Having been employed as a contractor for more than 18 years, 13 focused on Tilt-Up, I have never seen such economic times. I hear from the “old” guys about some of the bad times in years gone by, but the recession we are in now is testing all of us. Because of this, we find ourselves pulling out all the stops to get that next project or win that next bid. Since estimating is my area of expertise, I challenge you to know your numbers if you want to succeed.

It’s no secret that the number of Tilt-Up opportunities has diminished. What hasn’t changed is the opportunity to target other building systems (precast, masonry, steel) and get them converted to the Tilt-Up system. To do this, you need to know your numbers. Do you know what your Tilt-Up costs are? How have your material and labor costs changed over the last year? Have you researched the costs for all the various finishes an owner may ask for on that next job? If the answer is no, you better start doing your homework. Owners out there today, set to build a project, expect cheap prices. If we as Tilt-Up professionals are to compete with these expectations, we better understand costs, and most important, how to compare our system with the competitors.

Systems Cost

Whether it be steel frame with brick and stucco, brick on CMU back-up, or precast, get an understanding of cost per square foot based on building type, complexity and quantity. Make calls to general contractors or the subcontractors themselves. Know these costs like they were your own so you can make accurate cost comparisons.

Systems Design

A very specific requirement, I believe you need to fulfill and to be able to fully compare building systems, is to intimately understand the design differences between these structure types. How can you sell an owner that Tilt-Up is cheaper if you’re only looking skin deep? You need to understand cost impacts related to changes in the foundation design, floor and roof framing, and impacts to mechanical and electrical systems.