Chapter 5 - Computer-aided estimation

Abstract

Computerized estimating is a standard tool in the construction industry to automate and control estimating spreadsheets used to estimate more effectively and efficiently. Estimates are prepared with greater accuracy, more rapidly, and with less effort. The computer stores, retrieves, and provides history of comparable historical data for civil, structural steel, piping, process equipment, pipeline, and storage tanks to produce detailed process plant estimates. The computer when given historical data, from a database of previous similar work task, can reliably calculate material cost and labor by category and rapidly produce both summary and detailed man-hour and cost estimates.