5 tips to easily beat your estimates in construction!

June 20, 2024
11 min
Team of motivated construction employees

Discover 5 tips to easily beat your estimates on your construction sites!

Accurate Valuation: The Key to Sustainability in Construction

In civil engineering, an accurate cost estimate is crucial to ensure the profitability and sustainability of your business. A detailed estimate, taking into account the costs of materials, labour, subcontractors, equipment and unforeseen events, allows you to make an assessment of the cost of renovating buildings, their construction or works specific to the Civil Engineering sector.

Your estimators should provide the most accurate valuations possible, as estimates that are too low can cost the company money, while estimates that are too high can cause you to lose projects to the competition. An accurate estimate isn't just a technical exercise, it's a strategic investment in the sustainable growth of your construction business.

Tip 1: Make an accurate estimate

One of the crucial steps in submitting a quote that makes a difference: making an accurate estimate from the start. This may seem obvious, but too often, entrepreneurs underestimate the importance of this fundamental step.

To do this, it is essential to take into account all aspects of the project, from the smallest details to major unforeseen events. Think about the costs of materials, labor, equipment, permits, insurance, and don't forget about the possible risks and potential delays.

One of the key tips is to use reliable and up-to-date cost estimating tools. The person estimating the work must master these tools to allow each element of the project to be analyzed in detail.

Tip 2: Plan the project meticulously

Once you've completed the estimate, the next step to exceeding your goals is careful project planning. This trick may seem simple, but it's frequently overlooked, leading to delays, cost overruns, and unnecessary stress.

Start by making a detailed schedule of tasks to be completed. Break down the project into clear steps and assign realistic deadlines for each one. Don't forget to consider any overlaps and dependencies between tasks. Make sure you have enough resources available at the right time to avoid bottlenecks and costly delays.

To facilitate this monitoring of a construction project, you can use planning tools. This software will allow you to easily visualize the progress of the project, identify potential risks, and make adjustments along the way if necessary.

Tip 3: Promote effective communication

Clear and transparent communication is essential for the success of any construction project. Too often, misunderstandings, missing information, or conflicting instructions lead to costly delays and budget overruns. This is why it is crucial to foster effective communication between all stakeholders from the beginning of the project.

To do this, start by holding regular site meetings involving all the key players: your internal team, subcontractors, suppliers and even the customer if possible. These meetings help share updates, identify potential issues, and align on next steps. Don't be afraid to bring up difficult topics as soon as they arise, rather than letting them fester.

This measure helps to encourage an open and transparent flow of information. To do this, it is advisable to use clear communication channels, such as a shared online workspace. Ensure that all stakeholders have access to relevant information in real-time.

Tip 4: Adopt high-performance digital tools

Today, digital is everywhere, it would be a shame not to take advantage of these tools for the management of your projects in civil engineering and construction. Adopting high-performance digital tools can save you valuable time and help you easily beat your estimate accordingly.

Specialized project management software for the construction industry is an ideal solution. These programs will allow you to plan, assign and track your resources in real time, whether it is labour, material or equipment. With a centralized overview, you can quickly identify potential bottlenecks and adjust your planning accordingly.

You will be able to keep track of work in progress, hours worked, report problems encountered and update the progress of tasks directly from their smartphone. This real-time data collection will help you make informed decisions and react quickly to the unexpected.

Tip 5: Optimize resource management

Effective resource management is a key element in giving a good estimate in construction. Optimal use of these resources can save you considerable amounts of money and thus increase your profitability.

Start by carefully planning your resource needs for each phase of the project. Anticipate the necessary quantities of materials, the number of personnel required and the necessary equipment. Proper planning will help you avoid costly shortages and delays.

Some tips for choosing the right digital tools

In the field of construction and civil engineering, the adoption of high-performance digital tools has become essential to optimize the management of projects, resources and costs. However, with the multitude of solutions available on the market, it can be difficult to choose the tools that are best suited to your specific business needs.

Features tailored to your needs

Ensure that the software offers comprehensive functionality for managing estimates, planning, cost tracking, labor, and materials. Customizable tools based on your business processes will be an asset.

Ease of use and user-friendliness

Your teams will be able to adopt new tools if they are intuitive and user-friendly. A simple interface, comprehensive training, and responsive technical support will facilitate the digital transition.

Integration with other systems

Choose solutions that are compatible with your existing software (accounting, project management, etc.) for better efficiency and fluid data sharing.

Mobility and real-time access

Mobile apps that enable data entry on construction sites and real-time access to key information from anywhere are essential. For example, for tracking timesheets.

Scalability and regular updates

Choose tools that are scalable and can scale as your business grows, and receive frequent updates to stay on the cutting edge of technology.

Security and compliance

Ensure solutions meet security and data privacy standards, which are crucial in the construction industry.

It is also essential to train your teams in the use of these new digital tools. A training program may be necessary, as it will be difficult for you to find staff already trained in these tools on the job market. Proactive change management, with appropriate training, will facilitate this digital transition and allow your company to take full advantage of the benefits offered by these technologies.

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