rsmeans-cost-estimator

name	rsmeans-cost-estimator
description	Industry-standard construction cost estimation using RSMeans data. Use for: granular job costing, labor hour projections, material unit pricing, and applying local city cost indexes (CCI).

RSMeans Cost Estimator Skill

This skill provides Manus with the ability to perform highly accurate construction cost estimation based on RSMeans standards, specifically tailored for design-build remodeling.

Core Workflows

1. Granular Job Costing

When asked to estimate costs for a specific task or project:

1. Identify CSI Divisions: Map the scope to relevant CSI MasterFormat divisions (e.g., Division 06 for Carpentry).
2. Retrieve Unit Costs: Fetch industry-standard costs for materials and labor hours per unit.
3. Apply Local Adjustments: Use the City Cost Index (CCI) for the project location (e.g., Columbus, OH) to adjust national averages.
4. Calculate Labor Times: Provide "Projected Labor Times" based on man-hour data, adjusted for project complexity.

2. Labor & Performance Benchmarking

• Compare real-world performance data against RSMeans benchmarks to identify efficiency gains or losses.
• Use RSMeans "Crew" data to determine the most efficient staffing for specific tasks.

Key Resources

• Cost Data Structure: See references/cost_data_structure.md for information on CSI divisions and unit cost components.

Best Practices

• Be Granular: Never provide a "lump sum" without breaking it down into Material, Labor, and Equipment components.
• Verify Sources: When RSMeans data is used, explicitly state that the estimate is based on industry standards.
• Complexity Multipliers: For high-end custom work (Wade Custom Carpentry standard), always add a 15-30% labor multiplier to standard RSMeans man-hours to account for the extra care and precision required.