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It details creating a summary sheet that organizes hard costs by construction categories, supports cost control through monitoring variances, and links detail-sheet category totals to the summary sheet.",{"@graph":14,"@context":77},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/presentations/","Presentations",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/estimating-with-microsoft-excel-creating-a-construction-estimate-spreadsheet/242093/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/estimating-with-microsoft-excel-creating-a-construction-estimate-spreadsheet/242093.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Aria","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-11","2026-09-12",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",14,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69,73],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why use inexpensive computer spreadsheets for construction estimating?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Spreadsheets are inexpensive, easy to use, customizable, and powerful. 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It is commonly divided into project overhead and hard costs and can be arranged in the sequence of construction.",{"name":74,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":75},"What is the role of detail sheets and how do they connect to the summary sheet?",{"text":76,"@type":64},"Detail sheets contain quantities and unit prices for each construction category. Category totals computed on detail sheets can be linked to the summary sheet so the summary automatically copies totals and updates instantly when changes are made.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":79,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":81,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":83,"site_id":7},242093,1791720358,{"code":4,"msg":86,"data":87},"success",[88,92,97,101,106,111,116,121,126],{"id":89,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},11,90,"presentations",{"id":93,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":94,"show_sort_weight":95,"slug":96},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":55,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":102,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":107,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":108,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":110},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":112,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":113,"show_sort_weight":114,"slug":115},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":117,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":118,"show_sort_weight":119,"slug":120},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":122,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":123,"show_sort_weight":124,"slug":125},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":127,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":129},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":86,"data":131},{"doc_id":83,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":22,"category_id":89,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":144,"read_time":30},2336464648322,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/2200025388227c56fec?_k=1778556882303663488","Estimating with Microsoft® Excel  \nJay Christofferson  \nBrigham Young University  \nIntroduction  \nAlmost every construction company has its own computer. It has become a powerful tool for those who use it. The problem is that many builders don’t take time to use this great technology. Many large construction companies are set up with estimating programs and integrated systems that cost thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars to purchase – more money than most small-to-medium size builders can afford. However, there are inexpensive ways to do computer estimating. One way is to use computerized spreadsheets which have the power of programs costing thousands of dollars..  \nThe benefits of having computer spreadsheets are  \n• they are inexpensive  \n• they are easy to use  \n• they can be customized to your style of doing business  \n• and they are very powerful.  \nMost builders have a spreadsheet program on their computer already. Computer spreadsheets can be as simple or as complex as you want to make them. They can take the drudgery out of doing estimates and will make you more efficient in your estimating and in many of your other office tasks. Here are some helpful hints to get you started creating your own computerized estimating spreadsheet.  \nOverview  \nSetting up a computer spreadsheet is much the same as doing an estimate by hand. It takes a little longer to set up the first time, but once it’s created, all of the estimates that you do afterwards can be done in a fraction of the time. Once your estimating spreadsheet is set up, you only need to enter quantities for materials and labor. Many quantities can be automatically calculated by formulas that you create. Line items on an estimate can be automatically extended, totals calculated, and summaries given. When price changes occur, they can be easily updated on your spreadsheet.  \nSetting up a Summary Sheet  \nThe summary sheet is a quick overview of all the costs of construction broken down into major work categories such as excavating, framing materials, framing labor, and roofing. The summary sheet is similar to the Cost Summary Breakdown Sheets that banks and mortgage companies give out with their construction loans. When creating your summary sheet on a spreadsheet, it should be organized the way you are accustomed to seeing it. Most summary sheets are divided into project overhead and hard costs. They are usually organized according to the sequence of construction. Information or formulas can be entered into cells in the spreadsheet. Cells are where the rows and the columns intersect. Each cell can be formatted. You can change the width or height of a cell, the style of font, currency, date, time, color, justification (left, center, right), and/or a number of other formatting options. The summary  \nsheet can also be used for cost control. As invoices are paid or draws are taken, variances to the original budget estimate can be monitored and corrections can be made to control costs.  \n\n| Plan\u003Cbr>Job \\# | Chateaux 512 |\n| --- | --- |\n\nCompany Logo Here Buyer: Kurt and Mary Johnson  \nPhone: 637-4565  \nAddress: 312 S Aspen, Mapleton, UT  \nCode  \n\n| Description | Estimated Cost | Draw 1 | Draw 2 | Draw 3 | Total Cost | Variance |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n\nIndirect Costs  \nLot Plans  \nPermits & Fees Construction Loan Overhead / Builder's Fee Supervision  \nSub Total - Indirect Costs  \n58,900.00 4,700.00 6,676.90 5,800.00 16,684.13 1,668.41  \n94,429.44  \n58,900.00 4,725.00 6,676.90 5,775.93  \n76,077.83  \n0.00  \n0.00  \n58,900.00 4,725.00 6,676.90 5,775.93 0.00  \n0.00 76,077.83  \n0.00 (25.00) 0.00 24.07 0.00  \n0.00 -0.93  \nDirect Costs  \nEarthwork Laterals  \nSeptic Tank & Permit Footings & Foundation Flatwork  \nWindow Wells Damp-proofing Termite Treatment Gravel  \nFraming Material  \nFraming Labor Exterior Doors Windows Plumbing  \nWhirlpool Tub  \n1,475.00  \n1,120.00 2,810.00 11,025.53 2,398.50 1,300.00  \n168.00 96.00  \n240.00 21,928.10 8,786.25 1,286.50 ","cbCaiePDiNXpgtIb","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiePDiNXpgtIb","pdf",86167,9,"English","# Introduction\n# Overview\n# Setting up a Summary Sheet\n# Indirect Costs\n# Direct Costs\n# Creating Detail Sheets","[{\"question\":\"Why use inexpensive computer spreadsheets for construction estimating?\",\"answer\":\"Spreadsheets are inexpensive, easy to use, customizable, and powerful. They can reduce the manual effort required to prepare estimates compared with high-cost estimating programs.\"},{\"question\":\"What inputs and calculations does the overview describe for an estimating spreadsheet?\",\"answer\":\"After setup, estimates require entering material and labor quantities. Formulas can automatically extend line items, compute totals and summaries, and update figures when prices change.\"},{\"question\":\"How should a summary sheet be organized for construction cost estimating?\",\"answer\":\"The summary sheet should present construction costs in major work categories such as excavating, framing materials, framing labor, and roofing. It is commonly divided into project overhead and hard costs and can be arranged in the sequence of construction.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the role of detail sheets and how do they connect to the summary sheet?\",\"answer\":\"Detail sheets contain quantities and unit prices for each construction category. Category totals computed on detail sheets can be linked to the summary sheet so the summary automatically copies totals and updates instantly when changes are made.\"}]","Estimating with Microsoft Excel - Creating a Construction Estimate Spreadsheet | PDF",1789185865]