Where the money actually sits

Every estimator knows this. The total balances, and one amount per work package still says nothing about where the money sits or which prices are firm. Breaking it down is a week's work, and the question lands the week before the bid goes in.

One case on our Try page: a net estimate for a track and platform rebuild. Yesper broke it down to item level, total unchanged. More than a third of the net sat in 25 items, and 10 of them had no firm price.

You know which prices to firm up, in time to get the quotes, and the bid review is spent on the items that carry the money. Same for the jobs next door on the Try page: a quantity takeoff against the bill of quantities, vendor quotes side by side, an earthwork balance with contaminated soil counted in.

Try it yourself →