Construction Codebooks > RS Means Estimating Guides

Why Buy

You lose money if you underestimate jobs. You lose bids if you overestimate jobs. The solution to both problems is an accurate cost data source. RS Means is that cost data source.

About RS Means

A trusted name in construction costs for more than 70 years, RS Means offers cost data you can depend on. It's widely considered the gold standard in estimating. And with good reason. The reliably accurate cost data allows you to produce estimates and bids that are also accurate. Do your construction estimates more quickly and efficiently. Use the industry standard: RS Means.

Which Cost Data Book?

You'll notice we have many different RS Means Cost Data books. Depending on what's involved in your estimate or the scope of work, you may need more than one. The title of each one fits the type of work.

Tips for a Good Estimate

Before you start estimating, you need to understand some core principles. The business landscape is littered with the “bodies” of people who didn’t understand these principles. They did many things right, but the result of their labor was financial loss. Here are six tips to help you produce a more accurate estimate. And produce a financial gain.

Define the scope. Your estimate needs to be for a specific scope of work. Be sure your estimate articulates and defines this clearly. That way, everyone understands exactly what's being estimated.
Use a good cost data source. Well, here you are looking at the RS Means. You've got this one nailed.
Don't include general "fudge factors." Include specific ones. For example, calculate the exact cost of a bad weather day. Then estimate how many such days are likely to occur. That's your bad weather cost estimate, not some arbitrary number like 10%.
List constraints. These include time constraints, access issues, and anything else that might cause delays, produce extra work, or require additional resources. In a separate section of your estimate, include a cost breakdown of these. You won't need this information for the purposes of submitting a bid. But you will need it for purposes of risk assessment, project management, and T&C negotiations.
Include testing and adjustment in your estimate. Cost over-runs are often due to not properly testing as the work progresses.
Don't forget daily mobilization and start-up costs.

2013 RS Means Assemblies Cost Data 38th Edition

$299.99

The 2013 RS Means Assemblies Cost Data provides thousands of building assembly and component costs. You can quickly estimate a building's square foot cost and easily compare and price alternatives. More Info

2013 RS Means Building Construction Cost Data 71st Edition

$184.99

The 2013 RS Means Building Construction Cost Data is the professional estimator's first choice of reliable price data for accurate budgeting and estimating. This 71st Edition contains unit costs for overy 23,000 building components. More Info

2013 RS Means Commercial Renovation Cost Data 34th Edition

$149.99

The 2013 RS Means Commercial Renovation Cost Data gives you precision, when you are estimating any commercial renovation or rehab project in the U.S or Canada; including office space, manufacturing, historical preservation, retail. More Info

2013 RS Means Concrete and Masonry Cost Data 31st Edition

$179.00

The 2013 RS Means Concrete & Masonry Cost Data includes the latest unit price data, with illustrated concrete and masonry assemblies cost tables, helpful references, and estimating aids. It provides accurate and complete concrete & masonry estimating data. More Info

2013 RS Means Electrical Change Order Cost Data 25th Edition

$199.00

Stay ahead of the electrical change order 8-ball, with the 2013 RS Means Electrical Change Order Cost Data. This electrical change order costing and estimating resource provides over 20,000 unit cost entries. More Info

2013 RS Means Electrical Cost Data 36th Edition

$179.99

The 2013 RS Means Electrical Cost Data 36th Edition contains the latest electrical components and materials, with extensive estimating reference tables; now you can accurately estimate the cost of installation, planning, and maintenance of electrical equipment and More Info

2013 RS Means Facilities Construction Cost Data 28th Edition

$309.00

The 2013 RS Means Facilities Construction Cost Data 28th Edition meets the costing and pricing needs of anyone estimating, bidding or managing maintenance, construction, or renovation of commercial, industrial, municipal, or institutional properties. For maintenanc More Info

2013 RS Means Facilities Maintenance and Repair Cost Data 20th Edition

$399.99

The 2013 RS Means Facilities Maintenance and Repair Cost Data 20th Edition provides detailed cost and estimating information for maintenance and repair. Includes complete details about the cost and repair frequencies of thousands of work items. More Info

2013 RS Means Green Building Cost Data Softcover 3rd Edition

$149.99

This third edition of RS Means Green Building Cost Data provides the cost data you need to accurately estimate, plan, and budget commercial green construction and renovation projects. Provides costs for thousands of green products, plus up-to-date information on LE More Info

2013 RS Means Hanscomb's Yardsticks: Cost Data, Canadian Constrctn

$199.99

Correctly estimate Canadian construction costs, with the 2013 Hanscomb's Yardsticks for Costing: Cost Data for the Canadian Construction Industry. Includes all new 2013 current market unit costs for over 2,600 construction components. This RS Means publication prov More Info

2013 RS Means Heavy Construction Cost Data 27th Edition

$199.99

The 2013 RS Means Heavy Construction Cost Data will help you prepare complete and accurate heavy construction estimates. Provides costs for all types of heavy construction, including highways, bridges, utilities, rails, marine, sanitary, and storm sewer projects. More Info

2013 RS Means Interior Cost Data 30th Edition

$199.99

The 2013 RS Means Interior Cost Data 30th Edition provides prices and guidance for making accurate interior work estimates; prices for interior materials, hardware, and components, plus many price options for finish work. More Info

2013 RS Means Labor Rates for the Construction Industry 40th Edition

$429.95

The 2013 RS Means Labor Rates provides union wage rates for 46 trades in 300+ major metropolitan areas in the USA and Canada, so you can have accurate estimates, bids, and negotiations. More Info

2013 RS Means Light Commercial Cost Data 32nd Ed

$137.99

The 2013 RS Means Light Commercial Cost Data 32nd Edition features 13,000 updated unit prices and 4,700 assemblies covering every aspect of light commercial construction. It covers such building types as apartments, motels, offices, retail, and warehouses; and educ More Info

2013 RS Means Mechanical Cost Data 36th Ed

$179.99

The 2013 RS Means Mechanical Cost Data provides unit costs for materials, methods, labor, equipment, and building services. For construction, renovation, testing, tuning, balancing, and demolition. Covers new installations and retrofit/renovation projects of buildi More Info

2013 RS Means Open Shop Building Construction Cost Data 29th Ed

$179.99

The 2013 RS Means Open Shop Building Construction Cost Data provides over 23,000 unit costs for open shop construction in the United States and Canada. These include material, labor, and equipment. Also provides productivity information, including labor hours and d More Info

2013 RS Means Plumbing Cost Data 36th Edition

$179.00

The 2013 RS Means Plumbing Cost Data contains unit price data, systems costs, references, estimating tips, square foot costs; for plumbing, irrigation, fire protection systems, water heaters, insulation, other plumbing items. Includes City Cost Indexes + Location F More Info

2013 RS Means Residential Cost Data 32nd Edition

$129.99

The 2013 RS Means Residential Cost Data organizes pricing into 4 estimating sections: Sq ft costs, assemblies costs, unit costs, and (easy to use, reliable) price information. Includes costs for 100s of alternate specs and configurations, plus updated unit costs fo More Info

2013 RS Means Site Work + Landscape Cost Data 32nd Ed

$179.99

The 2013 RS Means Site Work and Landscape Cost Data provides 19,900 unit costs and 4,000 assemblies costs for earthwork, sewerage, piped utilities, site improvements, access ramps, drainage, paving, trees/shrubs, street openings/repairs, and underground tanks. More Info

2013 RS Means Square Foot Costs 34th Edition

$189.99

The 2013 RS Means Square Foot Costs provides clear descriptions and illustrations of 100s of residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. Get the latest costs for over 6,000 building variations, modifications and add-ons. Includes sample estima More Info