I have been asked this question many time, so I am going to try to describe as best as I can. What is a building construction estimator? In this article we will find out what it really means to be a cost estimator.

Although a building construction estimator has many tools to help him produce a estimate or a budget for a job by means of estimating software and take off software it is still a skill that needs to start by knowing what is a building in the first place. The obvious items such as: Roofs, HVAC, Electrical, Wall framing and finishes to name a few, but knowing if there is blocking, backing or bracing needed is something that comes with the knowledge of how buildings go together, so in this case the building construction estimator would be a technician and craftsperson.

Sometimes an owner would come to a building construction estimator with just a bare bones one line sketch, with a picture of a building and ask for a budget to do a let’s say office building in a major city. The owner wants to have a budget of this job so that they could make a decision if the building is within their budget. In this case the Building construction estimator will be artist because they would have to visualize what the building would look like with the information they gathered from the owner.

When there is a lose through a disaster such as a flood or fire an owner would come to a construction estimator for a budget on what it will cost to fix the building that was damaged, so that they will have something to compare to the budget that an adjuster established for the building repair. In this case the building construction estimator would be a forensic scientist, because they would have to go into the building find out what has to be done to make the building usable again.

In the last few years with the high cost of energy many building cost estimators have been called upon to give owners their opinions on what could be done to improve the energy efficiency of an existing building and what can be done to save energy on a new building, so in this case the building construction estimator has become an energy conservation activist.

In closing I would like to state that all the afore mentioned items I have had personal experience with clients coming to me for budgeting purposes to decide what is the best plan of action, then Architects, engineers and other design personnel are hired if they are not already a member of the construction team or the building if damaged beyond repair it may be demolished and a new building put in is place.