(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.
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
|