38 lines
1.5 KiB
Markdown
38 lines
1.5 KiB
Markdown
---
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id:
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aliases: []
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tags:
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- topic/estimating
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- topic/software
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---
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# Software Based Estimating
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## Software Based Estimating vs Estimating Software
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This document describes the philosophy of software based estimating as a concept,
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independent of any specific example of [[construction-estimating-software]]
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## Software Based Estimating vs Manual
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Most estimating manuals treat "software based estimating" as an afterthought,
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when in practice there's no meaningful difference in practice from manual.
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* Manual estimation is best done in terms of [[assembly-philosophy#Assemblies|assemblies]] anyway.
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* On-screen takeoff just eliminates a single manual process.
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* Any estimator trained on Accubid could do the same by hand, the methodology is quite transparent.
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* At what point in Excel automation does manual estimation become software based?
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There is no place for truly manual estimation (pencil and paper)
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with the availability of better options,
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even to teach the basics of the trade.
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* Spreadsheet software is older than personal computers (LANPAR, 1969; VisiCalc, 1979)
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* Dedicated estimating software has been available longer than most estimators have been in the field. (McCormick, 1979?)
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I don't generally accept that dedicated estimating software
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is strictly superior to spreadsheets (see [[estimating-philosophy]]),
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but it usually is for less technical estimators.
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Manual estimation invites inaccuracy and inconsistency,
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and prohibits collaboration and flexibility.
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