Construction Codebooks > RS Means Estimating Guides > 2012 RS Means Building Construction Cost Data 70th Edition

The 2012 RS Means Plumbing Cost Data, 34th Edition contains unit price data, systems cost tables, helpful reference tables, estimating tips, and square foot cost tables. It's your comprehensive estimating resource for plumbing construction and fire protection piping projects. Using this standard reference, you can produce reliable plumbing budgets, estimates, and cost comparisons.

• Estimate projects with confidence and accuracy.
• Improve project planning and budgeting.
• Reduce risk.

The 2012 RS Means Plumbing Cost Data allows you to:

• Quote benchmark prices for alternate materials, specs or designs.
• Get prices for unfamiliar plumbing installations.
• Price ADA-mandated plumbing installations.
• Prepare schedules using the labor and equipment productivity data.
• Quote square/cubic Foot costs for plumbing and fire protection in typical buildings such as restaurants, schools, and office buildings.

Explore detailed construction costs, arranged in the CSI MasterFormat 2010 system, and leverage the resources available in the reference section to construct a winning estimate.

What you'll find inside:

• New! Completely updated and expanded with over 23,000 unit costs for building components.
• New! Sustainable construction costs.
• New! A complete sample estimate to guide customization and improve accuracy.
• City Cost Indexes and Location Factors for over 930 U.S. and Canadian locations.
• Equipment rental costs.
• Crew sizing, labor hours, and labor rates.
• Square foot costs.

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From the Foreword

Since 1942, RSMeans has been actively engaged in construction cost publishing and consulting throughout North America. Today, more than 65 years after RSMeans began, our primary objective remains the same: to provide you, the construction and facilities professional, with the most current and comprehensive construction cost data possible. Whether you are a contractor, owner, architect, engineer, facilities manager, or anyone else who need a reliable construction cost estimate, you’ll find this publication to be a highly useful and necessary tool.

With the constant flow of new construction methods and materials today, it’s difficult to find the time to look at and evaluate all the different construction cost possibilities. In addition, because labor and material costs keep changing, last year’s cost information is not a reliable basis for today’s estimate or budget. That’s why so many construction professionals turn to RS Means. We keep track of the costs for you, along with a wide range of other key information, from city cost indexes, to productivity rates, to crew composition, to contractor’s overhead and profit rates.

RS Means performs these functions by collecting data from all facets of the industry and organizing it in a format that is instantly accessible to you. From the preliminary budget to the detailed unit price estimate, you’ll find the data in this book useful for all phases of construction cost determination.

• 1. General Requirements.
• 2. Existing Conditions.
• 3. Concrete.
• 5. Metals.
• 6. Wood, Plastics and Composites.
• 7. Thermal and Moisture Protection.
• 9. Finishes.
• 10. Specialties.
• 11. Equipment.
• 12. Furnishings.
• 13. Special Construction.
• 14. Conveying Equipment.
• 21. Fire Suppression.
• 22. Plumbing.
• 23. Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning.
• 26. Electrical; 28. Electronic Safety and Security.
• 31. Earthwork.
• 32. Exterior Improvements.
• 33. Utilities.
• 41. Material Processing and Handling Equipment.
• 44. Pollution Control Equipment

Assemblies:

• D. Services.
• G. Building Sitework.

Reference Information:

• Equipment Rental Costs.
• Crews.
• Cost Indexes.
• Reference Tables.
• Square Foot Costs.

1. Define the scope. Your estimate needs to be for a specific scope of work. Be sure your estimate articulates and defines this clearly so everyone understands exactly what's being estimated.
2. Use a good cost data source. Well, here you are looking at the RS Means. You've got this one nailed.
3. 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%.
4. 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.
5. Include testing and adjustment in your estimate. Cost over-runs are often due to failure to properly test as the work progresses.
6. Don't forget daily mobilization and start-up costs.