The ACT Experience–Estimating Part 2

James and Spencer are continuing their time in Estimating for the Alberici Career Training (ACT) program. Click here to read about their earlier experiences in estimating.

 

Spencer: Snapfinger Bid

I recently worked on a re-bid for the Snapfinger Waste Water Treatment Plant. This effort included not only preparing the estimate, but also reaching out to the local small business enterprise (LSBE) groups. I went to Atlanta to build relationships with the local community and get to know the local subcontractors.  Alberici conducted one full day of meetings with the LSBE companies for this process which gave me first-hand experience meeting with LSBE groups and demonstrated Alberici’s commitment to the communities in which we conduct business.

I also assisted with the Snapfinger re-bid, travelling to Alberici’s office near Atlanta so that we could better coordinate the bid effort. Though we were not ultimately the low bidder, this experience provided a better view on how Alberici is able to win and perform projects in various locations with specialized employees.

 

James: WUMC Campus Renewal Estimate

I have been working on the 90% CD Fit Out Estimate for the WUMC Campus Renewal Project with the project’s preconstruction team. We created this estimate using unit pricings obtained from subs. This estimate mainly focused on the finishes for both the BJC North building and the Saint Louis Children’s Hospital South Building. While working on this estimate we used information received from the architects and their dRofus programs. We categorized rooms that had similar finish types and found the average square footage of certain wall types, ceiling types, and floor types. Using this information we determined how much of a certain material would be on the building. Then using material and labor costs for each product, a final estimate value was established.

 

Spencer and James: Fargo Turnover Meetings

We both spent two days in turnover meetings with the Fargo Water Treatment Plant project team. It’s good experience getting to see the process of job startup such as awarding subcontracts, building a budget/schedule, and reviewing the contract.  Everyone from the estimating team presented their sections and explained what costs were in a project, identified potential problem areas and told Alberici’s on-site team what they will need to keep in mind on the project.  These meetings showed us how the different departments work as a team and the importance of communication to ensure project success.

 

The Alberici Career Training (ACT) program provides new project engineers with insight into Alberici’s various business functions and how they operate together as a whole. Our employees spend time in different departments including Estimating, Scheduling, Project Controls, Marketing, Legal and Safety, where they work one-on-one with key stakeholders to better understand our company.