State-of-the-Art Contractor: Dirt-Cheap Digitizer

Every estimate has two major components: the task breakdown and the quantity survey. The task breakdown is a list of all the discrete items — materials, labor, subcontracts, and equipment — needed to build the project. Commonly, these are listed in the order of construction — from foundation to framing to finish. The quantity survey, or takeoff, records the amount of each item needed. The units of measure depend on the type of task: Material is measured in square feet and cubic yards, labor in man-hours, and subcontracts as a lump sum. Computerized estimating programs have automated the process of listing items by providing quick access to databases. Applications previously reviewed in this column (such as Win-Est, Quantum Leap, Construction Mac,