Introduction

Evaluating Construction Costs for Building Claims is a 60-minute conversation about similarities and differences for professional cost estimators when estimating for claims or litigation.

We are construction cost estimating consultants who work on 1,000 claims and litigation projects every year. We need to understand and evaluate estimates of every imaginable size, type, and format; and every level of quality, professionalism, and accuracy (or lack thereof). Then we need to explain these estimates to our clients, who are very smart, but most of them have no background in construction, and many have no shame in acknowledging they are terrible at math.

Some estimators have the luxury of telling clients "The price is the price; take it or leave it." We don't. Just like in math class, simply getting the answer right does not earn the student an A+. We have to show how we came to our conclusions. Our work is “forensic” so we need to approach it "scientifically," and apply best practices from standard setting groups like ASPE. We apply these same skills to evaluate the work of other estimators, often highlighting problems with their work and contrasting it with our high quality estimating.

Program Outline

1. Introduction

2. Case Studies

3. Explain it to Pete’s Mom

4. Estimating Fundamentals

5. Analysis

6. Multiple Estimates

7. Conclusion

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the differences between "normal" estimating and estimating for building claims.

• Explain how estimators can "explain it to Pete's Mom" and thereby dramatically increase their success in estimating for claims.

• Review sample work.

• Share war stories from the trenches of hard fought construction claim battles.

The Panel