Construction Estimating Paper

Construction Estimating Paper.

Extra Credit Assignment: White Papers

Instructions

Your assignment will be regarded as incomplete if you fail to follow the instructions or miss out on any of the deliverables.

1. Use 12 point Times New Roman Font with Single Spacing.

2. Complete your paper in Word

3. This assignment is to be completed individually

4. Submit your assignment through Critviz

5. No late submissions will be accepted.

6. No handwritten solutions will be accepted.

7. File naming format: Last name, First name – Name of White Paper

8. Show all calculations, conversions, formulas and state all assumptions.

9. Failure to follow instructions will result in deductions

 

White Paper Prompts

You may create a white paper on as many or as few of the following prompts as you would like. Points will be allocated based on the quality of the paper submit. All White Papers must be between 800 and 1000 words not including works cited.

1. Write about the use of BIM in Construction Estimating and the way in which it is changing the estimating process.

2. Research and analyze 3-4 different estimating software and describe the advantages and disadvantages of each.

3. For this class, RS Means is the cost estimating information we use to compile a final estimate. Choose one other type of cost database and compare it with RS Means (advantages, disadvantages, and choose which you believe is superior).

4. Discuss the differences in estimating a project from each additional dimension added to the documents (from 2D to 3D drawings, from 3D to 4D, from 4D to 5D). Which do you believe is the ideal stage for estimating?

5. Examine how the estimating project changes and develops from the SD stage, to the DD, stage, to the CD stage. What are some advantages/disadvantages/concerns associated with each stage?

6. Analyze how the estimating process changes when the project delivery method changes. Compare at least 4 delivery methods.

7. Analyze how the estimating process changes when the project type changes (medical center, educational building, commercial/residential, etc.)

Interview at least two industry profession about the role of the estimator in preconstruction activities. This can before any type of construction and under and delivery system.  Develop a white paper from your findings.  More credit will be given for more interviews.

8. Interview at least two industry professions about the cost of submitting proposals on design-build and/or CM at Risk projects as it compares to submitting a hard bid.  Which cost more, takes more efforts, requires more people time, and is preferred by their companies.  More credit will be given for more interviews.

9. Create a presentation slide deck on the Eichleay Formula and its use in Overhead calculations in delay.  Also create an assignment for students to complete in a future semester for learning and practicing using the Eichleay Formula.

10. Develop a white paper on the different types of contingency funds are used on projects, how the contingency levels are calculated as part of the budget or GMP, how contingency is negotiated during contracting, and how contingency is managed and its use approved during construction. 

11. Develop a white paper on how progressive design-build differs from traditional design-build and what impact the use of progressive design-build has on the estimator.

12. If you have another topic in mind which relates to construction estimating you may write on that topic upon approval – all topics must be approved by the professor by April 23, 2018.

 

All papers are expected to be your own work and unique to this class (a paper written for another class may not be repurposed and turned in for credit).