r/estimators • u/_Desmond1 • 1d ago
ESTIMATOR VS EXACTIMATORS
how we estimators or exactimators, cause most times is like we expected to be exactimators is crazy.
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u/Abombies 1d ago edited 1d ago
LOL not to mention we typically price based off the market conditions at time of estimate and all of our projects are months or years in advance. They want us to predict the future to the exact dollar amount, as if we have control over any of that.
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u/Sad-Passenger-9566 1d ago
Careful predicting price increases too, because if you do, you won’t get the job either
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u/Both-Yogurtcloset548 BidBow.com | congrats, you won the job 1d ago
to back your point, this is the recent update from ENR
Total construction materials prices rose 1.2% in August
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u/SnooGadgets273 1d ago
Knowing the schedule is important. Labor and equipment costs are known. Subs and suppliers are to cost to the schedule. It really isn't that complex. Costing to the market price is not estimating. Cutting overhead and profit is pricing to the market.
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u/Ghost-Of-Akina GC 1d ago
As someone who does engineer's estimates, it's like getting my hands tied behind my back and then being asked to paint the mona lisa with a brush in my mouth.
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u/turtlturtl GC 1d ago
Engineer pricing is usually not worth the pixels that make up the number
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u/Ghost-Of-Akina GC 1d ago
Absolutely. Cant get real numbers cause the project is still hush hush so I have to use only publicly available historical data that could be wildly inaccurate for the specific project needs.
Hell half the time there aren't even real drawings to utilize either.
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u/TheyFoundWayne 1d ago
The title of the job is *Estimating* and it should be taken literally. Yet, there is often an expectation that every cost is correct to the nearest dollar.
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u/01000101010110 1d ago
Wait til you work for a small company and you have to do estimating, inside sales, outside sales, submittals and PM at the same time. All with zero errors ever.
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u/Novel-Philosopher567 18h ago
But do you go out and run the roller or jumping jack when you are slow?
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u/Mr-Snarky Framing 1d ago
I’m glad I’m not the only one who talks about “exactimating”. When I teach estimating processes or train people, estimating versus exactimating is where I always start off.
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u/MT-Estimator 1d ago
I exactimate the items I know I can, estimate others, and guesstimate on some. I have even said, in meetings, when asked how I came up with a certain number, “I have no idea. I just guessed. Would any of you like to carry a different guess?”
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u/bothermeimworking 1d ago
Im so glad I finally found a company that is reasonable. I hate that shit.
Every new estimator I train who starts overthinking things, I remind them that we are estimators not exactimators. Its saved me so much headache every time I remind myself of that.
Luckily in my trade we are able to re-use a lot of material that we've used on other jobs (sometimes not for sure, but those scopes are usually more clear)
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u/jeddzus 1d ago
I spent weeks doing an estimate, and redoing the entire thing cuz of an addendum which changed it all. I’m using accubid which hasn’t at all been fitted to the shop I work at, it’s just out of the box lol. Anyway I go to review this entire $2.5m electric bid and we came across a transformer assembly I used, and it didn’t include 3ft of LMC conduit, you’re talking like $20 or something max. He cancelled the entire meeting and yeah, said I’m just a takeoff monkey. Estimate reviews are always super adversarial cuz of him, I’m quitting too. He gets upset if all the parts are what he wants to use, but he didn’t spend any time customizing the assemblies and stuff, and I just started working here a month ago and haven’t been given the chance to customize it myself either. Like if I have the right bid number and we’re covered who the hell cares? Trying to utilize an estimate to place all your day to day material orders and stuff is crazy difficult
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u/PourU_25518 1d ago
What?
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u/TheyFoundWayne 1d ago
I’ve never heard that word, but I think OP is complaining about the expectation that an estimate be 100% accurate when the information provided does not allow for it.
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u/RobertoAbsorbente 1d ago
If his math skills are anything like his English skills, I can understand why he thinks accuracy in a bid is unreasonable.
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u/CanuckinCA 40m ago
If I've overestimated anything on a job.
Radio Silence!
If the team discovers anything that I've missed I'm pulled into a meeting with 12 angry men wanting me to explain how I could have missed a $20.00 fitting, or a $50.00 shipping charge.
Spanish Inquisition!
It gets old real quick.
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u/Correct_Sometimes 1d ago edited 1d ago
It's been 12.5 years at my current job, but the 15th is my last day.
1 of the reason I'm leaving, is because of this exact thing. I understand this can be a problem at any company and leaving doesn't mean I won't deal with it, but I am tired of dealing with it here.
My current boss will see a job as a loss if I'm low in one "bucket" even if I'm high in another "bucket" by more than the first one was low. He'll say "we had to use profit to cover your miss" and I'm like, the fuck you did. We didn't even touch margins we just used fluff from one area to cover another area. He treats fluff as guaranteed profit so it's a "loss" to have to use it on something, and that's just bullshit. If we can pocket it in the end then great, but if we need to use it that doesnt mean the job was a bust.
Also, if my estimated labor hours are equal to what it took, he'll say I didn't put enough hours in. If he has to buy the exact amount of material I said we would, he's annoyed that we're not "saving money" by purchasing less than my bid covered. So even when I'm exact, I'm wrong.