Delve into the world of construction terminology, where key definitions and abbreviations play a significant role. Providing clarity about the importance of correct usage of these terminologies, this article offers insightful explanations about construction terms such as 'estimate', 'master format', and 'takeoff'.
Key Insights
- The term 'estimate' in construction refers to an approximate calculation or judgment of the value, number, quantity, or extent of something. It is a vital component in assessing the probable cost of a building project.
- 'Master format' is a 50-division coding schema used universally across the construction industry, from estimating to project management. It might sometimes appear as 48 divisions, but it includes a zero division and a 49th division reserved for future use.
- 'Takeoff' signifies the quantification or list of measurements required for an estimate. This essential process can take up about 75% of the total time it takes to build an estimate, underscoring its significance in the construction process.
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Welcome back everyone. Now we're going to discuss definitions, terminology, and abbreviations of construction. How they have an impact or how they're related to the class that we're taking and also how they are addressed and utilized within the field itself.
An estimate, that's what we're all here for. Approximate calculation or judgment of the value, number, quantity, or extent of something based on available information. We talked at length in the beginning as to what an estimate is.
You could do a professional estimate or you could be estimating how much paint it takes to paint your room. It's all the same and it all means the same thing and it is a calculation of what you think it's going to cost to build something. Master format.
Master format is a 50 division coding schema that's used today by most construction companies throughout the entire industry. Not just takeoff, not just estimating, but as it gets into project management and a similar type number and number structure would also go into the accounting system as well. So to be clear about the 50 division, it's important to note that when you see master format, it looks like it's 48 division.
Understand that number 49 is for future use. They identify and they've published it as such. There's another master format level that takes place which is zero that proceeds before level one.
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So by the time you take your one through 48, you add the 49th for future and the zero that gives you your 50. So it's important to note that if you see 48 divisions or 50 divisions for master format, they are one of the same. So make no mistake about it.
It's the same item. Don't worry about the other two divisions. It means the same things.
We're going to be working with master format 2016 and it looks like it's 48 divisions, but there is a zero division and there is a 49 as well. Spec section. As mentioned, we'll be utilizing master format specification reference numbers and often it's referred to simply as a spec section or whatever the spec may be.
It's always in reference to the specifications for master format. Takeoff. Quantification or a list of measurements that are required for an estimate will be referred to as a takeoff.
Sometimes they'll even refer to them as QTO, which is quantity takeoff. An estimate cannot start without any kind of a quantity. So that's why the takeoff is so vital and valuable.
In fact, the takeoff itself can take up to about 75% of the total time that it takes to build an estimate. The takeoff 75% of the time and 25% would go to the estimate where you're applying a unit cost to the units of measure or the takeoff. So let's talk about units of measure.
Feet, linear feet, square feet, cubic yard, and so on. All of those are called units of measure and it could be further broken down into an acronym just UOMs and you'll see that in the spreadsheet later as we get into it. Unit costs.
These are the costs that are specified to be applied to each individual unit. Decimals. The number of digits to the right side of the decimal point.
Now it's important that we define this. We'll get into a little bit more later. Should it be one decimal point or two decimal points past the digit? We'll talk about that more and when and why you would even utilize that.
Just understand that the decimals, if it's two decimals, it's 0.01. That would be two decimals and so on.
