Preliminary Estimating Services
Are you at 30%, 60%, or 90% completion of your plans, struggling with incomplete drawings, or needing a swift preliminary estimate within your client’s budget? Supplier delays hampering your pricing? We're here to assist. Rapidly, we provide detailed preliminary estimates with square footage costs, facilitating project feasibility assessment and client communication.
With 15 years in AEC and a portfolio encompassing commercial, residential, private, and public projects, Able Estimating ensures reliable preliminary estimates, leveraging historical project data. Utilizing professional software and databases like RS Means and Craftsmen, we offer per-square foot/meter costs for finished projects and superstructures. Our location-based database and vendor relationships enhance material accuracy.
What's a Preliminary Estimate and How Does It Assist?
A preliminary estimate, or conceptual estimate, forecasts project costs, evaluating construction project feasibility before detailed plans emerge. Beneficial for contractors, real estate developers, builders, and owners, it guides fund allocation, preliminary budgets, and design option comparisons.
Preliminary estimates rely on historical project data, tailored for time, location, and size using engineering concepts. These estimates are deployed at various project stages, their accuracy tied to client-provided information.
Preliminary Project Estimates
In the initial stages of a project, a preliminary estimate, commonly known as Rough Order Magnitude (ROM), is used to assess project feasibility and allocation. With an accuracy range of -50% to +50%, ROM aids project selection.
Project Scope Projection
Contractors create a Ballpark Estimate to outline work scope for clients, facilitating budget-based decisions. Evaluated using preliminary drawings and specifications, it holds an accuracy of approximately 20% compared to actual costs
Budget Projection
During the planning phase, the budget estimate is formulated using historical project data and plans. It itemizes major project components with material and labor costs per line description. Its precision ranges from -10% to +25% of the actual cost.
Precise Evaluation
The definitive estimate, sometimes referred to as a digital cost estimate, comprises a meticulous itemized breakdown of project components. Created with comprehensive project plans, its accuracy spans from -5% to +15%.
How Our Initial Estimate Can Be Advantageous for You:
Our assessments aid you in:
- Budget management and securing loans
- Establishing project cost limits for architects and designers
- Gauging likely material and labor expenses
- Formulating the next project phase
- Effective allocation and negotiation with contractors and subcontractors.
How to Present a Preliminary Estimate to Potential Clients:
Our initial cost assessments are structured around the project’s floor area, ensuring straightforward comprehension for both clients and architects.
Our itemized material breakdown includes:
- Total project area (square feet or square meters)
- Linear measurements (feet or meters) for structures like walls
- Area calculations for individual units, such as rooms and floors.
What's Included in Our Initial Estimate?
Our estimation provides a detailed breakdown of quantities, encompassing the following sections:
- Preliminaries
- Substructures (footings, foundations, etc.)
- Superstructures ( brickwork, walls, sidings, roofs, staircase, floors, doors, windows)
- External/Internal finishes (flooring, drywall, painting, etc.)
- Fittings
- Mechanical (HVAC systems, ductwork, etc.)
- Plumbing (pipes, drains, fixtures, etc.)
- Electrical (cable, conduit, lighting, etc.)
- Labor
- Man Hours
- Contingency
- Project Schedule
How We Develop an Initial Estimate:
- Initial analysis by estimators to comprehend project scope and create an estimation plan.
- Data collection from similar past projects.
- Adjustments made for time, location, size, and contingency.
- Comprehensive documentation of specifications, adjustments, and assumptions for transparency.
What Elements Influence Accurate Initial Estimates?
Crafting estimates from prior project data involves making informed assumptions and adjustments, considering factors like project type, size, location, and the future time of construction.
- Adjusting costs for future construction start dates is vital due to the advanced timeline of these estimates. We use a time index, accounting for inflation or deflation, encompassing labor rates, material costs, and interest rates.
- Location plays a pivotal role, as material and labor rates fluctuate across regions. Our location index aligns costs with national averages, tailored to specific regions or nearby capital cities.
- Project type and size are integral considerations. We employ a size factor, relating the proposed building area to established norms.
- Moreover, material quality, such as brick veneer, CMU, or framed construction, also contributes to the estimate, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation.
This Is What You Gain by Entrusting Us with Your Estimates!
- Dependable and accurate assessments
- Competitively priced estimates (Check rates here)
- Swift turnarounds (Within 24 to 48 hours)
- Economical monthly takeoff bundles
- Skilled estimators accredited by respected organizations like AACE & AIQS
- Round-the-clock customer support
We're Enthusiastic to Assist You with Your Upcoming Estimate!
- Share Your Plans:
Send your plans and drawings (via Dropbox link, Plans Portal link, etc.) to support@ablestimating.pro, call (917) 924-5143, or visit our contact page to attach files and complete the form.
- Receive a Quote:
We will provide a quote containing the invoice, turnaround time, and delivery date. You can conveniently make the payment using credit card, debit card, or PayPal.
- Receive Your Estimate:
Your estimate will be sent to you in EXCEL sheets, either following our format or a format of your choice.