DATABASE ISSUES TO ADDRESS

General Questions

• What is the present method of estimating?  (item/assembly, conceptual/hard-bid/negotiated)
• What are the estimating objectives? (material takeoff, labor takeoff, equipment-takeoff, buyout materials, setup scope-of-work for subcontracts)
• Will the estimate be used to check sub bids and vendor quotes?
• Are any special reports needed?
• Are there any special issues related to implementing a new estimating system?
• Who needs training? (estimator, project manager, purchasing)
• What type of training is preferred?  (classroom/individual, formal/informal, brief/detailed)

Management/Accounting Decisions

• How will the estimate be organized? (CSI, assembly, cost code, floor, room, client)
• How will the database be organized?  (CSI, other)
• Is there cost data coming from an existing database?  
• How are job and general operation overhead costs applied to estimates?  
• How is profit, fee, or margin determined?  (on total, partial, fixed, percent)
• Are job cost codes existing? Match estimating phases?
• Any markups rolled-up or allocated into the estimate or job cost? (material tax, fees)
• Do clients get reports on estimated costs?
• What is the source of estimate information? (bid documents, in-house drawings)
• Will the estimate integrate with job cost?  How?

Material Costs

• What materials will be purchased?   (concrete, masonry, lumber, trim, windows, doors, finish hardware, ceramic, bath accessories, appliances, light fixtures, plumb fixtures, other)   
• Are historical costs available?
• What material classes are needed? 
• How will material waste be determined and when is it added?
• Will more than one sales tax rate be needed for materials?

Labor Costs

• Will man-hours, crew-hours, or unit prices be used?    Are historical costs available?
• Will subcontracted labor & materials be separated from self-performed work?
• Do labor rates in the estimate include burden or is burden added to the estimate?
• Will the type of project or its location affect labor rates?
• Is there a need for overtime labor rates?

Subcontractor Costs

• What labor trades will be estimated?
• What turn-key trades will be estimated?
• How are subcontractor costs determined?
• Are historical costs available?
• Are sub markups included in standard prices or added on? Are they flexible to reflect market conditions and project type?
• Will the estimate be used to generate the scope-of-work for subcontracts?

Project Management Needs

• Will the estimate produce a construction schedule?
• Will the estimate create a bill of materials for purchase orders?
• If estimate is used to write purchase orders,
  • Are material descriptions important?
  • How will order units be used?  (multi project, agreed pricing)

IT Considerations

• Is there an existing database that must be merged or modified?
• Are there unique server requirements?
• Who will be responsible to maintain, backup, and restore the database?
• How will estimating be performed while the database is under development?
• Who is responsible for the database? Is it password protected?
• Is remote access needed?