Teaching Construction Estimating

 

William J. Bender

Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA

This paper provides a description and discussion of a series of classes designed to prepare students in the Construction Management Program at Central Washington University the skill of construction estimating.  The rational, methods, and outcomes are presented.  Specific details of the pedagogical nature for the estimating and follow on courses are provided to assist other university programs that offer similar classes.  Examples of lesson objectives and exercises are provided and discussed.  Finally, conclusions and recommendations are provided that may help other construction management educators implement construction estimating courses or augment their existing curriculum.

Keywords: Estimating, Material Take Off, Computer Estimating, Estimating Software

Introduction

Need for Estimating 

There several reasons for graduates of a university construction management program to have solid estimating skills.  Estimating skills of taking off material and applying costs are fundamental to the construction industry; these skills are applied by all parties and levels of throughout the industry.  Learning estimating also allows students to become familiar with reading and understanding construction blueprints and how construction assemblies are built.  Academia has recognized the need for estimating and it is a part of the accreditation requirements (ACCE 2003). 

This paper presents how a series of estimating classes are taught at Central Washington University (CWU) as part of a program to provide students with a BS in Construction Management.  The general philosophy behind the teaching methods presented loosely follows an application-based methodology (Kirk 1997).  This author strongly believes estimating can not be “poured from the vessel” but is a learned skill only acquired by sitting down with a set of prints and putting pencil to paper.  Additionally as applied by Kirk, (1997) the academic setting should mimic industry as best as possible.  There is an art to estimating which can only be mastered through years of experience.  The goals of our estimating curriculum are three fold.  During their junior year students acquire the basic skill set to be able to read prints, perform take offs, order materials, interpret specifications, and perform similar duties at any entry level position.  During their junior and senior years students gain the ability to think critically, independently and learn on their own.  Finally students should be exposed to some of the pressures and procedures of the estimating profession.  

Estimating Curriculum  

Classes at Central Washington University are based on the quarter system of instruction.  The estimating series of course work builds on knowledge from previous classes and works to develop critical thinking skills in follow on classes.  Students take two estimating classes during their junior year.  Each of these classes contains separate labs.  In their senior year they will take a scheduling class in the fall and in later quarters take classes with projects that combine among other skills, scheduling and estimating.  Table 1 lists the series of classes students take to develop their estimating skills.

Estimating I and Lab Class 

Course Objective 

Students first learn how to read blueprints as sophomores in an introductory course in construction management. The first class in the estimating series is taken by juniors and has three main objectives: 1) students produce material take offs for simple residential projects, 2) apply a cost data base, and 3) demonstrate spreadsheet skills in an estimating setting. 

Course Outline 

The course outline for this class is shown in Table 2.  The course begins with introductory material, Means and then follows a text book to cover CSI divisions 1 through 9, excluding divisions 4 and 5.   

Course Format 

The course generally follows the Estimating in Building Construction text by Dagostino and Feigenbaum (2003).  Dagostino and Feigenbaum do a good job of introducing estimating but the best value is introducing students to material take offs.  In addition to the text, students are introduced to square foot and parametric estimating.  

 After a few introductory topics, the course teaches students how to apply Means (Means 2003).  Means is used for several reasons; it is a recognized national standard, contractors use similar propriety databases, and it satisfies the academic need to have discrete answers to certain problems, for example exams.  With Means students are taught how to perform square foot estimates, develop time and cost for activities, apply overhead and profit.  The first assignments using Means students are told what line items to apply.  Later assignments the students are forced to apply Means without such specific line item guidance, thus helping them apply critical thinking skills.  At first students have difficulty applying Means, they want to get the “right answer”.  Initially students were given a rough guide, for example: about $2,000 for a deck project and consequently all bids would be around $2000.  Now they are given an engineers estimate of between $1000 to $5000, The objective is for students to focus on the process and applying estimating skills versus getting the right answer.  To add some excitement and competition in the class, certain projects are bid.  We have a bid opening and the lowest, responsive, and responsible bid is awarded a hat or a gift certificate for a cup of coffee.   

Each week the students are given one or two assignments.  Assignments are treated as bids, there is a “bid box” in the front of the classroom.  Assignments must be in the box by the time specified to a synchronized clock on the wall.  Late bids are not scored.  The class was changed to a meeting time to 8AM to alleviate the problem of getting from one side of campus to the other in only ten minutes.  The majority of a student’s grade is determined from homework and projects, but two exams are given during the quarter.  These exams are intended to simulate estimating or providing material take offs under the pressure of a time constraint.  

The lab class focuses on applying excel to the estimating.  The class rapidly progresses from simple spreadsheets to developing a bid calculator.  The bid calculator is a workbook set up with each CSI division as a worksheet.  Worksheet totals are forwarded to a summary sheet.  On the summary sheet the final bid is calculated with a summation of the CSI divisions and adding in overheads and profits.  The students also build a cut and fill calculator, apply look up and pivot tables in this lab.  

The class culminates with the students working on a final project.  Students perform material take offs, apply means, use spreadsheets and organize a bid proposal in a three ring binder for a residential project.  Students apply their take off skills to all work items except mechanical and electrical which are estimated by the square foot.   

Estimating II and Lab Class 

Course Objective 

The focus of the second basic class is estimating in commercial building construction.  Students obtain the skill of taking off materials and applying costs to commercial building projects.  The objectives of this class are: 1) estimate from construction documents used by industry, 2) take off materials for commercial projects, 3) apply judgment and expertise to the estimates, 4) apply a commercially available estimating software, and 5) prepare a bid on a simulated bid day.  

Course Outline 

The class outline is shown in Table 3.  Some of the topics from the first course in estimating are revisited and studied in more depth by using commercial blueprints.  In this class students are gearing toward a final project that requires them to estimate the general requirements, major portions of a commercial project and evaluate subcontractor bids.  Time is also spent on determining crew sizes and developing construction assemblies i.e. preparing unit cost for spread footings by the cubic yard that includes all labor and material. 

Course Format 

Students are required to buy a set of construction plans for a recent commercial project built in the local community.  Students use these plans and other industrial plans to develop take offs and cost for various construction trades.  For example: in the first course of estimating the students have taken off the concrete material for a simple residential foundation and stem wall that has uniform dimensions.  In this class students will take off the concrete material for a large retail store foundation that includes varying elevations and thicknesses.  Some topics are very introductory, for example the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP).  MEP course material is covered and exercises are performed in these areas to allow students an opportunity to take off typical items with these drawings but not necessarily develop an entire bid.  

Students are divided into two person teams for the final project to estimate the cost of building a local retail store.  Teams are made up by the instructor specifically trying not to place friends together and placing top students with average students.  Each team will estimate the general conditions, concrete, masonry, steel, and wood.  Additionally teams will be told to provide a couple of sub bids, for example ceiling tile and flooring.  Enough sub bids will be generated to create several bids for each section of work. 

Subcontractor bid evaluation is team taught with an estimator from industry.  The author provides a basic lecture and a few days later the industry professional provides a two-hour workshop.  The workshop includes an interactive exercise to determine the appropriate price and mix of subcontractors for the metal stud and drywall portion of a bid.  

 Bid day simulation is performed during the final exam.  Student subcontractor bids are due at the beginning of the hour.  These bids, about 30, are placed on a table in the front of the room and each team picks up a copy of each bid.  The instructor provides specific bids for the MEP portion of the work.  Students then have one hour to evaluate and collate subcontractor bids and establish a final bid.  

In the laboratory portion of this class students learn how to apply Timberline (Timberline 2003) a commercially available estimating software package.  Students find the software and databases easy to use once they have had several exercises.  One of the negative tendencies students have with using a canned software program is doing an estimate, pulling it from the printer and turning in the assignment without a critical review.  To counter this negative trait, bogeys or ringers are put into the database.  Students must find these before turning in a bid or they will be ridiculously over priced on some components.  For example the sheathing could all be priced at $100 a sheet. 

Principles of Construction Class 

This is a project management course for seniors.  Students take a project from plans and specifications to closeout.   

Course Objective Pertaining to Estimating 

The estimating objectives are: 1) produce an estimate concurrently with a schedule in a reply to a request for proposals, and 2) estimate and negotiate a change order.  

Course Format 

Students are divided into teams of two to work on a course project.  The students select their teammate because this typically affords them the opportunity to meet often and work on this project.  The students also have the choice of which project to work on; a small bridge overpass or a small commercial building.  This class is not a skills class for estimating but the students must apply estimating in reply to request for proposals.  Although not typical of an industry proposal, students are required to break out the work and provide back up calculation sheets for their estimates.  Students are allowed to select the format of their estimates, most use the bid calculator developed in an earlier class or Timberline software, but the estimates must break out crew sizes and man-hours for the various activities.  

The class includes a change order workshop.  Using the project plans and given a scenario student teams estimate the cost of a change order.  Students are separated into small groups of owner and contractors and negotiate a change order based on an estimate prepared by them. 

Construction Accounting Class 

This class is for students to gain an understanding of the financial and business aspects of construction projects.

Course Objective Pertaining to Estimating 

Students build an estimate for a major concrete operation.  The estimating objective in this project is to develop material take offs, size crews, and an assembly metric for this complicated but repetitive operation. 

Course Format Pertaining to Estimating 

Students work in teams of two and develop the cost and schedule of an elevated deck concrete pour.  The project is the pan deck structure in the classroom that has been above their heads for the past few years.  The estimate is developed from the blueprints of the classroom building.  As part of the estimate students must apply their recently gained knowledge of concrete forming and false work.  Once all materials and labor are calculated the students develop metrics for forming, pouring and finishing the entire deck.  The estimating portion of the exercise forms the basis for other learning objectives in planning, monitoring and controlling construction costs. 

Assessment 

Assessment of the course curriculum is performed through five primary methods.  These are student assessment, industry advisory council assessment, Certified Professional Constructor (CPC) exam, senior assessment with the department head, and accreditation. 

After each quarter course students complete a confidential Student Evaluation Of Instruction (SEOI).  This is important input because the instructor can gauge if students are being worked too hard, are enjoying the course and it provides suggestions for improvements.  This input was particularly helpful during the first couple of years of teaching estimating because too much work was required and students were being turned off by estimating.    

Industry assessment is provided by volunteers on an advisory council.  Once in every three years a course syllabus, text and samples of students work is provided to a professional estimator to review and provide comments.  This feedback provides industry input into the academic process and helps the professor answer the question “are we meeting industry needs?”  

Our students are required to take the CPC exam.  Estimating is a substantial part of this exam.  Feedback from the testing agency provides an overview of a graduating class estimating skill level.  

During the last quarter of a student’s tenure a lecture period is devoted to students meeting with the department chair.  The department chair is not a CM professor and frank feedback on the entire curriculum is discussed.  Specific classes are critiqued and general feedback is provided. 

As an accredited program the entire curriculum and program is reviewed by industry professionals and academics from other universities.  A recent accreditation approved the course material and program. 

Conclusion 

The construction industry has recognized a need for professional estimators in its workforce.  This paper presented the estimating curriculum at CWU.  The curriculum provides students with skills in: 1) construction material take off and 2) applying cost metrics to develop a bid.  Additionally the curriculum provides a foundation to 1) develop a student’s appreciation for what materials cost, 2) applying their judgment 3) employ critical thinking skills, all with in the backdrop of integrating the curriculum to how the construction industry operates.   

Recommendations 

Any estimating instruction must include a curriculum that is based on students “putting pencil to paper”.  Students must be exercised to pull items off blueprints and apply critical thinking.  Although at times it is difficult in the academic setting, students should be exposed to the estimating practices and methodologies developed by the construction industry. 

Future Work 

Writing a paper on the estimating curriculum forces you to research, evaluate and benchmark your own program.  The author plans to improve on the established curriculum by continuing to add meaningful projects and strengthening the student’s ability to think critically.  

During the academic the year 2003-2004 the author will introduce an exercise to further the students estimating and critical thinking skills.  The exercise will have the students develop productivity and unit costs for repetitive types of work activity, for example, cubic yards of trench excavation.  This will be a step forward from building assemblies because the students will need to project costs for future project and their specific conditions.  

In addition, a specialty course is heavy/ civil construction estimating is needed.  This course would use construction documents used by governmental and highway agencies.  Estimating projects such as bridges and roads will broaden the student’s knowledge and abilities in this important construction sector..

References 

American Council for Construction Education. (2003).  Document 103 Standards and Criteria for Accreditation of Postsecondary Construction Education Degree Programs 

Dagostino and Feigenbaum (2003). Estimating in Building Construction 6^th edition, Prentice Hall, Englewood NJ 

Kirk, W. Max. (1997).  Teaching Application-Based Estimating: Integrating the Workplace and the Classroom.  ASC Proceedings of the 33^rd Annual Conference  

Lowman, Joseph. (1995). Mastering the Techniques of Teaching 2^nd Edition. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA 20-37 

Means R. S. (2003). Building Construction Cost Data, 61^st annual edition.  RS Means Construction Publishers, Kingston, MA 

Timberline (2003). Timberline Home Page. URL http://www.timberline.com/