Have you ever had to provide accurate costs for a new supermarket or a pub "just an idea...a ballpark figure..." ?The earlier a pricing decision has to be made, the more difficult it is to estimate the cost and the more likely the design and the specs are to change. And yet a rough-and-ready estimate is more likely to get set in stone.Spon's First

Have you ever had to provide accurate costs for a new supermarket or a pub "just an idea...a ballpark figure..." ? The earlier a pricing decision has to be made, the more difficult it is to estimate the cost and the more likely the design and the specs are to change. And yet a rough-and-ready estimate is more likely to get set in stone. Spon's First Stage Estimating Handbook is the only comprehensive and reliable source of first stage estimating costs. Covering the whole spectrum of building costs and a wide range of related M&E work and landscaping work, vital cost data is presented as: costs per square metre elemental cost analyses principal rates composite rates. Compact and clear, Spon's First Stage Estimating Handbook is ideal for those key early meetings with clients. And with additional sections on whole life costing and general information, this is an essential reference for all construction professionals and clients making early judgements on the viability of new projects.

This text is a comprehensive source of first stage estimating costs. It covers the whole sprectrum of building, civil engineering, mechanical and electrical work, and landscaping work.

The ultimate paradox of construction project management is that the earlier a decision has to be made, the more difficult the task is of estimating the cost implications. Yet the most important decisions are taken earliest - when the cost estimates are the most difficult to obtain. Spon's First Stage Estimating Handbook is the only comprehensive and reliable source of first stage estimating costs. Covering the whole spectrum of building, civil engineering, mechanical and electrical work, and landscaping work, vital cost data is presented as costs per square metre, elemental cost analyses, principal rates and composite rates. Compact and clear, Spon's First Stage Estimating Handbook is ideal for meetings with clients when the inevitable question 'just an idea ... a ballpark figure ...' needs an accurate response. With additional sections on whole life costing and general information, this is an essential reference for all construction professionals and clients making early judgements on the viability of new projects.

Spon's Construction Resource Handbook is the first book to present critical information about materials, labour and plant constants required for the estimating process under one cover. It covers all areas of the construction industry and will provide all those involved in the preparation of tenders, cost estimates and first-stage estimates with the information they need to work with greater confidence and prepare more accurate estimates and tenders. With a unique style of presentation, it includes thousands of item descriptions and a comprehensive collection of data, including labour and plant outputs, materials, elemental breakdowns and lists of relevant organizations. Up-to-date and comprehensive, Spon's Construction Resource Handbook will be an indispensable reference for estimators, quantity surveyors, engineers and architects working in local government and professional practices, government agencies, and contractors in all fields of construction. It will provide an invaluable reference base for negotiation of new rates where variations occur on a contract.