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E-Z Estimate: A Powerful Tool For Cost Estimating11-01-88 | News

E-Z Estimate: A Powerful Tool For Cost Estimating

by Scott Weinberg, ASLA

Figure # 1. A simple project with eight different plant materials.

When was the last time you were sitting with a client going over some preliminary figures and found that someone forgot to include the groundcover in the estimate? Or perhaps you were in a design/build firm presenting your client with a final contract and you realized that someone totally omitted the 45 pines that appear on the plan to provide privacy for the property. Those types of errors happen and they are costly. For the Landscape Architect, they can cause embarrassment and can even cost money.

A new software package that is part of the “LANDCADD” series may provide some assistance for you. The program is called E-Z Estimate. The program takes a few hours to get up and running, but after that you can easily recoup the time with the first application. The program provides the following cost estimating functions:

Simple Takeoffs Based on Autocad Attributes
Complete Cost Estimates
Cost Editing
Calculate Subtotals in User Defined Categories
Calculate Unlimited Pricing Alternatives
Calculate User Specified Supplements such as Overhead Costs

Along with these major functions there are other functions that allow cost data to be merged with drawings to provide schedules and notes.

The program works directly with your LANDCADD drawing to produce accurate estimates based on what appears on the drawing. Figure 1 is an example of a small courtyard, located in Athens, Georgia. The overall area of the site is about 75’ x 50’. The drawing was completed and labeled just as if it had nothing to do with cost estimating. After the drawing was completed, a simple command, ATTEXT, begins the estimating process by creating a “text” file. Along with this it is important to add in, using specified commands, items that do not appear as individual symbols on the drawing. These items could include groundcover areas, turf or sod area, brick paving, etc.

Figure # 2. One simple command begins the estimating process.

Once all of the items are changed into the text file, you are half way there. By the way, for this plan, the file was created in less than 2 minutes. Now that you have a file that contains basic “takeoff” information, Figure 2, item and quantity, the estimating system can begin by providing a list of materials and quantity of each material. Notice the drawing where it says “12 Yaupon Holly”. The computer corrected my error and in the material takeoff added two that I missed and inserted 14. The system counted the symbols and did not rely on the number printed beside the plant material. This is where this software package excels. With all the other programs you first must manually complete a materials takeoff. With EZ-ESTIMATE the takeoff is essentially being done as the designer selects materials during the design phase. This “networking” between drawing and estimate provides the accuracy and becomes invaluable to the overall estimating process.

After the “text” file is completed, you can begin to work on the estimating part of the program. In this area you are asked for cost of each material. Each item appears on the screen and you are asked to individually assign a cost to each plant. You also can create a master price list. This master list can be used to assign costs automatically to your materials. If the material is not located on the list, then it will need to be assigned manually.

Figure # 3. E-Z Estimate, gives you the complete plant material estimate.

In this procedure you can also add items such as a multiplying factor and other contingencies to be figured at the end of an estimate or it can be included with each plant. Some examples of contingencies are: regional cost index, inflation and overhead. Labor and equipment are not considered multiplication factors but can be introduced into the estimate by using the ADD command. Once completed, you can produce finished documentation, which includes material takeoffs, tallies, which tally up items and provide subtotals, or as seen in Figure 3, a complete cost estimate with computer accuracy and speed.

Note:

While working on this article, I was working with the 9.5 prerelease version. Although the software should function identically to the 9.5 and 10. versions, there may be a slight difference in how the output may look.

Scott Weinberg is a professor of landscape architecture at the University of Georgia’s School of Environmental Design in. He is also head of me computer workshops for the ASLA National Conventions and in charge of ASLA-CADD professional practice seminars. Weinberg (in conjunction with colleague Professor Roger Moore is also a certified trainer for the LANDCADD Company Training Center at the University of Georgia.