Civil estimating is fundamentally a logistics exercise. The take-off gives you quantities. The estimate needs to explain how you will move, place and dispose of those quantities. For example, 10,000m³ of clay with 30% swell becomes 13,000m³ once excavated. With 12m³ trucks, that is 1,083 loads instead of 833. You also need to understand: - What material can be reused - Where the cut and fill are located - Haul distances, disposal sites and quarry locations - Real production rates and the number of trucks needed - How the programme affects supervision, plant hire and site costs Two projects can have the same quantities and plant but completely different costs because the logistics are different. This video runs through my complete civil estimating process, from reviewing the scope and geotechnical report through to take-offs, production rates, indirect costs and qualifications. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdOiJjFIbPY Any questions, let me know!

Hey everybody, thought I would kick off a new post for August. What are your goals for this month and what are you trying to get out of the community? Mine are pretty simple and straightforward 1. Keep experimenting with AI and sharing what I'm learning 2. Keep making a ton of youtube videos 3. Keep learning about construction project management and working out the best way to deliver projects and run a construction business Keen to hear what you're goals are and what you want to get out of the community

Before I ever talk tech with a contractor, I run the same audit. Takes 5 minutes. Usually changes the whole conversation. Three numbers: 1. How many calls did you miss last week? Most contractors guess 2–3. The real number, once they actually check, is usually 5–8. 2. How many reviews do your top 3 local competitors have vs you? Most owners already sense the gap — they just haven’t seen it written down before. 3. When does your last job of the day end? This is the one that reveals where after-hours business is going. The math from question one: 5 missed calls × $500 average job = $2,500/week. $2,500 × 52 weeks = $130,000/year. That number tends to make the room go quiet. Because it’s not an estimate. It’s their own data. Once it’s on the page, fixing it stops being a tech conversation and starts being an obvious next step. Which of these three gaps is the biggest issue for your business right now?

I work with HVAC companies, plumbers, and roofers. The biggest frustration I hear from owners? "I tried automation but it didn't make a difference." Usually, it's because they only automated one thing. Here's what a FULL automation system actually does for a contracting business: When a lead comes in: ✓ Responds within 30 seconds (even at 11pm on a Saturday) ✓ Sends a personalised message, not a generic 'we'll call you' ✓ Creates a contact card in your system automatically ✓ If no reply in 2 hours — sends a follow-up automatically When a job is booked: ✓ Sends appointment confirmation + reminder (24h before, 2h before) ✓ Technician gets briefed with lead info ✓ No-show? Automatic reschedule message goes out After the job is done: ✓ Sends a review request 2 hours after completion ✓ Asks for referrals 7 days later ✓ Reactivates for seasonal service (spring tune-up, winter check) 90 days later: ✓ Reactivation campaign runs automatically ✓ Past customers are your warmest leads — and they're sitting there doing nothing The difference between automating ONE thing vs the full system? One thing = you save 30 minutes a week. Full system = you stop being the bottleneck entirely. Which part of this would make the biggest impact on your business right now?

Hi all, This is a great community. I just sold my first project, an AI phone assistant who will take calls, gather information, answer questions, and schedule appointments. I’ve used ChatGPT and Claude to plan out this project. But I still have two important questions for this great community. 1) What should I charge for this first project? If it goes well, it could lead to several others with the same Contractor. 2) For any of you who have built something similar, what tech stack did you deploy? Thank you.