BCT 1770 - Construction Estimating

Engineering and Building Arts Department

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Spring 2025 (645)

Requisites

Prerequisite ARC 2461C with a minimum grade of C and
((Prerequisite BCN 1272 with a minimum grade of C or
Prerequisite BCN 1251C with a minimum grade of C) or
Permission of the Program )

Course Description

This course is an introduction in computations for labor, materials, equipment, overhead, and profit for residential construction projects. "Take offs" will be made from working drawings.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will develop a knowledge of building construction by analyzing specifications and working drawings of existing structures by:
    1. preparing a simplified estimate of time and materials which determine the cost of a residence within 20% of the actual cost when given a set of residential plans.
    2. determining the size and quantity of footings, walls, and roof from a given blueprint. These figures must be within 20% of the actual amount as computed by the instructor.
  2. The student will know how to estimate materials needed for the construction of a residence by:
    1. computing dollar costs of various stages of construction, including cost of materials, over-head and profit, to within 20% of the actual cost when given plans and cost data.
    2. categorizing all physical labor into costs and organize these estimates into standardized categories.
    3. using reference data supplied by the instructor to demonstrate his/her knowledge of scheduling and costs of labor and equipment.
    4. using industry standards to develop a bar chart which represents a time analysis for a typical construction sequence, including lead time for ordering materials. The chart must be accurate to within 20% of the actual time as computed by the instructor.
    5. utilizing source data supplied by the instructor to determine means for gathering data from suppliers as well as other contracting sources for purposes of costing and scheduling.
  3. The student will develop systems for reference material collection, organization, and utilization by creating a personal yet reasonably standard industry-oriented filing system for the storing, maintenance and updating of reference material.
  4. The student will become aware of available estimating computer software by:
    1. discussing the pros and cons of available estimating computer software packages, including availability, ease of operation, user support, popularity and cost.
    2. performing a simple materials take-off using estimating computer software.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

Revised 8/84 DBT 10/15/87 Effective Session 19872 3YR C&I Review 1992-93 DBT 5/16/95(Changes) Effective Session 19951 Course # change by SCNS 98991 3 Year Review 1998-99. Effective 20041 (0340). # chgd from 1600 by Field Review Effective 20061(0370). 3 Year Review 2008. C&I Approval: 09/14/2004, BOT Approval: 10/19/2004, Effective Term: Fall 2006 (370).
C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Spring 2025 (645)

Related Programs

  1. Building Design and Construction Management (ARCH-AS) (640) (Active)
  2. Building Trades and Construction Design Technology PTC (BUILDTC-AR) (650) (Active)
  3. Construction Technology (BCNST-BAS) (670) (Active)
  4. Construction Technology (BCNST-TR) (670) (Active)
  5. Sustainable Construction Technology (BCNST-CT) (550) (Active)