An Estimator Is More Than A Bean Counter

International Ventures Estimator Shares Insights into the industry.

"One of the biggest challenge in the business in the last year is balancing how large we can grow and how many projects can we handle. In the process, we find several standards of customer interaction that hold true:

1. Our relationship with the customer always drives the process

2. Our quotes are always competitive

3. BIM is becoming a requirement for building design/engineering

Because projects are competitive and clients are very cost conscious, we did see more back and forth negotiations for back charges or project adjustment costs. Our policy is to stand firm on the final sign-off from the client for the approved plans.

An estimator seems like a “generic” term but in reality the role is very precise in nature.

It includes determining a cost project for all phases of the building from design to ordering accurate materials and coordinating freight and delivery to the job site. The work continues throughout the process as the estimator is involved at every stage of the project. International Ventures does “customized” estimating. There is no “self populating” template.

Although International Ventures has broad building/design experience, Department of Public Works (DPW) projects are a sweet spot. These plans are very detailed oriented, and many companies shy away from these types of building.

One overall area that is evolving is the Energy Efficiency Code (new building energy code requirements for Federal buildings). Those federal enforcements are likely to trickle down to the public building sector to reduce consumer energy costs and advance carbon reduction efforts.

As the landscape of building design evolves, the one basic principle that remains constant is customer relations. All successful businesses know that people do business with people whom they know and trust."