OK, after all the fun that has been had with pricing and estimating questions, can I ask if any of you use the “Means” cost books for either specific tasks or sq.ft. costs? Seriously, are these accurrate in your are with or without the given mulitplier?
Any if any of you smart @sses say $99,500. so help me I’ll come to wherever you live and buy your sorry butt lunch for making me laugh so much!!!
Miker
Replies
$89,995
They are a decent starting point, but they have lots of pitfalls.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Mike-
The only use I've found for any of the cost books is for productivity rates- the costs are all over the place. You're playing the odds that the "high" prices will outweigh the "low" prices in each estimate, which will allow you to make some money.
As far as "how" to use the produxtivity rates- find an item similar to the item you're trying to price, for which you have accurate productivity info. Compare that to the Means productivity rate- if it's 10% low, the rate for the item in question is likely 10% low as well, and can be adjusted to get what your actual productivity will likely be.
The strange part about the numbers I get when I use the Means books is, they almost always amount to a total bid of $99,500. ;)
Waiting for my free lunch,
Bob
I knew someone would say the Means costs equal $99,500. Touche`!
Yeah, I have used them somewhat but seem to be either high or low and not "moderate" across the board. I was just hoping to utilize them as an alternate means of having to print out a ton of plans for every job and then being at the mercy of our subs to come back with some prices. Maybe thats the only way?
Here in Florida, EVERYONE is busy and just getting an estimated price back is like pulling teeth! Tough part is I can remember when I started in the industry in the mid 80s, subs would stop at your job and offer to work cheaper and better than anyone else. Now, subs that I have used exclusively for years tell me they might not even be interested in my job...Urgh.
And that lunch is on if you live somewhere neat where the Misses might want to vacation being that I haven't had one in about two years!!!
Mike
I've used several of their books as reference material for six or seven years now. They can help you think through bids and "ballpark" things.
I just purchased the new "Interior Home Improvement Costs" and it looks to be more helpful to me than the "Residential Detailed Costs" I had been using.
I ultimately come up with my own estimates of time and materials. Means has helped me to see what tasks I am most efficient at by looking at the productivity (output and hours stats).
Not trying to hijack the thread.....BUT
along the same lines of "means", do any of you use hometech's books and if so, are they fairly accurate in your experience?
Just wondering.....I know these books cannot be 100% accurate for everyone, but its nice to know to what degree
We have used them for several years. Sometimes they are high and sometimes they are right on the money. Seldom are they too low....which has consequences in and of iteself.