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Cost Database
A cost database is a computerized database of cost estimating information, which is normally used with construction estimating software to support the formation of cost estimates. A cost database may also simply be an electronic reference of cost data. Overview A cost database includes the electronic equivalent of a cost book, or cost reference book, a tool used by estimators for many years. Cost books may be internal records at a particular company or agency, or they may be commercially published books on the open market. AEC teams and federal agencies can and often do collect internally sourced data from their own specialists, vendors, and partners. This is valuable personalized cost data that is captured but often doesn't cover the same range that commercial cost book data can. Internally sourced data is difficult to maintain and do not have the same level of developed user interface or functionalities as a commercial product. The cost database may be stored in relational datab ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Construction Estimating Software
Construction cost estimating software is computer software designed for contractors to estimate construction costs for a specific project. A cost estimator will typically use estimating software to estimate their bid price for a project, which will ultimately become part of a resulting construction contract. Some architects, engineers, construction managers, and others may also use cost estimating software to prepare cost estimates for purposes other than bidding such as budgeting and insurance claims.. Methods Traditional methods Construction contractors usually prepare bids or tenders to compete for a contract award for a project. To prepare the bid, first a cost estimate is prepared to determine the costs and then establish the price(s). This involves reviewing the project's plans and specifications to produce a take-off or quantity survey, which is a listing of all the materials and items of work required for a construction project by the construction documents. Together wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pre-construction Services
Pre-construction services are used in planning a construction project before the actual construction begins. These services are often referred to as preconstruction or precon. It is a modern practice, considered to be part of construction project management, which is the overall planning, coordination, and control of a project from inception to completion aimed at meeting a client’s requirements in order to produce a functionally and financially viable project. Overview In the long established design-bid-build method of construction project delivery, a project would be entirely designed before being built. This resulted in a package of plans and specifications which formed the construction documents. The owner would then request bids (or tenders) for the project and award the project to a successful bidder, who would then build the project. Often the early feasibility, studies, and design development is supported by construction cost estimators, who prepare cost estimate A cost ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Construction Estimating Software
Construction cost estimating software is computer software designed for contractors to estimate construction costs for a specific project. A cost estimator will typically use estimating software to estimate their bid price for a project, which will ultimately become part of a resulting construction contract. Some architects, engineers, construction managers, and others may also use cost estimating software to prepare cost estimates for purposes other than bidding such as budgeting and insurance claims.. Methods Traditional methods Construction contractors usually prepare bids or tenders to compete for a contract award for a project. To prepare the bid, first a cost estimate is prepared to determine the costs and then establish the price(s). This involves reviewing the project's plans and specifications to produce a take-off or quantity survey, which is a listing of all the materials and items of work required for a construction project by the construction documents. Together wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cost Estimate
A cost estimate is the approximation of the cost of a program, project, or operation. The cost estimate is the product of the cost estimating process. The cost estimate has a single total value and may have identifiable component values. A problem with a cost overrun can be avoided with a credible, reliable, and accurate cost estimate. A cost estimator is the professional who prepares cost estimates. There are different types of cost estimators, whose title may be preceded by a modifier, such as building estimator, or electrical estimator, or chief estimator. Other professionals such as quantity surveyors and cost engineers may also prepare cost estimates or contribute to cost estimates. In the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 185,400 cost estimators in 2010. There are around 75,000 professional quantity surveyors working in the UK. Overview The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) defines a cost estimate as "the summation of individual cost e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rebar
Rebar (short for reinforcing bar), known when massed as reinforcing steel or reinforcement steel, is a steel bar used as a tension device in reinforced concrete and reinforced masonry structures to strengthen and aid the concrete under tension. Concrete is strong under compression, but has weak tensile strength. Rebar significantly increases the tensile strength of the structure. Rebar's surface features a continuous series of ribs, lugs or indentations to promote a better bond with the concrete and reduce the risk of slippage. The most common type of rebar is carbon steel, typically consisting of hot-rolled round bars with deformation patterns embossed into its surface. Steel and concrete have similar coefficients of thermal expansion, so a concrete structural member reinforced with steel will experience minimal differential stress as the temperature changes. Other readily available types of rebar are manufactured of stainless steel, and composite bars made of glass fiber, car ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Density
Density (volumetric mass density or specific mass) is the substance's mass per unit of volume. The symbol most often used for density is ''ρ'' (the lower case Greek letter rho), although the Latin letter ''D'' can also be used. Mathematically, density is defined as mass divided by volume: : \rho = \frac where ''ρ'' is the density, ''m'' is the mass, and ''V'' is the volume. In some cases (for instance, in the United States oil and gas industry), density is loosely defined as its weight per unit volume, although this is scientifically inaccurate – this quantity is more specifically called specific weight. For a pure substance the density has the same numerical value as its mass concentration. Different materials usually have different densities, and density may be relevant to buoyancy, purity and packaging. Osmium and iridium are the densest known elements at standard conditions for temperature and pressure. To simplify comparisons of density across different syst ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force acting on the object due to gravity. Some standard textbooks define weight as a vector quantity, the gravitational force acting on the object. Others define weight as a scalar quantity, the magnitude of the gravitational force. Yet others define it as the magnitude of the reaction force exerted on a body by mechanisms that counteract the effects of gravity: the weight is the quantity that is measured by, for example, a spring scale. Thus, in a state of free fall, the weight would be zero. In this sense of weight, terrestrial objects can be weightless: ignoring air resistance, the famous apple falling from the tree, on its way to meet the ground near Isaac Newton, would be weightless. The unit of measurement for weight is that of force, which in the International System of Units (SI) is the newton. For example, an object with a mass of one kilogram has a weight of about 9.8 newtons on the surface of the Earth, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Volume
Volume is a measure of occupied three-dimensional space. It is often quantified numerically using SI derived units (such as the cubic metre and litre) or by various imperial or US customary units (such as the gallon, quart, cubic inch). The definition of length (cubed) is interrelated with volume. The volume of a container is generally understood to be the capacity of the container; i.e., the amount of fluid (gas or liquid) that the container could hold, rather than the amount of space the container itself displaces. In ancient times, volume is measured using similar-shaped natural containers and later on, standardized containers. Some simple three-dimensional shapes can have its volume easily calculated using arithmetic formulas. Volumes of more complicated shapes can be calculated with integral calculus if a formula exists for the shape's boundary. Zero-, one- and two-dimensional objects have no volume; in fourth and higher dimensions, an analogous concept to the no ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Area
Area is the quantity that expresses the extent of a region on the plane or on a curved surface. The area of a plane region or ''plane area'' refers to the area of a shape or planar lamina, while ''surface area'' refers to the area of an open surface or the boundary of a three-dimensional object. Area can be understood as the amount of material with a given thickness that would be necessary to fashion a model of the shape, or the amount of paint necessary to cover the surface with a single coat. It is the two-dimensional analogue of the length of a curve (a one-dimensional concept) or the volume of a solid (a three-dimensional concept). The area of a shape can be measured by comparing the shape to squares of a fixed size. In the International System of Units (SI), the standard unit of area is the square metre (written as m2), which is the area of a square whose sides are one metre long. A shape with an area of three square metres would have the same area as three such squares. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chart Of Accounts
A chart of accounts (COA) is a list of financial accounts set up, usually by an accountant, for an organization, and available for use by the bookkeeper for recording transactions in the organization's general ledger. Accounts may be added to the chart of accounts as needed; they would not generally be removed, especially if any transaction had been posted to the account or if there is a non-zero balance. Accounts are usually grouped into categories, such as assets, liabilities, equity, revenue and expenses. Accounts may be associated with an identifier (account number) and a caption or header and are coded by account type. In computerized accounting systems with computable quantity accounting, the accounts can have a quantity measure definition. Account numbers can use numerical, alphabetic, or alpha-numeric characters. However, in many computerized environments, like the SIE format, only numerical identifiers are allowed. The structure and headings of accounts should assi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Work Breakdown Structure
A work-breakdown structure (WBS) in project management and systems engineering is a deliverable-oriented breakdown of a project into smaller components. A work breakdown structure is a key project deliverable that organizes the team's work into manageable sections. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK 5) defines the work-breakdown structure as a "hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to be carried out by the project team to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables." A work-breakdown structure element may be a product, data, service, or any combination of these. A WBS also provides the necessary framework for detailed cost estimation and control while providing guidance for schedule development and control.Booz, Allen & HamiltoEarned Value Management Tutorial Module 2: Work Breakdown Structure [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
