The book is a refreshing read, easy to understand, easy to digest and contains a number of 'specimen projects' that help readers to understand the written text better. It will be an invaluable book to students, members and those seeking a 'refresher course' in the latest best practice in building estimating. (Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, 1 May 2012)
2.2 Design Review (packaging job and gap analysis, Q&A exercises); 2.3 Site Investigation; 2.4 Clients requirements (method statements, CDM Regulations, selection criteria); 2.5 Project planning and programming (tender programme); 3.0 Procurement; 3.1 External Planning (engaging consultants); 3.2 Internal Planning (design & build, confidentiality re: bill sharing and breaches of tendering regulations); 4.0 Cost estimate; Planning; Preliminaries; Unit rates; Sub-contract prices; Project overheads; Provisional sums; Contractor design; Other approaches - Operational estimating - Analytical estimating; Compliance - Technical - Commercial; 5.0 Tender settlement; Estimators report and risks associated with this; Settlement - anticipated margin and tender figure; Tender submission - Tender strategy and examples - Non-compliant tenders - Alternative tenders - time/cost method - European Union rules and regulations - Clarifications/Qualifications; 6.0 Post-tender activities; Changes; Handover to delivery team; Period for acceptance of tendering; Feedback on tender results/performance; 7.0 Cost planning; Cost planning; Whole life-cycle cost planning (construction) - sustainability adding; PFI; Approximate quantities/estimating; 8.0 Contractual arrangements; Large projects; D&B - lump sum; Changes to process; Risks (for each contract); Package bids - relating to specialist contractors; Management - cost plus; Hybrid - partnering arrangements; 9.0 E-commerce; E-tendering; Receipt of information; Records; Submissions; Data Protection Act; E-bidding processes