Estimating Home Repair and Improvement Costs

One of the biggest unknowns for many homeowners is how to estimate home repair costs. Depending on who writes the estimate, it can be confusing and very difficult to understand exactly what is included and what is the actual amount of money you'll be expected to pay. I can't teach you, in one page, to be a professional estimator. It takes years of experience and is a constant learning process. My goal here is to provide you with a basic understanding of the methods used by estimators in for determining costs. It all starts with quantities. How much of each particular product or service do you need?

sheetrock prices

Breaking Down Repair Cost Measurements
Most things in construction are measured in linear feet, square feet, and square yards. Many of you may already know this.If so, feel free to skip ahead. But, I'm starting from the very beginning for those that may be completely unfamiliar with these terms. Linear feet is the most simple. If you pull your tape measure from one end of a straight wall to the other and it measures: 10 ft 6 in, then you have 10'6" linear feet of wall. Finish carpenters use linear feet to measure trim, base boards, and cabinets. For example: If you were remodeling your kitchen and replacing the cabinets, you would measure the length of each individual cabinet to determine that you need 18 linear feet (lf) of lower cabinets and 22 (lf) of upper cabinets.

SHEETROCK PRICES

The next type of measurement I'm going to talk about is square feet. This probably the most often used measurement in construction and it's pretty simple. basically, were multiplying 2 separate measurements. If you wanted to find the square footage of a bedroom floor for example, you would multiply the width of the room by the length. If the room is 12 ft wide and 15 ft long: 15x12=180 square feet. If you need the square footage of a wall in the same room, you would simply multiply length x height. Square feet measurements are used for the majority of household repairs including: painting, drywall flooring, counter tops, and many more. Square yards is another measurement used in cost estimating, primarily for carpet and other flooring. To find the square yardage of an area, you would divide the square feet by 9. So if a room was 10 ft x 9 ft (90 SQ FT) divide by 9 and you've got 10 square yards. Measuring for carpet is a little more complicated than finding the square yardage of a room. For more info on that check out our flooring page.

Defining the Scope of Work for Home Repairs
Now that we understand the measurement process a little better, let move on to preparing the Estimate. It all starts with the scope of work. Let's say we're going to remodel the kitchen. Make a line item listing each home repair.

Replace Cabinets- 18 lf lower, 22 lf upper Paint Ceiling and Walls- 192 sf ceiling, 240 sf walls, Remove Linoleum Flooring- 156 sf Install Ceramic Tile Floor- 156 sf Install Granite Counter Tops- 36 sf Install Ceramic Tile Back Splash- 27 sf Install (6) recessed light in ceiling Install New Appliances- Built-in Double Oven, Glass Cook Top, Vent Hood, Dishwasher Install New Sink and Faucet Stain and Finish Cabinets
Building the Cost Estimate
The simplest method for determining the cost of your project is to have general contractors bid the entire project. Try and line up at least 3 GC's to give you quotes on the project. Schedule different appointment times for each of them. You don't want them all there together, but casually mention that you are expecting other bids. Hopefully this will make them more competitive. The following tips may be helpful in the interview process.

If you have any questions or would like their input on the project, prepare a list and use it with all bidders. We do this to make sure the process is equal. Decide on a time frame for when you would like their Estimate.(A week to 10 days should be enough time). This will show you something about their ability to do things promptly and meet deadlines. If you want the contractor to include all of the labor and materials in their bids, you need to specify certain items like appliances and flooring to insure you get the quality you want. An experienced, qualified contractor would ask you these questions own their own. Ask them to include an estimated time (# of days or weeks) that it will take to complete the project. Tell them you will need a list of the subcontractors they will be using.(so you can check them out and get lien releases to make sure they have been paid).

After you have completed the interview process, just sit back and wait for the bids. When you receive them, compare them closely to make sure they are equal. Look for exceptions or exclusions in the fine print. Some people may leave out items that were in your scope. This may be OK, you just need to know up front. If you are satisfied with the number of bids you've received, select the Cost Estimate you believe suits you best and move forward. If you are unable to get multiple bids, keep reading and you'll find tips on how to determine if the prices are fair.

If you want to contract your own work, you will need to price each phase of the work and the put it all together to build an estimate of your home repair costs. Let's begin with any areas of the work you may be planning to do yourself. Maybe your going to do the painting or stain the cabinets. In this case, your only expenses should be materials and any new tools you may need. When making your material list, don't forget the small misc. items you'll need. When painting, in addition to the paint itself, don't forget, caulking, putty, paint thinner, and plastic to cover floors or furniture. These are low cost items, but it all adds up. After you have estimated the material cost, it's a good idea to add about 10% contingency for mistakes or unexpected problems that arise (there are always a few). Make a line item for each phase of the job you plan on doing yourself.

Now we're ready to get sub bids for the rest of the home repair costs. Finding the right subcontractors is they key to a smooth, organized project. All it takes is one bad one to mess it up for everyone. Make appointments with subs for each phase of the job. It's a good idea to schedule appointments with different trades at the same time to get feedback on things one trade may need to do for another. For example: The plumber or electrician may need to relocate pipes or wiring before the carpenter installs the new cabinets. But, as a rule, don't schedule subs of the same trade at the same time. You need to get a feel for each individual without a competition going on. Give each bidder a copy of your entire scope of work so he knows up front what circumstances he will be working with. He may raise questions you haven't thought about. Make it clear if you plan on providing any materials or fixtures, such as appliances or lighting.

If you want the sub to include everything, either specify what you want or ask them for an allowance. An allowance is a designated amount of money allowed for a particular item. For instance: if you have a 0 allowance for a ceiling fan, that amount would be set aside in the contract. After looking, you decide that the fan you really want is 9. You would owe the additional 9 to the contractor. If it's less, you would receive a credit. This is a good way to get estimates, but I would recommend always selecting what you want rather than leaving it up to the contractor, to insure you receive the value that you're paying for. If you have an allowance, you may be able to save some money by finding bargains on clearance or used items. Once you've received all of your sub bids, make your selections and combine the sub bids with the line item prices for the things you're doing yourself and the total will be the final cost of repairs for your home. It is a good idea to then add 5-10% contingency. There are usually unexpected things that come up. If they don't, you'll still have the money, but, if more costs do arise, you will have planned for it.

Checking the Home Repair Costs
The final thing I'd like to discuss about home repair costs is how to determine if you're getting a fair price. The simplest way is to have multiple bids when compiling your Cost Estimate. If you have the following 4 prices:

,000, ,000, ,500, ,900

It's pretty clear that the market price should be in the ,000 - ,000 range and the ,000 price is high. However you may not be able to get 4 bids. You may only get 1.If you haven't received enough bids to write an estimate of your home repair costs that you feel comfortable with, you can do some research using the estimating techniques we discussed earlier. Use the footage measurements and make some phone calls or visit home improvement centers to check prices. For example: You need 156 sf of ceramic tile. Call several tile contractors and ask them what they charge per: sf to install floor tile (labor only). After making several calls you determine that the labor price should be about per sf. You know from your previous shopping that your tile is per: sf and misc materials are $.50 per: sf, the following formula can help you check the costs:

Labor .00 Materials .50

Total sf price .50 x 156 sf = 82.00 %2B 20% O&P = 6.40= Total Price 78.40

Adding 20-30% for overhead and profit is not unreasonable, but if your using small contractors, you may not need to. If you receive a bid for 00, it is probably high.This process can be used with many of the items in your Cost Estimate that are priced based on footage measurements. It's not an exact science, but it can help you know if your in the ball park. The exception would be very small projects. If all your doing is a small bathroom, contractors will probably not bid it by the foot because they can't make any money that way. It is really impossible to estimate costs for some services, particularly: plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. The only option, even for professional estimators is to use multiple bids. Spend the extra time if necessary. It will be worth it.

I would like to conclude this topic by offering some advice that I have learned the hard way.

The cheapest Cost Estimate is not always the best. If you have 3 prices and one is half the amount of the next lowest, be careful. They may have missed something, or very possibly, just don't know what they're doing. This is tempting, even for veteran contractors. But, if the sub or GC has under bid the project and can't finish, you've got a big problem. I've been on both sides of this and it never turns out good for either side. Don,t lie to yourself. If you've gotten your bids and done your research and the Cost Estimate looks like a ,000 project, but you only have ,000, it's still a ,000 project. Don't proceed, thinking you will find a way to save ,000. You may end up with torn up house you can't finish. Either take something out of wait awhile until you have the needed funds. Finally, make sure your pricing is up to date. Some services and materials can fluctuate greatly for various reasons. If it's been several months since you did your estimate, check with suppliers and contractors to be sure the prices are still good.

Hopefully, your armed with a little more knowledge and ammunition for preparing you Cost Estimate. Proceed with caution and Good Luck!

Estimating Home Repair and Improvement Costs

For more information on managing your own improvements or remodeling, click on the following link http://www.yourselfhomerepair.com/generalcontractor.html

To receive the latest updates on the current trends in remodeling and home improvements subscribe to my weekly newsletter at http://www.yourselfhomerepair.com/newsletter.html

Glenn Whitehead is a former general contractor with over 25 years experience in the construction industry in Houston, TX. He is currently the webmaster of YourselfHomeRepair.com, a do it yourself home repair and improvement site with how to articles, tips for finding contractors, and help preparing contract documents

SHEETROCK PRICES

Does Construction Estimating Software and Takeoff Software Do The Same Thing?

So many people actually confuse construction estimating software with construction takeoff software. They are actually very different in many ways. When you speak about takeoff software, whether being performed with an electronic takeoff system or a digitizer takeoff system, you really are speaking about the quantity of materials, predominantly taken off by area in square feet (or square meters), linear foot (or linear meters), or counting. Some folks actually call that process quantity takeoff. But in reality, you really are speaking of an automated measuring method. However, when you speak of construction estimating software, you really are speaking about the quantity of a material item, then applying a unit cost to that item to come up with an ESTIMATED cost of the item. Once the cost is established, then a marked up price is determined to be the selling price. Some construction estimating software comes with an optional orthographic measuring takeoff component and some others do not.

The main reason why you need to clarify the differences between construction estimating software and construction takeoff software, is that many people think that the takeoff software is estimating software; which is absolutely NOT the case. One just measures orthographic views and the other uses a quantity (determined by manual/automated methods) and then calculates cost. Not all takeoff items entails square feet (or square meters) or linear foot (or linear meters). For instance, you may have an area but need to convert you a different unit of measure (UOM) such as cubic yards, or pallets, boxes, or some other UOM. So when you are thinking about measuring, there are many different other components that MUST be considered before a selling price can be determined.

SHEETROCK PRICES

Many times, there are smaller contractors that perform specific types of work with a very small or tightly defined scope of work. They actually apply a selling (retail) price (not cost) to a quantity takeoff item since they may have (usually not) some historical prices of past performance to support that unit retail price. For instance, a good example would be a residential painter, drywall, or tile contractor. However, today those type of contractors with good historical cost data are extremely rare today, in any facet of construction. Most use a trial by error method and hope that the negatives don't exceed the positive for jobs they perform and that is a huge financial risk.

So as you can see, there is a real need to clearly define the difference between construction estimating software with construction quantity takeoff software. The next Super Important step for any type of contractor in the world of construction is to focus their internal estimating processes. Those construction estimating processes need to define cost on material and the cost of labor. You can get to a retail price only once your COST is first determined.

Does Construction Estimating Software and Takeoff Software Do The Same Thing?

Http://www.AskTheEstimator.com/ addresses all these issues in depth and in video format, all for FREE. The posting of your questions and our video responses are a FREE service as well. There are various postings that cover how to review a construction estimating software program based on 12 estimating processes. So please visit http://www.asktheestimator.com/2010/09/09/construction-cost-analysis-cost-estimate-labor-material-construction-estimating-software/ to get you onto the right track to Consistent, Profitable and Competitive estimates. Toll-Free 1-888-552-2520

SHEETROCK PRICES

Estimating a Paint Job - Square Foot Price

The square foot method of estimating a paint job is probably the dumbest way to estimate a paint job. Sorry, I am wrong; it is the second dumbest job. It just seems like the dumbest method. The winner of the dumbest job goes to the W.A.G. (wild-ass guess) Method of Estimating a Paint Job. Out of the basic three methods of how to estimate a paint job, the W.A.G. Method of Estimating a Paint Job, is the creation of the magician of the paint estimators. This painting contractor can look at a ,000 paint job and in 5 seconds give a very inaccurate price on painting the interior of a house. This magician love to bask in the glory when homeowners the world over tell this paint estimator that he is simply fabulous. Anyway, the W.A.G. method isn't even worth spit.

The Square Foot Method warrants acknowledgment, if for no other reason than to point out that although a great many painters subscribe to this method, it really is quite a stupid way to arrive at a price for a paint job. Why is a this lame way to estimate? The question is how can anyone estimate a price of a paint job by the square footage of a floor? A couple of simple examples will shine some light on the darkness of this method.

SHEETROCK PRICES

Let's take two interior paint jobs; the first one is a family room 200 square feet built in the 1950's so it has an eight foot high ceiling. The doors are the style that was popular in residential construction back then, flush doors. The windows are also a style that was popular back then, standard size but four divided windows commonly called two over two, or 2/2. All the molding is of the style popular in the 1950's also, a pattern called ranch or clamshell molding, a simple smooth slightly curved molding. The molding consists of baseboard, door trim and window trim. There are two flush doors and four windows in this room.

The second room was built in the 1980's, also 200 square feet. This room has an eighteen foot high ceiling. The doors are reflective of the decade that his room was built in, three panel doors, and six wooden French Doors; the four windows are a true twelve individual pane widow commonly called a six over six or 6/6. This room has a very deep profile colonial trim. The molding is baseboard, chair rail, crown molding, door trim and window trim. Don't forget this room has six doors and four windows.

If someone estimates these rooms using the square foot method, they will arrive at the same price because both rooms have exactly the same square footage of floor. But you will see that the latter room has more than double the square footage of wall, and that both the ceiling and the extra square footage of wall are at twice the height of the first room, entailing much longer times to paint these areas. Also the time to paint a French Door is double the time to paint a flush door, and the second room has six doors while the first has two. The windows on the second job being 6/6 vs. 2/2 also take twice as long to paint. The second room has three times the molding as the first room and the crown molding is eighteen feet off the ground, meaning two times as long to paint than molding at arm's length.

Obviously, estimating a room by the square footage of floor is a very inaccurate method of estimating an interior paint job.

Estimating a Paint Job - Square Foot Price

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Need to know how to estimate? Easy to use Painting Estimator Click here: The professional painter [http://www.the-professional-painter.com/Interior-Paint-Estimator.html]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Want to know how to estimate a paint job? Click here: The professional painter [http://www.the-professional-painter.com/Painter.htm]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SHEETROCK PRICES

Simple and Accurate Estimating & Bidding Systems For All Types of Construction Contractors

Estimating and bidding are among the first systems a successful contractor will need to implement. Whether you are a roofer, painter, home builder, commercial contractor or any one of 100 different types of contractor, you are going to need to estimate and bid a lot of work to have any chance at financial success.

We need to formalize that process into well-organized Estimating & Bidding Systems.

SHEETROCK PRICES

When I ask people what the single most important goal of an estimator should be, I get several standard answers.

Some seem to think the goal is to bid a lot of projects. Others hold on to the thought that it may be to make the company a profit. While still others think it should be to maximize vendor coverage for the best possible prices.

Think about this for just a minute...What do you think the Estimator's biggest responsibility should be?

The ONLY honest answer to that question is...

Produce an ACCURATE estimate of job costs!

It doesn't matter what the final price is, as long as it is accurate. You may not be the "low bidder", but if your estimate is accurate, "low bidder" is irrelevant.

Accuracy in the estimate is dependent on several controllable factors.

1. Accurate time sheets

2. Accurate equipment rates

3. Accurate overhead calculations

4. Accurate production rates

5. Accurate general conditions

6. Accurate labor burden & fringes

7. Accurate mark-up to meet profit goals

You must put forth an effort initially to track each portion of the project individually so that an ACCURATE cost history library can be put together in an understandable format.

_________________________________________

For instance, if you are hanging and finishing drywall you first need to know how much drywall you have. For this example we have 10,000 sqft of drywall.

Then, how long it takes to actually do the work, not a "guestimate" of how long you THINK it takes.

It takes three guys 14.25 hours (42.75 man-hours) to hang it and four men 23.5 hours (94 man-hours) to finish it.

Next, you need an accurate labor rate.

Your labor rate is .76/hr. (/hr base rate + 32% burden and fringes).

Now, do the math to come up with the actual COST.

Hanging: 14.25 x 3 = 42.75 mh

42.75 mh x .76/mh = ,015.74

,015.74 / 10,000 sqft = .102/sqft cost

Finishing: 23.5 x 4 = 94 mh

94 mh x .76/mh = ,233.44

,233.44 / 10,000 sqft = .223/sqft

Enter the cost into the Cost History Library

Drywall Hanging: .102/sf

Drywall Finishing: .223/sf

For a total ACCURATE cost of ,250.00

___________________________________________

Now you have an accurate number to plug in the next time you estimate the cost for hanging and finishing drywall, instead of and educated guess.

If you were to go the lazy route and round things off a little, you might say:

We have 10,000 sqft of drywall, it will take three guys two days to hang and four guys four days to finish and it costs me about .00/hr for these guys.

Your estimate would then be ,400.00 before any overhead and profit mark-up.

A whopping difference of ,150.00! It might not sound like very much, but that's an incredible 35.38% increase in your estimate and you haven't even added any margin!!!

This alone would probably throw you completely out of the running in a highly competitive market.

On the other hand, what if it took you 3.5 days to hang and 4.25 days to finish?

You just lost your ass.

And if the job was a much more significant size, maybe your shirt, shoes, pants, and everything else you worked so hard to have.

__________________________________________

You can replace the above example with any portion of work within any given project; equipment time, rough framing, metal stud work, excavation, laying underground plumbing, anything.

The point is you must be accurate to be profitable.

....This is only the beginning. You must build your own Cost History Library based on what type of work it is that you do.

I will have a much more in-depth discussion in the near future about how to put your Estimating System together from start

to finish. You can check out http://MyConstructionArticles.com for any updates or additional resources available.

Simple and Accurate Estimating & Bidding Systems For All Types of Construction Contractors

Dave Fadorsen, Founder of The Consolidated Construction Group, is known across the industry as "The Construction Guru." With over 19 years in the business and as a consultant, author and publisher of successful contractor's business strategies, Dave has his finger on the pulse of today's construction business heartbeat.

His no-nonsense style and unique take on finding and fixing your weakest links will undeniably give you that edge you've been looking for.

To sign up for his free seven-day eCourse about How To Build A Profitable Construction Business, VISIT http://MyConstructionArticles.com NOW! Big things are just around the corner.

SHEETROCK PRICES