Even though costly errors frequently occur on construction sites, that doesn't mean there aren't ways of proactively reducing them. According to the Journal of Construction Engineering, "the difference between final completion cost and the contract bid cost—for projects costing between $25,000 to $75,000, $75,000 to $200,000, $200,000 to $1 million, and more than $1 million were 0.15%, 1.36%, 3.21%, and 3.24%, respectively." In this article, we're going to look at the leading causes of these costly errors in construction estimating services and how to reduce them.
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While it may seem like all costly errors will happen on the job site, that's not necessarily the case. Sometimes, these errors are entirely administrative. It’s common for information to filter to a job when project managers aren't sure who is responsible for specific duties or the progression of the project. The main reason is that project managers might be receiving information too late, or there are miscommunications regarding who is responsible for carrying out specific tasks. As a result of miscommunication, projects can go over budget.
Here's another example of where Procore is an excellent tool for assigning tasks, tracking progress, and making notes of all revisions that occur. So, if someone else has access, they can see what's happening with projects.
The implementation of a CRM is another way to manage your interactions with current and potential clients efficiently. It all occurs through a dedicated cloud-based management tool. That way, if you're working with multiple data-sets, it's easier for you to stay organized.
According to Engineers Daily, "approximately 38% of disputes arise from design-related issues." If those disputes turn into legal action, the project faces delays. Typically, these delays lead to an increase in costs. One of the best ways to avoid design errors is to ensure the contractors and project owners can agree on their duties and the scope of the work.
How else can you help reduce errors in design? The use of data integration is valuable not only when you're working on construction estimating services, but also for integrating data-sets with a broad range of other tools, including Procore. It's beneficial that everyone can see what's happening digitally, which allows communication barriers to enhance while everyone discusses the details of the project.
By using document management tools, you're pulling all of your cost estimating information into one location that's easy to access. Once you gather all of this data, you can assign access controls that allow team members to see relevant data.
The bidding process tends to cause the most costly errors, causing issues before the project begins. As a construction manager, you know that bidding is competitive, and the lowest bid typically wins. Avoid taking a one-size-fits-all approach to bidding or rushing through your estimates because, in doing so, you'll run the risk of coming in too low.
When that happens, the estimate you submit doesn't encompass the project's full scope. Therefore, it won't accurately reflect the project's timeframe or costs. Analyzing every aspect of the project and requesting feedback from contractors and architects is an excellent way to ensure your construction estimating services are accurate. Two other ways to prevent estimate inaccuracies include:
Using Cost Estimating: when you include cost estimating in your construction estimating services, you can digitally create detailed bids, reduce errors, and increase accuracy.
Implementing Takeoffs: the implementation of takeoffs allows you to reduce the time during the estimation process by allowing you to work directly off the blueprint.
You must ensure information is traveling from point A to point B without disruptions. Otherwise, costly issues can occur. If your team or site managers don't have exceptional communication skills, that can cause significant site issues.
For example, if contractors and supervisors have personality clashes, project owners become suspicious. The main reason is that, when these disagreements occur, they could disrupt the relaying of information.
That's where the use of reporting comes into play. Not only does it help ensure information is traveling smoothly throughout the team, but in doing so, you're reducing costs. Implementing your cost estimating services in conjunction with professional, data-driven reporting, shows key findings that drive better decision-making and scheduling.
For example, if a change occurs, that information relays immediately. Or, if there are queries about a project, those messages are sent to the appropriate team member.
Developing a firm understanding of how to reduce costly errors in your construction estimating services is critical. Not only will you experience better communication and organization, but your company won't suffer a deficit. ProEst is a proactive approach to helping reduce costly errors in your construction estimating service so that your business can flourish with an increase in profit. Contact us today and schedule a 1-on-1 walkthrough with one of our specialists!
