MPA Pricing and Estimation Guide
The Master Painters Australia- WA Association is proud to
present their Pricing and Estimation Guide- Edition 2008,
which will benefit our members and the Industry. A high degree
of consistency can be achieved through greater confidence
in the estimating ability of our tradespeople.
The Pricing and Estimation Guide will be given to all fully
paid MPA members as part of their membership package.
Estimating the cost of Painting Works can be a complex and
a difficult task requiring considerable skill in the assessment
of numerous factors, all of which can influence the cost.
This Guide simplifies these factors to make your job easier.
This publication represents a “Guide Only”, and
should be used to assist in the preparation of quotations
and pricing. This will allow you to obtain and maintain a
greater degree of accuracy in estimating and cost control.
This publication suggests standards which are fair and reasonable
in normal working conditions.
Estimating is only one of many skills required in a successful
business, but it is one of the most important. Many businesses
have failed as a result of inaccurate estimating and tendering
practices.
It can be said that no two jobs or projects are the same,
and that labour may vary when materials may not. Perhaps standard
labour rates apply, but an adjustment to the total project
hours may need to be a varied by a percentage, depending on
the degree of difficulty.
Computerised estimating appears to be the way of the future,
and there is a number of estimating software packages available
for today’s businesses. When considering software, you
need to be sure that it is set up to suit your type of business.
This will ensure you obtain maximum benefits with little need
to constantly update the package.
If you currently prepare an estimate, price or a tender manually,
it is worth considering designing your own tender/pricing
system based on your current estimating procedures. A tailored
solution for your business would prevent the need to change
your current methods to suit a pre-packaged program.
Pricing prepared by computerised systems is normally very
accurate in respect to material costs and total hours. However,
this may leave no margin for error, where as in some manual
takeoffs and pricing, hours and materials are generally rounded
up.
When estimating a job, most Estimators establish their own
standard rates for labour times to suit their business structure.
This Guide may assist such a business. It is also a good tool
for a tradesperson who plans to set up a business in the future.
When estimating a job, not only do you need to make correct
allowances for labour, you also must know the correct and
exact quantities of materials. These processes go hand in
hand, and the process starts with a correct list of materials.
The Pricing and Estimating Guide is a tool which will be
given to all MPA members. This is just another way the MPA
is working for you! |
