| Author |
Message |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 02:48 pm: |    |
Who has a good way to estimate the amount of time it takes to produce a project manual? I am asked by project managers routinely to provide a number and I routinely find that this is nigh impossible to do with any sort of accuracy, but have to provide something nonetheless. Looking forward to interesting methods (has anyone used a magic eight ball - Q: "What are the chances that the I can do this project manual within the time alloted." A: "Outlook not so good." |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 05:33 pm: | |
One week after receipt of a complete set of CD's complete with all finish, door, window, glass, partition, color, and similar schedules; complete set of catalog cuts and websites with model numbers of all materials and specialty items shown on the drawings; and a list of any special administrative and/or job site requirements.
The above is also based on the assumption that at least some of the above was fed to you throughout the project. |
Robin (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Monday, September 08, 2003 - 05:59 pm: | |
Experience is the best measure. I have had small projects take weeks and large casinos take 4 days. I work for a variety of clients, and each has their own way of working. I assume it is the same with various PM's within a firm. You learn which PM's are organized, which aren't, and use your past history to estimate the amount of time a Project Manual will take. I can pretty closely guesstimate hours required for a shell office building vs a large casino and hotel. |
Jo Drummond
Senior Member
Username: Jo_drummond
Post Number: 72
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 09, 2003 - 11:08 am: | |
Try averaging out at about one hour per section, with the simple ones like toilet partitions balancing the complicated ones like plaster or playground equipment.
Then divide by how many hours a day you are willing to work, and add something in to get all the information you need.
Chances are, you will finish your work and be sitting around waiting for the mechanical engineer, or the hardware consultant, or someone who is always late.
There is one on every job, which is good, because it give us time. |
Ralph Liebing
Senior Member
Username: Rliebing
Post Number: 37
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 09, 2003 - 11:51 am: | |
We start by budgeting 4 hours to review and revise an existing master; 8 hours for a routine new Section [but "X" days" if we have to reach the information, etc.] Also, add some end-time, for correlation, collating, review etc. [often 8-16 hours] |
Phil Kabza
Senior Member
Username: Phil_kabza
Post Number: 16
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 09:37 pm: | |
Is there such a thing as a "complete set of CDs" anymore? For that matter, isn't "project management" an oxymoron?
I've always thought that 1 hour per section plus 8 hours per strange, new custom section about covers it.
Double it for dealing with owner's wonderful 88 page custom General Conditions. |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 08:36 am: | |
I get this question so often, it prompted putting up a sign in my office:
Specifications:.........2 Days
Specifications For
Your Project:...........5 - 7 Days
Specifications For
Your Project -
Complete, Correct,
and Coordinated:.......2 Weeks
Flippant? Maybe. But most people got the hint that the spec department does more than initiate the laser printer to spit out unedited masters.
I, too have found about an hour per Document/Section (that's right, don't forget about "Division 0") to be pretty close. And I add extra time to coordinate consultants, especially if we are using someone different than the typical ones we use on a regular basis. |
Sheldon Wolfe
Senior Member
Username: Sheldon_wolfe
Post Number: 30
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 02:06 pm: | |
Just who the heck is that masked "anonymous"? |
David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI
Senior Member
Username: David_axt
Post Number: 175
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 02:15 pm: | |
The Lone Specifier. |
John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA
Senior Member
Username: Bunzick
Post Number: 137
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 04:02 pm: | |
I have to assume that for one hour per section someone else is doing the product selection and has been reasonably thorough in doing so. That is, someone paid attention to product options, finish availability, alternative manufacturers and the like. My experience when doing a fair amount amount of this follow-up and research is that three hours is more realistic. (This is based on being in-house, not independent.) Maybe I'm just slow. |
Margaret G. Chewning CSI CCS
Senior Member
Username: Presbspec
Post Number: 12
Registered: 01-2003
| | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 04:38 pm: | |
John, I'm glad to hear someone else state it takes that long. I was begining to think I was doing something wrong if everyone else is so fast!
|
Phil Kabza
Senior Member
Username: Phil_kabza
Post Number: 17
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 04:38 pm: | |
We (inhouse arch-only spec department) frequently have project manuals with around 120 - 130 documents from Series 0 through Division 14. Less the 25 from the civil and structural consultants, that leaves just over 100 that our department produces directly. We seldom can spend more than 120 hours on a project. The project architects do a fair amount of the product selection, as they are often working with familiar project types. We typically control the less visible, more failure-prone selections, such as waterproofing, roofing, and sealants.
About 5 percent of our sections require extended research or custom writing. These time statistics for specifiers will vary greatly, depending on the architectural practice and project types. |
Phil Kabza
Senior Member
Username: Phil_kabza
Post Number: 18
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Friday, September 12, 2003 - 04:40 pm: | |
We (inhouse arch-only spec department) frequently have project manuals with around 120 - 130 documents from Series 0 through Division 14. Less the 25 from the civil and structural consultants, that leaves just over 100 that our department produces directly. We seldom can spend more than 120 hours on a project. The project architects do a fair amount of the product selection, as they are often working with familiar project types. We typically control the less visible, more failure-prone selections, such as waterproofing, roofing, and sealants.
About 5 percent of our sections require extended research or custom writing. These time statistics for specifiers will vary greatly, depending on the architectural practice and project types. |
Anonymous
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 11:25 am: | |
As a follow up to this, the recent Arcom SpecPress reports results of a survey conducted about specifications as a risk management tool. One question addresses time spent preparing a "project specification." The results were as follows:
Less than 20 hours = 25%
20-40 hrs = 29%
40-60 hrs = 13%
60-80 hrs = 8%
More than 80 hrs = 25%
Anon |
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