the estimating field, this section will review some of the
areas in which knowledge of estimating is necessary. Gen-
erally, knowledge of the procedures for estimating is
required by almost everyone involved in or associated with
the field of construction. From the estimator, who may be
involved solely with the estimating of quantities of materi-
als and the pricing of the project, to the carpenter, who
must order the material required to build the framing for a
home, this knowledge is needed to do the best job possible
at the most competitive cost. Others involved include the
project designer, drafters, engineers, contractors, subcon-
tractors, material suppliers, and material representatives.
In the following sections, a few of the estimating opportu-
nities are described.
Architectural Offices. The architectural office will
require estimates at three design stages: preliminary (rough
square foot or project comparison costs), cost evaluation
during drawing preparation (usually more accurate square
foot or assembly costs), and a final estimate (usually based
on material and installation costs, to be as accurate as possi-
ble). For projects built using the design-build or construction-
manager deliver systems, the preliminary estimate is often
used during negotiation with the general contactor. Once
the general contactor is hired, the general contractor’s esti-
mator will prepare the remaining estimates.
In large offices, the estimating may be done by an
