# Any tips for Rookie Estimator



## bmoney1127 (Aug 27, 2007)

Does anybody have any tips for a rookie estimator?


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## firemike (Dec 11, 2005)

My first tip: When you ask a question, always try to be as ambiguous as possible so we will have not a single clue what information you are looking for, allowing us to sit at our computers and wonder exactly how to answer it . (Yes, I'm being sarcastic here)

Tip #2: You don't need to post with bold or large type, it gets annoying. I for one skip reading bold posts just because they are harder to read.


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## Dustball (Jul 7, 2006)

bmoney1127 said:


> Does anybody have any tips for a rookie estimator?


Know how to read a tape.


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## liltrainerboy (Nov 16, 2006)

get on a crew and actually see how long it takes to do the job... then it will all be clear young grasshopper


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## Brockster (Aug 24, 2007)

What are you trying to bid on? Basement, garage, addition, commercial?


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## A.W.Davis (Oct 17, 2006)

bmoney1127 said:


> Does anybody have any tips for a rookie estimator?


yeap


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## Terran_Sky (May 11, 2007)

Don't cut my cables...


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## Frankawitz (Jun 17, 2006)

Go out and do some jobs yourself so that way you get the real feel for the trade, nothing better then sanding ceilings at 7:00am


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## Celtic (May 23, 2007)

bmoney1127 said:


> Does anybody have any tips for a rookie estimator?



Don't yell at the people whose help you need.


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## nywoodwizard (Sep 10, 2005)

bmoney1127 said:


> Does anybody have any tips for a rookie estimator?


Yea ,Hit em hard and hit em fast.:w00t:


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## tlfettled (Oct 19, 2006)

*GET contract signed befor you start !*

Then get your check befor you leave the job site !


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## mseneker (Dec 22, 2007)

Keep track of all past job costs. Learn as much as you can from the tradesmen on the job so you have a better idea of what materials go where and how much time to install. Have the last estimator train you. Ask the boss about how to factor in "soft" overhead costs into the bid then add profit margin.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

If you're planning on cutting some sort of corner (within code) and that's how you were able to estimate the job so cheaply, pass that along to the people that are actually going to do the work.


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## silvertree (Jul 22, 2007)

Yes!


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## JumboJack (Aug 14, 2007)

This not a tip so much,it is much deeper than that....

If a lamb is a sheep and a kid is a goat....Why is a ram in the ass a goose?


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## Alphabuilder422 (Mar 18, 2008)

"The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed."- Richard Brinsley Sheridan

review your numbers 3 times. don't forget the food cost.


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## terry714_us (Jan 8, 2008)

When you get your check on Friday....GO CASH IT.....you never now when the doors are going to close or when the money is going to mysteriously disappear. IT'S A DOG-EAT-DOG world out here. Especially in the construction industry. 

If you work for a GC you have to have a strong sense of multi-tasking. If you work for a Sub you have to have a strong sense of humor. If working for a plumber.....everything flows downhill.

Seriously you gotta understand it's not that they're yelling at you...they're yelling at what you did. Just don't do it twice.

AND MAKE DOUBLE SURE THE PLANS YOU'RE WORKING ON ARE TO SCALE....ALWAYS CHECK THE SCALE.

Other than that welcome to the "RAT RACE"


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## mud dog (Jun 17, 2006)

I've got an 11,000 board foot house to sand out tomorrow and that includes ceilings. Your sander already has the sandpaper on it waiting for you. See you then. :whistling


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## pknyryan (Nov 25, 2007)

mud dog said:


> I've got an 11,000 board foot house to sand out tomorrow and that includes ceilings. Your sander already has the sandpaper on it waiting for you. See you then. :whistling


 
how does board feet apply to drwall since it is a multi dimensional calculation and drywall surface is flat?????

do you mean 11,000 sq. ft. of drywall? 

I apologize, i am a carpenter,maybe the lingo is just different


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## mud dog (Jun 17, 2006)

Oh yeah, I meant 11,000 board feet of drywall as in a sheet is 4x8 or 32 feet of board. 11,000 is 344 sheets, if all the sheets were 4x8.  I got tired of waiting for you rookie, so I sanded it myself. Good help is so hard to find


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