How To Estimate Construction Costs

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If you’re in the construction business, a key to your success will be estimating and managing costs. Doing so will ensure that your jobs are profitable. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Estimate Construction Costs.

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If you are considering renovating your property, there are costs around every corner. Particularly if it is a large property which requires a lot of work, there is much to be done to budget your renovation without missing anything out. Working out the costs of labor, materials and time constraints takes organization and time, as well as patience and professional consultation. Here are some criteria to consider when planning construction work on your property!

The Nature of the Renovation

All renovations are unique in their needs, and in order to find an accurate estimate, you will first need to understand the nature of the renovation you want to undergo. Carefully plan what exactly needs to be done for the renovation, and the desired effect you want to achieve. In order to do this accurately, it is best you consult a contractor who can explain all that would need to be done for each stage of the renovation and how much it might cost.

The Materials

Many people are surprised by the cost of raw materials needed for a large renovation. Depending on the type of wood, metal and other materials you will need for the renovation, you may be charged less for a bulk amount of the material, and may be given discounts or deals based on the contractor you go through. Wood costs and the amount of wood needed are shown using Lumber Takeoffs which are professionally estimated by experts. This will give you the best accuracy for understanding how much material you will need, and how much it will all eventually cost.

Manpower

Of course, any construction work will need manpower to implement it. Your contractor will help estimate how many construction workers you will need to complete the renovation, and for how long they will need to work. Manpower is a significant part of the operation which is often included in the price of construction, depending on the company you use.

Collateral Budget

In any construction work, things go awry that were unexpected. Perhaps the right materials are not available at a certain time, or something like the COVID-19 pandemic comes along and shuts the place down. Whatever it may be, your budget needs to include some money for collateral costs which you did not plan for. Without it, you could be stuck halfway through a construction project with no way of finishing it. This can be a nightmare scenario for any property owner who just wants to get the job done.

Conclusion

Construction costs do not have to sneak up on you when you least expect. While this happens much of the time, with proper organization and professional consultation, you can get an accurate estimate of your renovation costs which doesn’t leave you surprised and disappointed when the time comes to pay up.

Author: anwaryusef

Anwar Y. Dunbar is a Regulatory Scientist. Being a naturally curious person, he is also a student of all things. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Michigan and his Bachelor’s Degree in General Biology from Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). Prior to starting the Big Words Blog Site, Anwar published and contributed to numerous research articles in competitive scientific journals reporting on his research from graduate school and postdoctoral years. After falling in love with writing, he contributed to the now defunct Examiner.com, and the Edvocate where he regularly wrote about: Education-related stories/topics, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Financial Literacy; as well as conducted interviews with notable individuals such as actor and author Hill Harper. Having many influences, one of his most notable heroes is author, intellectual and speaker, Malcolm Gladwell, author of books including Outliers and David and Goliath. Anwar has his hands in many, many activities. In addition to writing, Anwar actively mentors youth, works to spread awareness of STEM careers, serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the David M. Brown Arlington Planetarium, serves as Treasurer for the JCSU Washington, DC Alumni Chapter, and is active in the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Ministry at the Alfred Street Baptist Church. He also tutors in the subjects of biology, chemistry and physics. Along with his multi-talented older brother Amahl Dunbar (designer of the Big Words logos, inventor and a plethora of other things), Anwar is a “Fanboy” and really enjoys Science-Fiction and Superhero movies including but not restricted to Captain America Civil War, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Prometheus. He is a proud native of Buffalo, NY.

One thought on “How To Estimate Construction Costs”

  1. Thanks for mentioning having money for collateral costs that you didn’t plan for. My brother was telling me that he needs to hire a crane service for his new construction site next month. He should account for the costs if they have any delays for that service.

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