It is important to estimate lumber quantities if you are going to use it in your project. Most of the time, while constructing a house, lumber is used in different small projects. For example, it can be used to make furniture or to make a fence outside the house. It has unlimited uses, so we cannot say that it is used specifically for this purpose.
If you are planning to start a construction project and it has any sort of usage that involves the use of lumber, you should get an estimation service. Lumber Quantities Estimation in the planning phase will allow you to start your project with more confidence. When you know the amount of materials required for a certain task, it saves you money from being spent on overbuying or underbuying materials. In both cases, money gets wasted. In case of underbuying, you pay for transport charges again. And in case of overbuying, it is a waste of material because it is of no use to you. In this article, we will see how to estimate lumber.
Steps To Estimate Lumber Quantities:
Counting lumber does not mean you are counting how many planks will be used. Everything is systematically checked, and finally, the amount of materials required is decided.
- Review Construction Drawings:
When you see all the technical drawings, you get an overall idea of how many places there are, and where lumber will be used. What is the scale of work, and how much wood will be used and of what type?
- Measure Dimensions:
For every structure, take measurements like height and width. Let’s say you are calculating the lumber requirement for making a framework. You need to measure the length to understand how much will be used in beams, joists, and other parts.
- Extra Material:
Even when projects are planned properly, mistakes can happen during cutting and transporting. There is always a chance that some material can be wasted. Always buy 5-10% extra material for use in such cases. If the project is very large-scale, you can increase this amount to 15%. But it eventually depends on the project. The figure can vary from project to project.
- TakeOff Services:
Construction takeoff services analyse your project. This analysis helps them make calculations regarding the project and how much material is required. The basic reason to use his service is to get an estimate of how much material will be required for the project.
Factors That Affect Lumber Quantities:
Calculations are based on the drawings, but when the work starts, there are so many things that can influence this quantity.
- One of the most common reasons is the change of design after the material has been bought. With the design changes, the amount of wood required for that also changes.
- Some specific areas require more or less cutting. So, in order to install wood in that place, you might require extra wood.
- A worker can make mistakes too, for example, cutting wood to the wrong size. Now that the wood has been cut, and the measurement is wrong, it cannot be used. So you have to remake the frame.
- Sometimes, during transportation, material can get damaged, so you will need extra material for such situations.
Tips For More Accurate Lumber Estimation:
The very first tip would be to hire a Construction Cost Estimation Service to get cost estimates. It is always better to let the job be done by people who have expertise in it. These qualified people will provide you with accurate estimates of materials required and labour costs. A few more tips are given below:
- It is better to double-check your measurements.
- Keep a margin of at least 5-10% for cases where material can get wasted.
- If the client is changing designs after the measurements have been done, revise the whole thing.
- The sizes of lumber available in your region might be different, so check them before making orders.
Conclusion:
Whenever you start a construction project, there are various materials that you need during construction. So it is always better to get a construction takeoff before starting the project. It helps you identify the total amount of material that you require throughout. Similarly, if your project includes a task that requires lumber, it is better to get estimates for that. If you want to estimate the lumber quantities, you need to follow certain steps. Steps include doing small things such as reviewing the drawings or measuring the dimensions, etc. There are various estimating services available in the construction business. Some services are generic; they calculate cost for all types of projects. Some services are also based on specific projects.
