Perhaps the scariest part of the
whole housebuilding process is estimating.
Unpredictable weather conditions,
unforeseen cost increases, and
poorly qualified bids from subs can all
add to the uncertainty. The only
effective strategy for reducing the risk
and anxiety associated with job costing
is a thorough, systematic approach
to your work. The NAHB's Estimating
for Home Builders provides the background
against which you can develop
a method that works for you.
Beginning with a broad overview,
you'll learn how to qualify your bids
with allowances, what sequence to use
in estimating, and how to write a contract
proposal or evaluate those you
get from subs. The author examines
the differences between lump-sum and
unit-cost subcontracts, and how a
"price" differs from