RSMeans construction cost data is something no estimator should ever be without.
Rentable RSMeans PDF e-books with 2016 data are now available on their RSMeans Online site for:
- Building construction, including “Reference section with more than 90 reference tables, estimating aids, and technical data.”
- Assemblies cost data, including “Plumbing assembly pages for baths, kitchen sinks, lavatories, service sinks, showers, urinals, water coolers, and water closets.”
- Facilities construction, including “City Cost Indexes for over 900 locations in the U.S. and selected locations in Canada.”
Access to RSMeans construction data is invaluable for anyone who is serious about providing their client with an accurate estimate. Also available on their site is access to a free trial and searchable RSMeans PDFs.
According to RSMeans’ storefront help, the Facilities Construction book collapses data from four of their more specialized books into one space, and is “the one most frequently specified in JOC, DOC and SABRE contracts.” Getting what you need out of the massive amount of data presented in any RSMeans volume is an art and a science all its own.
As anyone in the business knows, construction costs vary from one month to the next, sometimes from one day to the next. Everything built for the trade is cost-dependent on everything from oil prices to the stock market as a whole to labor pricing, including minimum wage legislation. Estimators, whether general or specialized, need to keep tabs on all the information out there; it’s one of the many demands of the trade. However, with data aggregations like RSMeans, you don’t have to keep all that pricing in your head.
When you’re evaluating an estimating software solution, check how up to date their assembly and pricing information is. This data will give you the best possible opportunity to work with your client with up-to-date information so your estimate is as accurate as possible.
If you’re looking for an estimating solution with built-in cost data, check out Esticom today.
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Chris Lee has an extensive background in preconstruction management as a former specialty contractor and business owner. As the Chief Estimator at Esticom, he’s helped thousands of specialty contractors digitize their preconstruction process to increase revenue and profitability while decreasing unnecessary overhead.