estimating services

[DonDonson]

Hi, can anyone recommend any good estimating services as I'm not finding time to quotes jobs quickly enough, I'm not looking for computer software more a company or person to send drawings too. I've used travis Perkins which were ok and in the process off using Pro estimating services but not having much luck with them.
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[KenGMac]

DonDonson, good evening.

Welcome to the murky world of the estimator.
A load depends on how accurate the database used to get base costs for material.
Also a huge amount rests on that "mark up" that is used, for Material and time.

I think that you will need to be shall I call it "Careful" about stipulating the mark up bases for both above, for example mark up on material above a Builders cost of material at a merchant can be 10% as for mark up on your time costs? who is to say? this latter is the variable that will get you Contracts, and more especially make you money.

For example, i live up here in the far frozen north [Scotland] the material costs are about equal, but time costs will vary "Slightly"

I believe that you will need to sit down with the Estimating Company you choose and agree in a set of variable time uplifts, dependent on the size of the Project.

Ken