---
id:
aliases: []
tags:
  - authorship/original
  - destiny/permanent/entry-point
  - status/incomplete
  - topic/construction
  - topic/estimating
  - type/encyclopedia
title: Construction Estimating
---
# Construction Estimating

Construction estimating is a subset of cost estimation.

## Scope

This note is intended for: _facts_
that are _about the profession_,
specifically, _as it is currently practiced_.

For philosophy see [[bid-process-strategy]]

[[estimating-ethics]]

## Misconceptions

### Standard Practices

In general, many things thought to be standard are quite the opposite.

* Use of square receptacle symbols

### Proposals

Proposals are not legally binding,
which is a double edged sword
for intermediate subcontractors like electrical:

* Proposals to GC's can be withdrawn for any reason
* Proposals from subcontractors can be withdrawn for any reason

This is obviously not popular practice,
however it is important to recognize
that errors aren't set in stone
until a contract is signed.

Destigmatizing proposal retraction is of critical concern for subcontractors.
See [[estimating-culture]] for more on estimate error [[strategy#Game Theory]].

It's important to recognize that retracting a proposal
may upset a few people employed by the GC,
but consider how little your own opinion matters to your company's strategic decisions.
Much bigger people are involved after the proposal is accepted.

## Resources

* [[electrical-estimators-manual]]
* [[electrical-estimating-methods]]
* [[construction-estimating-using-excel]]
* [[mike-holts-illustrated-guide-to-electrical-estimating]]

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## TALK

This note should be wide and shallow,
specific sub topics should be extracted and linked.

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