---
title: Estimate Laboring
tags:
  - topic/automation
  - topic/estimating
  - topic/software
  - type/encyclopedia-entry
---
# Estimate Laboring

In construction estimating,
**laboring** is the process of calculating the labor hours required
to install takeoff material.

## Labor Factoring

**Labor factoring** is the adjustment of base labor hours
to account for adverse or beneficial working conditions.

Labor factors are most often used to increase labor,
but decrease is also possible,
especially efficiency gains due to repetitive work.

%%

## TODO

Discuss purpose and practice of labor factoring,
briefly mention impracticality.

%%

## Resources

```bibtex
@article{Hanna2018FactorsAL,
  author  = {Hanna, Awad S.},
  title   = {Factors Affecting Labor Productivity For Electrical Contractors},
  subtitle = {A Factor Approach To Productivity Impact},
  publisher = {Electrii International},
  month  = {September},
  year    = {2018},
  pages   = {83}
}

@article{Hanna2002BenchmarkingPI,
	author = {Hanna, Awad S. and Peterson, Pehr and Lee, Min-Jae},
	journal = {Journal of Construction Engineering and Management},
	month = {7},
	number = {4},
	pages = {331--337},
	title = {Benchmarking productivity Indicators for Electrical/Mechanical Projects},
	volume = {128},
	year = {2002},
	doi = {10.1061/(asce)0733-9364(2002)128:4(331},
	url = {https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)0733-9364(2002)128:4(331)},
}
```

## Software Integration

%% TODO: move to more appropriate article. %%

calculate labor hours utilizing a comprehensive set of factors
not practical with traditional methods.
The use of this framework will provide:

* more accurate projections for project schedule,
* more insightful analysis of historical labor data, and
* a more rewarding estimating workflow.

For myself, and I suspect for many other estimators,
laboring is the most interesting and rewarding part of the job.
Discussions of human factors are far more engaging
than those of statistical analysis.

%%
TODO: discuss the necessity of comprehensive labor consumption insights
and visualizations which are not currently feasible
as an expectation of owners and contractors.

Estimators know that doubling crew won't double production,
but we must be able to offer evidence as such.
%%

Tables of labor factors given certain conditions
can be converted to functions using regressions.

## Going Further

Base labor units suggest a highly functional nature,
most sensitive to _weight_.
Greater understanding of this relationship would make practical
the prediction of labor of unstudied items.
