Services
OUR SERVICES
DESIGN STAGE SERVICES
Whether you are a builder, architect, or owner, we provide up-to-date costs for your custom home project: costs that mirror the client’s design choices and budget. We achieve this through Iterative Estimating/Budgeting during the design phase pre-planning of projects. The design stage of the project is about ‘change’ and evaluating different options. We put cost at the centre of it all while clearly identifying changes with Change Reports.
We offer a service tailored to your needs, whether a fully engaged design process or just a quick high level estimate.
During the design process, the scope of your custom home project is constantly evolving, changing, becoming more defined. From back-of-the-envelope starting point through to construction drawings, your estimated budget is meaningful only with an accompanying scope defining the work. Learn more about our Scope/Finishes Evolution service for design stage project pre-planning.
At the preliminary conceptual stage, with just a few dimensions such as ‘area’ and ‘wall height’, our QuikCalc & AutoCalc service can generate a very approximate but meaningful cost starting point for your project.
If you wish to place cost/value at the centre of all design development we offer Design Stage Project Management.
To investigate the cost implications of various environmental choices we can provide you with an Environmental Cost Analysis.
BID / BUDGET / PROPOSAL SERVICES
We provide an accurate bid budget for our custom home builder clients that all parties can take to the bank. It’s a blueprint of costs reflecting the upcoming build process of the project. This is our Class 1 Estimate, accurate to +10%, -5%, and usually in a much narrower range.
Our methods work from a risk minimization approach whereby default costs and items must be actively removed from budget. This is a process of achieving competitive bid budget while omitting nothing.
The Class 1 Estimate is accompanied by a Scope/Bid Package Definition. This includes comprehensive reports showing inclusions, exclusions, allowances, and interior finishes for final review.
Together, the Class 1 Estimate and Scope/Bid Package Definition provide an essential tool for the builder to manage scope, cost, time and quality.
Working with and for the builder, accuracy is verified with local subcontractor quotes and double confirmation of material price points for significant items. Special items are researched to provide meaningful price-points. Find out more about our Subcontractor/Material Bid Centre service.
Building and Construction Estimating Services
Your builder estimate is detailed such that one of the reports available is the Bill of Materials (BOM) which lists materials required for the build. This report permits complete materials package bidding by materials supply houses, enabling greater discounts.
Additionally for our builder clients, we offer a Builder Proposal service. The proposal we prepare for you is comprehensive, seamless with the estimate, and contract-ready.
SCOPE/BUDGET CONTROL
After the contract has been signed, changes may yet occur in the custom home design and build specification. The designer approves the change, and the builder needs to issue a change order. Whether we are engaged with the owner/architect or the builder, we can help with our Scope Changes & Change Order Analysis.
We provide detailed accounting and summary reporting of the line items that have changed in the budget.
ADDITIONAL BUILDER SERVICES
For builders we offer a range of services to establish in-house estimating, and services related to builder growth, allowing you to succeed and thrive in a competitive environment.
In-House Estimating Needs
• We offer a suite of services custom tailored to the in-house estimating needs of the builder:
• Train/establish estimating department
• Custom estimating templates & software
• Custom proposal templates & software
• Database creation & management
• Contract development
Builder Growth Consulting
We offer several services focussed on long term builder sales and profitability growth. These services are made possible through continuity with several projects.
• Build Standardization
• Brand Identity
• Standardization of pricing
• Builder differentiation
• Cost deviations and risk identification.
"We have been fortunate to deal with Rob since 2007. In that time, we have dealt with and built hundreds of Estimates that have translated into many high end Residential Contracts. Rob's ability to interpret missing information and collaborate with our team of Engineers has been invaluable. We look forward to dealing with Rob for many years to come and wish him tremendous success with his Estimating Service.
- Chris Madden P.Eng. President, Tamarack North Ltd.