Material and labor cost estimatting method and system
First Claim
1. A computerized method for estimating material and labor costs of a construction project comprising:
- maintaining a first database of items and cost data associated with each of the items;
grouping one or more of the items from the first database to define predetermined sets of items, each of said predetermined sets of items corresponding to a desired installation of the grouped items;
selecting one or more of the sets of grouped items based on the construction project; and
calculating the estimated cost of the construction project based at least in part upon the cost data associated with the items in the selected set of grouped items.
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Abstract
A material and labor cost estimating method and system for estimating the construction costs related to mechanical contracting, electrical contracting, fire protection or processing businesses. The method and system utilizes databases of construction material items, graphical representations of the items, material and labor costs, and a data entry screen to estimate a construction project. Groups of items that comprise a Typical system being installed may be defined to include all the related equipment and hook-ups to install the Typical system. The group of items may also be graphically displayed to illustrate the connection of the equipment to a main construction line. The estimated construction costs may be calculated upon selection of construction items.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A computerized method for estimating material and labor costs of a construction project comprising:
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maintaining a first database of items and cost data associated with each of the items;
grouping one or more of the items from the first database to define predetermined sets of items, each of said predetermined sets of items corresponding to a desired installation of the grouped items;
selecting one or more of the sets of grouped items based on the construction project; and
calculating the estimated cost of the construction project based at least in part upon the cost data associated with the items in the selected set of grouped items. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a computer system having a processor, a graphical user interface including a computer display, and an input device, a method for estimating material and labor costs of a construction project comprising:
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maintaining a first database of items and cost data associated with each of the items;
grouping one or more of the items from the first database to define predetermined sets of grouped items, each of said predetermined sets of grouped items corresponding to a desired installation of the construction project;
displaying a Take Off Sheet data entry screen on the computer display comprising quantity data cells corresponding to item size;
entering one or more of the sets of grouped items onto said Take Off Sheet data entry screen based on the construction project; and
calculating the estimated cost of the construction project based at least in part upon the cost data associated with the items in the selected set of grouped items. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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13. The method of 12, further comprising identifying sizes and quantities of the grouped items from the displayed graphical representation.
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15. The method of 14, wherein the dimensions of hook-up materials are defined by entering dimension units of measure in data boxes associated with the graphical representation of the grouped items.
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24. An automated system for estimating a cost of selected equipment for a construction project comprising:
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a. an first database containing construction items and material and labor cost data associated with each of the items;
b. a second database containing one or more of the items from the first database that define predetermined sets of grouped items, each of said predetermined sets of grouped items corresponding to a desired installation of the grouped items in the construction project; and
c. a computer executing a cost estimating software program and accessing the second database for users to select grouped items, said cost estimating software program retrieving information from the second database, and providing a cost estimate of the construction project based at least in part upon the selected grouped items data.
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30. A computerized system for estimating the material and labor costs of a construction project comprising:
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a remote server on a communications network managing software programs and databases;
a central database associated with the remote server, said central database storing construction material specifications and graphics, labor cost data, and material pricing data; and
a local computer on the communications network executing a material and labor cost estimating program, accessing data from the central database for use by the material and labor cost estimating program, and generating one or more reports for material and labor cost estimates for the construction project.
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Specification