Home Building Labor Costs -- How to Control

Most home building construction projects are estimated based อาคารพาณิชย์มือสอง ดินแดง on the prevailing cost of materials and the hourly wage to repair, install, or construct the project. Most contractors know their crews' production rates and can estimate with accuracy.

However, some conditions that affect building costs are out of the contractor's control. Material prices, for instance, rise and fall in accordance with the nationwide or worldwide supply and demand of lumber, cement, and raw materials. Production will also change with job site conditions, which can change by the hour (in the case of bad weather) or by the job (if there's a shortage of materials, or if part of the work must be done from scaffolding or ladders).

Working conditions have a major effect on labor. If you're lucky enough to be working with highly-experienced tradesmen on a perfect job site in ideal weather conditions, you should have an easier time estimating labor costs. But if the weather is constantly changing, new workers are being added to your crew, or if you have to match materials to what's already installed, your crew isn't going to perform at their usual rate. Before you estimate the cost of labor on your next home building project, look over this list to see if any of the conditions shown could affect your labor.

1. Hot or Cold Temperatures : Add 10 to 15 percent to your labor costs when working temperatures are above 95 degrees or below 40 degrees F. People don't work as efficiently in extreme temperatures.  

2. Confined Work Spaces: Add 15 to 25 percent to your labor costs when work needs to be performed using ladders, scaffolding, or in a crawl space.  

3. Height Factor: Add one percent to your costs for each 10 feet of height that material must be lifted above ground level.  

4. Tradesmen Skill Level: Add five to 40 percent to your labor costs for tradesmen with below-average skills.  

5. Small Jobs: Add 30 to 50 percent to small jobs where fitting and matching of materials is required, adjacent surfaces have to be protected, and the job site is occupied during construction.  

6. Major Disaster Work: Add 25 to 50 percent to your costs for work done following a major flood, fire, earthquake, tornado, or hurricane. Skilled labor may be in short supply and you'll probably have to settle for whatever labor is available, and pay more for it as well.  

7. Difficult Conditions: Add 10 to 35 percent to your costs for demanding specifications, rigid inspections, a demanding owner or an inexperienced architect.  

While estimating construction work is a difficult skill, identifying workplace conditions can help you in determining a realistic labor cost for a job. Never make your estimate solely from the plans. Always visit the job site to determine actual conditions.