The estimating process used by Kyle Zanetto from Zanetto Builders consistently delivers profitable projects, time and time again. Central to this process is the Contractors Suppliers Register, a simple spreadsheet that stores and rates all supplier details. This register streamlines bulk quote requests, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness throughout the project estimation phase.

A tender request letter is the most important way to start every new estimation. This Invitation to Tender document is a meticulously crafted tool designed to secure fixed pricing for your building projects while minimizing risks for both the builder and the client. By formally requesting proposals, this document allows you to clearly outline project requirements, such as nil rise and fall clauses, deadlines for tender submissions, key person information, and build timelines. It invites contractors and suppliers to submit their best offers with signed acceptance, ensuring a transparent and efficient estimation process.

Understanding the true cost of every individual employee on an annual basis, even in the worst-case scenario, is crucial for accurately factoring these expenses into your charge-out rates. The True Cost of Your Team document is an essential resource for business owners seeking a clear understanding of the full financial impact of employing full-time staff. This tool provides a detailed breakdown of the various overhead costs associated with each team member, enabling informed decisions about pricing and billing to ensure profitability.

The secret formula to estimating labor accurately on custom home projects lies in using an extremely comprehensive task list sheet, which is designed to significantly reduce your estimating time and increase your profits. The Labour Estimating Spreadsheet, built and used by Zanetto Builders, is a powerful and intuitive tool that helps business owners and project managers accurately estimate the total labor required to run a project. By breaking down complex projects into pre-filled micro tasks, you can simply input the number of staff and hours needed to complete each task. The spreadsheet automatically calculates the totals for each category, providing a total number of hours for the project. This detailed breakdown can then be used to track labor costs on-site and within your project management tool.

Understanding what an overhead is and how to price it into your projects effectively is crucial for maintaining profitability. The Overheads Example document is designed to provide business owners with a clear understanding of what overheads can look like in a building business. This resource offers a detailed breakdown of typical overhead costs, giving you insight into the various expenses that impact your running costs and helping you make informed decisions about pricing and project management.

Understanding the impact of overhead and markup percentages on your projected net profit is crucial for effective financial planning. In this course, you will learn the difference between markup and margin, and gain access to a tool that projects your net profit in both dollars and percentages, ensuring that you consistently hit your targets. The Markup vs. Margin = Profit Calculator is a powerful tool designed specifically for business owners in the building industry. It provides a clear understanding of how adjustments to overhead percentages and markup rates can affect overall net profit, allowing you to fine-tune your pricing strategy to achieve your desired profit goals.

As a business owner, it's important to recognize that you should not be estimating certain aspects of your projects yourself. Instead, consider outsourcing these tasks to experts who can do it more efficiently. The Outsourcing Estimating resource outlines the services provided by PriceAPlan, the team utilized by Zanetto Builders to handle the time-consuming process of cost estimation. By delegating this task, you can save valuable time and effort while still ensuring accurate estimates. Additionally, PriceAPlan’s services allow for direct import of projects into project management platforms like BuildXact, Wunderbuild, and more, streamlining your workflow and enhancing overall productivity.

A list of the one percenters that many business owners often overlook can be the difference between financial success and failure on a project. The Tips & Tricks resource is a must-have guide for building business owners and estimators. This document provides a curated list of contingencies and areas of estimating that are commonly forgotten, offering a checklist designed to protect your profit margin. These essential tips and tricks will help you improve your estimating process and ensure that no critical details are missed.