Sarah runs the client-facing side of Vortex Estimating — intake, scope review, turnaround scheduling, and bid-day support. 12 years in construction project management, formerly a project engineer at a Boulder-based GC.
What ±2% accuracy actually means on a real concrete bid, where takeoff errors typically creep in, and the QA checklist senior estimators run before delivery.
ReadA practical guide to the AACE International 18R-97 estimate class system: design maturity, accuracy ranges, and the right class for feasibility, bid, and control estimates.
ReadQuarterly RSMeans city cost index updates for major US metros, where 2026 modifiers shifted most, and how that affects your bid pricing.
ReadDavis-Bacon classifications, state prevailing-wage schedules, certified payroll, and the most common scoping errors that sink first-time public bidders.
ReadA side-by-side cost comparison: hiring a senior estimator (W-2, benefits, training, downtime) vs outsourcing per project or per retainer. Real numbers, not hand-waving.
ReadPost-tensioned slab estimating is its own discipline. The five line items that get under-counted most often, and the SFCA realities of PT formwork.
ReadThe latest NECA Manual of Labor Units edition, what shifted vs the prior, and how to apply condition modifiers without padding your bid.
ReadWhen to trust the model, when to override the model, and the model-completeness tests every BIM estimator should run before pulling quantities.
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