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    rebekkak

    The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice is good.  The student version, even an older student version is helpful.  You should be able to recalculate the construction cost if the labor rates changes, the # of hours changes or if the cost/sf for a material changes.  Use an example from AHPP or Ballast and change the #s or $$ to make up some for extra practice.  If you find the difference between the old and new first, you can save a step too.  You don't need to find the total of both and subtract the difference.

    Hope this helps!

    Rebekka O'Melia, B.Arch, M. Ed, Registered Architect, NCARB, ​​Step Up ARE Coaching​​​

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    mermann

    Zohet,

    Cost estimating is a large field and it is unlikely that studying it in depth would yield you many more questions per-hour-of-studying (even if you remember lots of cost-related questions on your last exam. . . there's so much to learn in the cost-estimating field that it is it's own career path).

    That said, these rules will help you. . . 

    What you see most often on construction sites is usually the least expensive option.

    OSB sheathing is more common, and less expensive, than plywood sheathing

    Plywood is more common as formwork, and less expensive, than insulated concrete forms (ICFs)

    Vinyl siding is more common, and less expensive, than wood siding

    Asphalt roadway is more common, and less expensive, than concrete roadway

    And so on. . .

    Another rule: what's commonly done in residential construction is typically less expensive . . . 

    Fiberglass batt insulation is more common than foam plastic rigid insulation in residential construction, so the fiberglass is less expensive. Similarly, common residential-flavored things like wood framing, minimal code requirements associated with Type V construction, minimal ADA requirements, etc.. . .those cost less money.

    For foundations, deep foundations, foundations abutting other buildings, and foundations below the water table are very expensive. So is grading, retaining walls, treating contaminants like heavy metals in the soil, friable asbestos in the renovation, etc.

    Paying specialty crews from far away places (hotel rooms!) to weld high in the air, put foundations under-water, build glass walls for aquariums, etc.. .. .that's obviously expensive.

    Delays of any kind and anything that requires overtime. . . expensive.

    For steel structures, use the lightest steel needed to save money.

    Burying utilities costs more. Moving utilities costs more than you'd think. Finish carpenters (built-in cabinets) are more expensive than rough carpenters (framing). Hydraulic elevators are less expensive to install and repair, but use more energy in their use than traction elevators.

    For masonry, buildings with many corners cost a lot more than buildings with few corners; for concrete, the savings comes from re-using formwork. Formwork costs a fortune because you're basically constructing the building twice, once out of wood for the formwork, and a second time out of concrete. For steel, limiting the bolting and welding high in the air saves money, so pin connections are cheaper than moment-connected frames.

    By coincidence, this Thursday at 6pm ET we'll be tackling this topic. We'll start with the following question:

    A donor deeded a not-for-profit organization her land with the stipulation that the organization develop the land for its headquarters. Because building on the land will require additional funding, the organization would like to establish a cost estimate before commencing design to determine development feasibility. The organization should estimate the cost of building the new headquarters on the land using the _______ method.

     

    Historical costing

    Rough order of magnitude

    Unit-rate cost estimating

     

    Join us this and every week at Zoom 83922907346

    Hope that helps. . . Michael Ermann

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    Shikha Subramanian

    mermann

    Hi Michael,

     

    Do I need to subscribe to Amber books to be in on this Zoom meeting? 

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    mermann

    No...it’s open free of charge to anyone who wants to study with us

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    Shikha Subramanian

    mermann 

     

    How do I sign up for the zoom session? I can't see anything on your website? 

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    mermann

    No sign up needed ...just show up Thursdays at 6ET at the zoom link above

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    Diane Colucci (Edited )

    Can someone explain the answer to the above question and the thought process for arriving to the correct solution?

    I believe it would be historical because there's no hard data. Or it could be rough order of magnitude because historical would imply that there is a building type in mind... This is a great question...

    Any Input ? I'm a little late to the zoom meeting...

     

    Thank You!

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    Zohet Baba Diaz

    Thank you all for your feedback!

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