(Nor is this a flame.)

1) The original inquiry came from a person at the very beginning of an
exhibit project, before they have a schedule of tasks -- the point when a
general cost per square foot estimate is most useful.  Obviously, this
figure will get refined as plans progress.

2)  When one eventually sends out 100% D&D plans, you will of course get a
range of responses.  Those responses form a bell-shaped curve.  In my
experience, the middle of that curve usually aligns pretty nicely with the
initial cost per square foot estimate.

3)  I've been at this a long time.  And I've worked with many folks who've
been at it a lot longer than I.  In my experience, everyone uses cost per
square foot for initial budget estimating, for the reasons outlined above
and in other posts.

4)  While I agree the Exhibitionist article is shorter than I might have
liked, this is the first time in three years that anyone has ever complained
about it.  (As Membership Chair of NAME, I am aware of most of the
complaints.)  People request copies.  People tell me how useful they have
found it.  Your mileage may vary.

Eugene Dillenburg
(Ford Taurus)
Science Museum of Minnesota
[log in to unmask]




On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 09:44:03 -0500, L Dewey <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>(This is not a flame.)
>
>In my experience, general contractors or construction management
>organizations that do this type of thing estimate costs based on
>specific tasks and trades - such as the area cost for poured in place
>concrete decking, or the area cost installed of Lambda-output graphics.
>I would venture to guess that Exhibit Works does that type of
>estimating as well, and uses a schedule of said costs when preparing a
>quote.
>
>In my experience, sending a well documented RFP, with 100% design
>drawings and specifications, to multiple well-qualified firms will
>return a range of responses. I have seen that range vary by more than
>100% on multi-million dollar values among US firms.
>
>If a square foot of the reified concept "exhibition" could possibly be
>quantified, it would then be reasonable to expect that three or four
>production firms responding to the same information would return
>similar quotes. Conversely, averaging the range of responses cannot
>serve a useful purpose.
>
>In fact, there are variables not comprehended by an abstract 'cost per
>square foot' (or 'cost per square meter' for the rest of the world). I
>cited one type of variable.
>
>An earlier post in this thread suggested drawing up a schedule of
>included elements and estimating those categories as an alternative to
>the $/SF illusion. That suggestion aligns more closely with how the
>real world functions.
>
>However, I maintain my earlier critique of the (<500 word)
>Exhibitionist article, Gene Dillenburg's protest notwithstanding.
>Unsubstantiated references to 'informants' does not make a convincing
>argument and the estimates cited ranged from $120/SF to $550/SF. As I
>said earlier, 'brief to the point of useless.'
>
>L.D.

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