Follow these steps to "calibrate" prices in the MacNail
construction estimating software, so they match your costs:
1. Run a MacNail estimate on one or two jobs that you have already finished. Run through
all the steps--type in
your Fixed Costs and Job Dimensions, and enter the actual job conditions into the Specifications list.
2. When you have finished, you should have two numbers to compare--the MACNAIL bid price, and the ACTUAL one.
3. If they are fairly close, you are in an area with regional costs similar to ours, and can use MacNail 'off
the shelf' for future jobs with a fair degree of confidence. If there is a big difference (MacNail often predicts
LOW for major metropolitan areas) you'll need to adjust the fudge factors until the MacNail estimating software
is more accurate.
4. If all prices seem to be off uniformly, adjust the overall fudge factor. If only labor, materials or
subcontractors are off, you can adjust the appropriate specific fudge factors.
5. Another approach would be to adjust the unit prices stored in the MacNail construction estimator software--it
will take longer, but it will be more accurate (see page 145).
NOTE: Section controls are available in the Specifications list itself. Use
them to fudge smaller sections of the bid (see page 178).
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