As an Assistant Estimator, you have been asked by the Senior Estimator to price the Groundworks on the project, the details of which are given on the extract from the Bills of Quantities. You also been asked to price the Preliminaries as well. You are required to provide the following:-
•A brief commentary that critically appraises and justifies your company’s approach to pricing the work:
The Construction industry has played a big role in the growth of any economy in the world. A construction project has many phases in its life cycle which starts at conception until end of its project life time. It’s during conception that the project is formulated. Project formulation involves design and pricing of the project. It is imperative that the project is priced correctly so that the client is able to known their financial position before committing to invest. This will ensure that the project reaches the end of its project life time without significant cost overruns.
Cost estimate is any considered prediction of future price of a building or final project costs. There are various ways of estimating and pricing projects include:
a. Unit Method
This method employs units of accommodation for example chairs in schools or beds in hospital. Our company did not utilize this method because it is difficult to account for design variations.
b. Superficial method
Is a single priced method based on the cost per metre square of the buildings. That is all usable floor space within enclosing walls but over internal walls. This method was not used as it is difficult to take care of plan shape and storey heights.
c. Cube method
Involves calculating the volume of the building then multiplying it with a predetermined figure based on a recently completed building of similar nature. It however does not indicate usable floor area and is not frequently used thus was not adopted.
d. Storey Enclosure Method
It is based on amalgamation of the enclosing areas of walls, floors, roofs. This method takes care of plan shape. This method was not adopted by our company as the architect is not able to appreciate the cost effect of changes in specifications of the storey enclosure also it is used infrequently therefore not easy to collect data.
e. Approximate Quantities Method
Involves traditional methods of taking-off for preparation of basic data the applying composite rates. Is easy to make adjustments for changes in quantity and quantity.
f. Bills of Quantities
Is the method that the company adopted? This is because it is the most accurate method of pricing a building. It involves preparing detailed bills of quantities using guidelines of the standard method of measurement. The items of the bills of quantities are then priced individually according to their different descriptions in order to arrive at the estimate of the project. It involves use of more detailed information in order to prepare a definite estimate. It is also widely used making referencing easier.
The bills of quantities makes the client appreciate the quantities of each items that are to be purchased and is able to plan himself all throughout the project on adherence to the bills. Due to the above reasons, we felt that the bills of quantities was the best method to adopt in pricing the works.
REFERENCES
Brook, Martin (2017) Estimating and Tendering for Construction Work: Fifth Edition, Butterworth-Heinemann, London.
•Buchan, Ross D. et al (2003) Estimating for Builders and Surveyors: Second Edition, Routledge (Taylor " Francis), Oxford.
•Chartered Institute of Building (2009) Code of Estimating Practice: Seventh Edition, Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester.
ISBN 978-14-0512-971-8
•Greenhalgh, Brian (2013) Introduction to Estimating for Construction, Routledge (Taylor " Francis), Oxford.
ISBN 978-04-1550-987-9
•Kwakye, A.A. (1994) Understanding Tendering and Estimating, Gower (AshgatePublishing), Farnham
