Over the years I have tried many different scrap factors in my estimating interior trim. I have never found one that seemed repeatable. I always end up being just a little short or a few sticks over. I guess this is ‘just the way it is’, just like 2×4’s always evaporate on the jobsite.
Anybody found a scrap factor that works well for you?
Replies
It called a tape measure.
Maybe you'd like to explain to us how you use a tape measure to estimate interior trim.
The mystery of government is not how Washington works but how to make it stop. [P.J. O’Rourke]
he meausres stuff?
When you're this good, EVERYONE wants a crack at you!
http://www.petedraganic.com/
The OP was talking about estmiating, not actually mesuring. That's most often done off a blueprint, not by actual measuring.
The follies which a man regrets the most in his life are those which he didn't commit when he had the opportunity. [Helen Rowland]
Actually it was more from a humorus standpoint that I posted the tape measure comment but when I have a print on my desk I pull out my ruler when numbers are not provided and measure. If a room is 12x12 and it needs crown ,base ,chair rail the numbers are all the same. I negate doorways etc. My view and standpoint is when I do an estimate on trim I make sure I know exactly how much I need before pricing. This stuff is to costly to make mistakes on. I usually don't have too much or too little to effect either the customer or myself greatly. There are those rare times when I take a hit or have to charge more but good homework will make those times seldom.
I believe one member of breaktime said it best something to the effect of " hard work can never make up for a poor estimate".
My question was more in the line of % of waste. After the room has been measured, off print or actual, you know the linear footage needed. But short of counting every corner and figuring where every scarf joint will be and using a spreadsheet or paper to layout all cuts from given stock length...... And don't forget the occasional 'OH CRAP'Thats the 'big problemo'With sheet goods of a given size and a program such as 'cut list plus' you can get some really accurate nesting profiles. Maybe a new software called 'trim list plus'? Nah, too much labor required to input the data.As was mentioned, trim costs has been rising along with everything else and on certain jobs the trim package can be a big pill for the HO to swallow.I'm just searching for a better method.
Not sure we can ever find one with so many variables.
I have many a share of oh #### factors myself.
Sometimes I actually put the amount of feet needed and sheets needed to do the job. This way if it takes more $ , I can get it. If the framer lays out the rooms studding in an odd way it can kill a good estimate quickly.
Chuck,
I think a large variable in scrap comes about as a result of planning too. I am very efficient at making little scrap while on other jobsites I see huge waste.
However, I've never done an entire interior trim job and there are certainly factors in that realm that don't apply universally to other facets of construction.
I do know that there have been times where I overlooked an aspect of a job that had I planned better would have saved me a fair amount of scrap being made.
When you're this good, EVERYONE wants a crack at you!
http://www.petedraganic.com/