For beginning-to-intermediate courses in cost estimating and construction estimation.

The most complete guide to estimating modern building construction projects

Estimating in Building Construction covers basic skills for estimating simple to moderately complex commercial and residential building projects. Grounded in theory, it covers bid preparation from the general contractor’s perspective. Extensive examples and exercises offer the practical exposure needed for sound decision-making. This title is ideal for construction, architecture and engineering students.

The 10th Edition has been extensively edited to improve readability, flow and learning outcomes. Content updates bring the text in line with current standards of the major accreditation bodies, ABET and ACCE.

Hallmark features of this title

Current industry practices and guidelines

• Methods for estimating labor, equipment, overhead costs, markups and profit are detailed, including computer-based estimations.
• Drawings and outline specifications are included for small and large commercial buildings and residential buildings.
• BidSim, a bid day simulation, replicates the general contractor’s process of preparing a competitive bid.

Hundreds of examples and problems

• Sample worksheets and chapter-ending questions include essay and estimating problems as well as problems based on drawing sets.
• A text-length running case study draws connections between stages of the construction estimating process.
• An instructor’s guide with solutions identifies which problems align with ABET and ACCE student learning outcomes.

New and updated features of this title

Enhanced goal-setting and readability

• NEW: Learning outcomes have been added to each chapter, further supporting student success.
• NEW: Most paragraphs have been rewritten to enable a faster, easier and more enjoyable read.

Revisions for greater clarity and precision

• REVISED: Rewritten sections include Errors and Omissions (Ch. 4, section 14), Scheduling (Ch. 6, section 4) and the cross-section method in Earthwork (Ch. 10, section 6).
• REVISED: Drawings in Appendices A-D have been revised, along with associated figures throughout, to improve clarity and accuracy. This change also prompted revisions to solutions to related examples and practice problems (Ch. 11-17).

Alignment with current standards

• UPDATED: Technology updates are reflected in the addition of software selection guidance and a key tool for modern computerized estimating: Autodesk Revit^® 2023 (Ch. 5).
• UPDATED: Current practices are reflected in content updates such as standard brick size (Ch. 12, figures, examples and problems), stud length (Ch. 14) and payroll taxes (Ch. 7, section 6).