Contractor Estimating - What They Need To Know

There are many different types of contractors. Each type has specific guidelines that they must follow.

In the construction industry, the guidelines can be very strict. In today busy world, those who are in the market for a contractor do not want to take any chances of hiring someone that is not properly trained. They prefer to hire someone who has a degree in one of five different fields. These fields are building construction, construction science, construction management, architecture or engineering.

Many construction estimators who work in the contractor-estimating field have extensive experience in construction this knowledge comes from working in the construction industry for many years.

Most consumers have little knowledge of the construction industry. Those who do have some knowledge of areas of construction such as heavy construction, masonry work, and electrical or plumbing applications find that they have an edge on everyone else.


Contract estimating is a highly focused industry. The person estimating the contract must have knowledge and experience in the industry that they are estimating. In the construction industry, employers feel much more secure if the contract estimator has a degree in the construction industry and multiple estimating techniques.

The contract estimator may visit the site where the construction is to begin to determine how much material will be needed and how many laborers will be hired. This method is call a quantity survey in which the estimator will complete many different standard forms with dimensions of the project, total number of units that will be needed, and all of the information needed to create an accurate estimate.

A cost estimator is hired by a General Contractor and will create an estimate that contains all of the materials and labor that is needed for a job. However the cost estimator has to take into consideration all estimates that are submitted by subcontractors also and include them in the estimate to be provided to the General Contractor.

The cost estimator must also take into consideration all heavy equipment needs, trash removal, weather and any other delay that may occur. These will increase the cost of the project, however most cost estimators will figure these factors when they draw up the estimate.

Nick Hurd is the developer of LiteningFast Estimating. LiteningFast is an estimating program that helps you estimate faster, easier and more accurately. It's integrated with QuickBooks to provide job cost. Contractor Estimating - accuracy and speed It was introduced to tbe market in 1994 and currently has over 3,500 users in the US, Canada, and around the world.