any extra time this week and two scope cannot be over emphasized in the construction estimating process. Scoping complicated projects is like eating an elephant; one bite at a time. Construction estimating is exciting (in a sick way) in that if done right you get to build projects without actually having to build the project. If you want to

Rory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673249484165961306.post-42757653867324254632012-04-15T17:01:00.003-07:002012-04-15T18:45:21.742-07:00

Construction management in a nutshell is the planning, organizing, implementing and controlling of a projects time, costs, resources and cash flow. Construction projects are made up of hundreds of interdependent tasks that have a specific order that they must occur. Success in construction management begins with a well thought out plan for the unfolding of events. The secret to a good plan

Rory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673249484165961306.post-61534154433369077742012-04-04T08:18:00.000-07:002012-04-04T08:18:09.553-07:00

Let’s start with a little bit of sarcasm. Imagine an advertisement for the latest construction estimating software; “….. With click and drag speed you can choose from thousands of line items of unit cost national average data and build accurate cost estimates….blah, blah, blah! ” This is not a real advertisement; I made it up to make a point. Thrifty, speedy estimating software coupled with unit

Rory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673249484165961306.post-38565521004075184932012-03-20T22:23:00.000-07:002012-03-20T22:23:23.783-07:00

I am running tight on time this week so I am posting an article that my son Matthew and I co-authored for an architect/ builders magazine. The article outlines the process of construction estimating....yes it is a process! It has been summarized here. In future articles I will expand on these topics. If you are interested in an expanded discussion on the most crucial step in the estimating

Rory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673249484165961306.post-9507127089909608892012-03-10T15:49:00.008-08:002012-03-11T11:44:16.353-07:00

This week I have chosen to change things up a little bit with an article I wrote back in 2004. For contractors and those of us working with contractors this discussion of TRUST is very relevant particularly in the current competitive market. As an example, Job Order Contracting has a strong partnering component that thrives when founded in TRUST. When the TRUST fades

Rory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673249484165961306.post-91562473644447568562012-02-28T08:11:00.000-08:002012-02-28T08:11:16.424-08:00

I heard the Critical Path Method (CPM) defined once as a management technique for losing your shirt under perfect control! Not so funny if you have ever been at the management end of a tight timeline, in an old facility, around on-going operations with the concrete truck on its way and the formwork delayed because the backhoe is out of fuel!! Welcome to the world of construction; stuff happens!

Rory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673249484165961306.post-87249465943446882132012-02-16T12:56:00.000-08:002012-02-16T21:44:59.214-08:00

I was set to publish a blog this week on cost control. However, I received many comments and questions on the “Negotiating JOC” blog from last week that really should be answered. So, next week will be cost control and this week I will answer a question from The University of North Texas that summed up some of the comments that came in from others. Ed Carrigan asked: “Do you believe there is a

Rory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673249484165961306.post-53734315191080127592012-02-09T07:20:00.000-08:002012-02-09T07:20:19.363-08:00

Last Thursday I attended a symposium on the application of Job Order contracting (JOC) in Washington State. I have been compiling and reviewing Job Order Contracting cost estimates (proposals) for over 20 years and I actually had a bit of an awakening at this symposium. This week the blog topic is on “Negotiating” unit price line items taken from national estimating guides on competitively bid

Rory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673249484165961306.post-24782369834014433072012-01-30T08:15:00.000-08:002012-01-31T14:24:26.750-08:00

Heaven, Hell and Estimating: They say that all good jokes are based on bits of truth. I don’t know if this is the case with all humor but it does hit close to home with a joke I heard about the estimating skills of us engineers. The joke went like this; Question: What is the definition of an “engineer’s estimate”? Answer: The cost of construction in heaven.  Not so funny, but so true. The

Rory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6673249484165961306.post-36476842503947627112012-01-16T12:52:00.001-08:002012-01-30T18:00:18.182-08:00

Hello to all the friends that I have made over the past 25 years of facilitating construction estimating seminars. I have figured that I have facilitated about 8,500 hours of classes on estimating, Job Order Contracting, and project management related topics. I have been off the seminar trail now for 18 months and do not miss the airports, hotels, rental cars and restaurant food!  I

Rory M. Woolsey, MBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03867456825891929149noreply@blogger.com