Estimating Building Expenses: What Tools Or Sites Do You Trust?
That “fixed price” trick gets everyone at least once, right? I’ve had clients show me numbers from online calculators that were way off—like, not even in the same ballpark. I’ll peek at RSMeans or Craftsman’s, but honestly, nothing beats calling up a local contractor or even chatting with the folks at the tile shop. They always know what’s actually going on with prices. Plus, they’ll warn you if something’s about to jump in cost... which happens more than I’d like.
I’ll peek at RSMeans or Craftsman’s, but honestly, nothing beats calling up a local contractor or even chatting with the folks at the tile shop.
- I’ve had mixed luck with RSMeans—sometimes it’s close, but other times it feels like it’s stuck in a different market.
- I keep a spreadsheet of actual receipts from my last few projects. That’s been more accurate than any online tool so far.
- Local suppliers definitely give the best heads-up on price hikes. Lumber prices last year were wild, and only my local yard warned me ahead of time.
Curious—has anyone tried those newer AI-based estimators? Are they actually learning from real data, or just rehashing old averages?
Estimating Building Expenses: What Tools Or Sites Do You Trust?
Tried a couple of those AI estimators out of curiosity, and honestly, they felt like a fancier version of the old calculators. Maybe they’re pulling in more data, but when I punched in details for a bathroom reno I’d just finished, their estimate was off by a good 20%. Not terrible, but not something I’d bank on if I was budgeting tight.
I’m with you on the spreadsheet route. After getting burned by an online estimator that didn’t factor in the local markup on drywall (which shot up overnight during the pandemic), I started logging every receipt and invoice. It’s a bit of a pain at first, but now I can look back and see what I actually paid for tile or insulation last year versus just guessing.
Local suppliers are still my best source. The guy at the counter warned me about a coming price jump on roofing shingles last spring—saved me a few hundred bucks because I ordered early. None of the websites or apps gave me that kind of heads-up. Maybe someday the tech will catch up, but for now, nothing beats boots-on-the-ground info.
Estimating Building Expenses: What Tools Or Sites Do You Trust?
- Couldn’t agree more about spreadsheets. I’ve tried the fancy apps and online calculators, but they just don’t keep up with real-world price swings. I keep a running log of every project—materials, labor, even those random “miscellaneous” costs that always pop up.
- Local supplier intel is gold. Had a similar experience with lumber last year—my regular yard tipped me off about a price hike coming down the pipeline. Ended up ordering early and dodged a nasty markup.
- For bigger projects, I’ll sometimes check RSMeans or Craftsman Book for ballpark numbers, but I treat those as starting points, not gospel. They’re decent for broad planning but never match what’s actually happening in my market.
- One thing I do differently: I’ll call around to at least three suppliers before locking anything in. Prices can swing a lot even within the same town, especially on stuff like concrete or specialty finishes.
- Honestly, nothing beats talking to folks who are actually selling or installing the materials right now. The tech is getting better, but it’s still no substitute for local knowledge... yet.
