ABSTRACT
Cost control begins with the development of a detailed and accurate construction cost estimate. Project costs are estimated to develop a realistic budget within which the jobsite team must construct the project. Cost estimates may be prepared either by the project manager and senior project engineers or by the estimating department of the construction firm. There are several different types of cost estimates. The three most common estimates are: Conceptual cost estimates, Detailed cost estimates, Semi-detailed estimates. Early conceptual estimates may be developed by contractors or architects on limited information and produced with little effort. Detailed estimates are most prevalent on projects that are bid either as a single lump sum price, for a new high school as an example, or as a set of unit prices for heavy-civil projects. The estimating process should be scheduled for each project beginning with the dates for the pre-bid or pre-proposal conference and the date that the bid or proposal is due.
