Estimating and Bidding for Builders and Remodelers, Fifth Edition

Estimating and bidding are sometimes difficult subjects for homebuilders and remodelers to master successfully. This unique book shows how to select jobs that will be profitable, do a labor and materials take-off from the plans, calculate overhead and figure their markup, and schedule the work.

Includes a CD-ROM with an easy-to-use construction estimating program and database of 50,000 labor and material cost estimates for new construction and home improvement work, with area modifiers for every zip code. Price updates on the Web are free and automatic.

Estimating and Building for Builders and Remodelers has all the information you need for estimating and bidding construction and home improvement projects. Explains what you need for a career as a construction estimator, how to construct a take-off from the plans, how to check the details of an estimate, prepare a schedule, deal with subs, and calculate project overhead and profit.

Also covers how to estimate remodeling work for typical remove and replace jobs, and include markup for remodeling work. Explains how to profit from estimating commercial work. Includes the National Estimator stand-alone estimating program (enclosed on the CD-ROM) with a 50,000 item database for residential, commercial, and home improvement work.

The CD-ROM also includes a video tutorial, and a program that lets you export completed estimates into QuickBooks Pro for job costing, or progressive billing. Other Craftsman databases are compatible and available by download on the Web. Contains the database of the National Construction Estimator and the National Home Improvement Estimator.