Cost Estimating for Construction Projects

teaching quantity takeoff and cost estimating of earthwork, concrete job, steel work, wood work, masonry, and more

With over 27 hours of content in more than 180 lecture videos along with 14 exercises and 13 assignments, all with step-by-step solution videos, this course provides essential guidance on construction project cost estimation using the world's most popular construction cost data source, the RSMeans. Step-by-step instruction guides students through several exercises emphasizing real-world problem-solving skills. Estimating skills are critical at all levels of the construction industry, and the learning process also strengthens the understanding of blueprints and construction assemblies. This course provides comprehensive instruction on all aspects of the estimation process, with detailed guidance.

Table of contents:

1. Basic Calculations

2. Spreadsheet Types

3. Cost Estimating: An Introduction

4. General Requirements

5. Adjusting RSMeans Data to Job Conditions

6. Concrete

7. Masonry

8. Metals

9. Wood and Plastics, Thermal and Moisture Protection

10. Doors and Windows, Interior Finish, and Equipment

11. Fire Suppression, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Electrical

12. Earthwork

13. Equipment Analysis

14. Assemblies Estimating

By completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Define and explain basic estimating calculations, spreadsheets, and general requirements

2. Adjust RSMeans data to account for local labor rates, overtime, markups, and more

3. Estimate material costs for concrete, masonry, metals, wood, and plastics

4. Analyze costs for structural elements, finishes, mechanical systems, and groundwork

5. Integrate equipment, assemblies, depreciation, and more into a complete estimate

This course will use the following textbook and RSMeans as the unit-cost database.

• How to Estimate with RSMeans Data: Basic Skills for Building Construction, 5th Edition; RSMeans, Saleh A. Mubarak; ISBN: 978-1-118-97797-2, March 2020

You can refer to the following textbook for further discussions and reading.

• Fundamentals of Construction Estimating 2nd Edition; Author: David Pratt; Publisher: Delmar Cengage Learning; ISBN# 1-4018-0959-6