Unit Price Books Construction Cost Data
LEAN Collaborative Construction Practices Construction Cost Estimating
Not surprisingly there is a great deal of confusion about Job Order Contracting, especially when it come to unit prices books and the use of appropriate and best value construction cost data.
Selective the appropriate Unit Price Book is extremely important to the overall success of any JOC Program.
While Job Order Contracting remains the most widely used form of integrated project delivery, many if not most users are not receiving the best possible outcomes.
What Unit Price Book is best for your JOC Program depends upon several factors:
- Location (s)
- Types of Work / Work Scope (General renovation/repair, trade-specific, specialized work)
- JOC Implementation Method (Owner-managed JOC, JOC Consultant, Cooperative)
- Type and Competence of Users
- Data Format (CSI Masterformat is highly recommended)
- Update frequency (Annual updates are recommended)
Types of Unit Price Books ( In order of likely best overall value)
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Locally researched unit price book (may include some owner-specified unit price line items)
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Owner specified unit priced book (may also be called a “customized unit price book”)
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Commercial unit price book (typically uses also involves the use of cost/location factors)
Selecting a best value UPB solution balances the cost and quality of the offering specific to your JOC Program Goals.
Locally researched unit price book (may include some owner-specified unit price line items) – Based upon your location and other requirements, the cost of locally researched unit price book may be comparable is cost to a standard commercial unit price book, or require a one time fee of approximately $10,000. Even considering the one time fee, a locally research unit price book generally provided the best solution as it most accurately reflects local material, labor, and equipment costs. For example, is is not unusual for a commercial unit price book to have error rates of 30% or more, even when localization factor are used. These errors can cost significant delays do to the need for prolonged owner/contractor negotiations, and/or impact the project value to participants. Thus the cost of the locally research unit price book can easily be justified.
Owner specified unit priced book (may also be called a “customized unit price book”) – The use of fully owner-specified unit price book is extremely rare due to the detail included in locally researched unit price books and the excessive cost of a fully owner-specified unit price book. Creating an unit price book from scratch could easily cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Commercial unit price book (typically uses also involves the use of cost/location factors) – Using a commercial construction unit price book for JOC, with or without localization factors, is typically the lowest cost solution. That said, it may not accurately reflect costs for the JOC region(s) and generally will also lack required construction tasks.
Both Owners and Contractors should carefully research and/or review the unit price book to assure it is in alignment with organizational goals.
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Construction Cost Data Sources:
Locally researched JOC Unit Price Books (Locally researched unit price line items, including line item modifiers, demolition line items)
Four BT, LLC
The Gordian Group
Commercial Unit Price Books (Typically a commercial unit price books that involves the use of cost/location factors)
The Gordian Group / R.S. Means Company