INEIGHT ESTIMATE
ESTIMATING FOR CONSTRUCTABILITY: 3 FOUNDATIONAL PRACTICES
START FROM SUCCESS, NOT FROM SCRATCH
Just because a project is a first-of-its-kind, it doesn’t mean the estimate needs to start from a blank page.
By reusing elements of past projects that worked well—and learning from those that didn’t—estimators can free up time to brainstorm and quickly prove out alternative construction approaches.
This practice of re-use is faster on the front-end. For example, a first-of-a-kind project might reuse assemblies from several previous projects, but sequence them differently. An estimate will be both faster and more accurate if those assemblies can be quickly reused, then modified as needed. The speed and flexibility flowing from re-use of previously used elements give estimators time to try out different build scenarios and experiment with constructability.
Of course, estimators also want to consider the performance of the work elements they re-use, and that’s where benchmarking comes in. Using benchmarked data inspires team confidence when proposing something innovative, so organizations can move faster and spend less time validating.
Benchmarking fosters confident construction creativity by helping estimators:
- Validate an estimate
- Identify variances
- Detect and analyze trends
o Price changes over time
o Unit costs decreasing as quantities increase
o Productivity rates at various quantities
- Compare similar projects
- Continually sharpen and improve
Successful use of benchmarking relies on reliable access to past estimates and as-built data benchmarks, as addressed in the next section.
“
We can put together estimates at least 50% faster with InEight. It allows us to move faster and spend less time doing estimates—while still having confidence that they're right.
- Dave Maynard, President, Gradex
START FAST, FINISH STRONG
With InEight Estimate, estimators can easily re-use elements of previous work and replicate current project assemblies. Integrated rate tables ensure specificity and consistency across teams and projects, and benchmarks of past projects empower estimators to analyze estimated vs. as-built costs and productivity, resulting in continuous improvement, reduced risk, and tighter contingencies. Learn more about how InEight Estimate enables quick starts for more time to innovate.