When the estimate comes in over budget, you need options the owner can say yes or no to. This playbook finds them, prices each one from your estimate and logs it for the VE meeting.
What you get
- Numbered items – Each item is numbered by division (“09.4”), with the trade or element and exactly what is swapped for what, where, and how much.
- VE type – Material replacement, redesign, reduced scope, competitive pricing, or reduced quality when the owner allows it.
- Potential and likely savings – Priced from the estimate’s own quantities and rates, net of any added cost the change brings.
- Conditions – Comments carry consultant sign-off, code, warranty, operations and schedule consequences, and alternatives are linked as mutually exclusive.
- Decisions – Status, decision date and decided by are recorded after the VE meeting.
How it works
- The agent finds the current estimate, the budget and any existing VE log, and tells you where the estimate stands against the budget.
- It agrees the savings target with you, what to focus on, what not to touch, and whether quality reductions are on the table.
- It works one division at a time, largest cost first, and shows you the items, the division subtotal and the running total against the target before moving on.
- After the VE meeting, it records your accept and decline decisions and adjusts likely savings for partial acceptances.
- It reports savings in total and by division, the ten largest items, and the mutually exclusive groups – counting only one from each.
Try asking
- We’re $1.2M over the GMP. Find savings in mechanical and finishes, don’t touch the lobby.
- Build a VE log for the tower, target is 8% off the current estimate. No quality reductions.
- The owner accepted 09.2 and 23.4 and declined 05.1, update the log.
