Cost control in roofing construction projects is very important hence the estimation of the actual costs is significant. When a company underestimates, it can end up incurring losses due to various expenses not considered during the bid evaluation process or when a Construction Estimating Services company overestimates, it may end up being too expensive for it to be awarded a bid. The guide below is a clear roadmap to ensuring that the right costs of roofing are estimated.
When planning to renovate a house, it is essential to gather information about the roof.
The first step is to collect all the necessary qualitative and quantitative data on the roof that one wants to estimate. This includes:
- Roof area and configuration – Take the measurements of the entire roof area and if any complications include any protruding structures such as the dormers or skylights, ensure to take their measurements as well. This determines the materials needed.
- Pitch or slope – This means that steeper roofs will need more material and effort to construct or fix. Note any multi-level sections.
- Number of stories/stories height – While a higher building can create more opportunities for commercial space it also means a higher cost of labor cost for access to the structure and safety measures.
- Geographical location – The idea of a place being hard to reach either due to geographic isolation or barriers implies a slower rate of working.
- Materials – The type of roof covering material such as asphalt shingles, metal, and decking is known to affect the costs.
- Tear-off – Is there an existing roof in place that is being torn off? Tear-off has substantial demolition costs; thus, it increases the cost of construction.
- Special features – These include the likes of skylights and chimney vents and such make up the complexity and increase costs.
Calculate Materials
Utilize measurements and details collected to approximate quantities and amount of material needed. Common roofing materials include:
- Shingles/metal sheets
- Underlayment
- Flashings
- Fasteners
- Ridge caps
Do not forget such items as roofing cement, primer, cleaner, etc make allowance for standard waste – usually at 5 – 10% for cut-offs. In addition to ordering specific pieces, it is advisable to order an additional 3 – 5% of the total items for minor accidents and other small repair works.
Estimate Labor
Construction Estimators‘ costs will constitute half or more of the overall costs of roofing. Important factors include:
- Roof pitch/height – High-pitched roofs do require more safety measures and the work progresses at a slower pace.
- Roof shape – Standard, flat roofs cost $2 per square foot, while those that are more complicated and have multiple layers, dormers, or skylights will run $6 per square foot and above.
- Tear-off – Demolition before installing new material can cost twice the labor required for creating the new material from scratch.
- Overhead costs – More people working on the project reduces the time to complete it but incurs higher per-hour costs. Crew size – size it to the capability of the tasks involved more so in complex projects.
- Accessibility barriers – either very little physical access to the site or barriers hinder the work.
- Regional wages – These are influenced by prevailing union wage rates which differ between various cities and this affects the per-hour cost.
Overhead Expenses
Now that direct job expenses are estimated, build in overhead and profit:
- Indirect costs – Normally range from 20-25% for rents, salaries of supervisors, insurance premiums, and other overhead expenses on equipment and employees.
- Profit – 10-20 per cent profit which depends on the market situation.
Get Multiple Bids
For better results, seek quotations from 2-3 respected local Construction Estimating Service companies that would probably derive their estimations from the details obtained. Use the bids given by the different service providers to cross-check with the estimated cost you have come up with as a benchmark. Re-evaluate any major discrepancies.
Build In Contingencies
As for the financial side of the work, 10-20% more is usually added to the final cost estimate to take into account any unexpected expenses. This shields against situations like repairing roof decks, exceeding material costs, and delayed work due to weather or any other unforeseen hitches; anything left after addressing such contingencies translates to savings.
Conclusion
The method of getting measurements and other information related to the project, determining materials and human resources required to execute the roofing plan, and putting an addition to overhead cost and profit margin with adequate contingency is best for estimating the actual cost of a roofing project. Losing bidders can challenge your estimate, but getting multiple bids helps to confirm your estimate. Adhering to this best practice approach will help avoid overpricing the estimate or underpricing the work to be done.
