| 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:
- Identify CSI Divisions: Map the scope to relevant CSI MasterFormat divisions (e.g., Division 06 for Carpentry).
- Retrieve Unit Costs: Fetch industry-standard costs for materials and labor hours per unit.
- Apply Local Adjustments: Use the City Cost Index (CCI) for the project location (e.g., Columbus, OH) to adjust national averages.
- 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.
