Estimate Works - Setting Material Rates

Estimate Works is shipped with default rates and settings for some of the most common painting items. The rates for all items can be edited and unlimited new items can be added to meet the needs of the user.

Note: The program uses the total rate ($ per unit) price in all calculations. All other fields are optional.

The rate defaults can be adjusted at any time by selecting Rates and Settings from the main menu, from the buttons on the Rates and Settings tab on the Interior and Exterior estimator forms, or by clicking with the right mouse button on the item row on the Area Details tab on the estimator forms after a selection has been made in the Item Type dropdown.

Required settings:
The fields below are required for each item.

Material Description - A description of the item to be included on the estimate.This is the text that will be written to the 'Included items' section in each area/room on the estimate and/or contract.
Total Rate - Enter the price per unit for the item (see Rate Types below for more info). To base this rate on materials and labor, enter the optional settings below then click the 'Rate' button.

Optional settings:
The optional fields below can be used for the rate calculator to work out a total rate based on the materials cost and application rate .They are also used in the detail and work order reports.

Coverage - Enter the amount of sq. unit coverage per gallon. This amount is used for the detail and work order reports to estimate the amount of paint required for the job.
Cost - Enter the price per gallon of materials. This amount is used for the detail and work order reports to estimate the cost of the materials required for the job.
Application Rate - Enter the number of units (i.e. sq.ft.) can be applied per man hour. This amount is used for the detail and work order reports to estimate the amount of man hours needed to complete the job.
Labor Rate - This is the default rate charged per man hour. This amount is set on the Company Information form (see Setting Company Defaults) and can include the labor amount paid to the painter, the cost of the labor (WCB etc) and the profit margin. This amount is only used to calculate a new total rate on this form and is not used as a default anywhere else in the program.

These optional settings can be entered from your own personal experience or from published guides. There are publications such as the Craftsman National Cost Estimator that give detailed rate breakdowns for a wide range of standard painting tasks.

Rate Types:
The units (i.e. sq.ft.) are based on the type of item that the rates are being set for.

Sq.ft. or Sq.m - The rates for the wall coverings, ceiling, floor and deck coverings are based on a price per square unit.
Lin.ft. or Lin.M. - The rates for trim, baseboards, soffits and fascia are based on a price per lineal unit.
Ea. - The rates for windows, doors and extra items are based on a price per each.

Rate Calculator:
To use the materials cost, coverage, application rate and labor rate to calculate the final price for the item, complete the optional settings and click the Rate button.

Button Guide:

Add New - Clears the 'Rates' form so you can add a new material description and rate.
Add Copy - Makes a copy of the currently selected material and rate to make it easier to enter similar items.
Delete - Permanently deletes the currently selected record. This will not affect any previous estimates where this item may have been used.
Save - Saves edits to the current record.
Close - Closes the form. If there have been changes made to the current record you will be prompted to save them.
Up/Down - Re-orders the list of items. When the 'Rates' form is closed you will be prompted to save changes to the order of the items if they have been changed.

Importing/Exporting Rates and Settings (Enterprise Version Only):
All current rates and settings can be exported and imported into another Estimate Works database (Administration - Export or Import Rates and Settings on the main toolbar). Note that when importing rates and settings, all rates and settings defaults in the current database will be overwritten, however the data in existing estimates will not be affected. The data imported/exported includes :

Company Information and Estimators
Materials Rates and Descriptions
Extra Fees and Charges
Systems/Assemblies
Included/Excluded Items lists
Lookup tables (Room/Area Descriptions, Warranty Terms, Payment Date, Referrers, Estimate Status, Client Prefixes)

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