Construction Cost Estimates presents some new challenges

The demand towards new construction is steadily growing.  One would thus think that this is good news for stable construction costs.  Unfortunately, this is not the case at all.  External forces have resulted in exceptional rate increases for a wide range of integral construction supplies, raw materials and services. This fact has made the process for long term cost projections more difficult now than it's ever been.
At times when some of the most used raw materials such as petroleum, concrete and steel experience double-digit inflation rates, the amount of time for which material suppliers, subcontractors, general contractors and cost estimators can commit to pricing becomes shorter.  Commercial construction companies that have an established name in the industry usually have good relationships with major subcontractors and suppliers, as well as the expertise to provide as much pricing information and commitment as possible.  However, fact of the matter is that the global economy and the effects of natural disasters influenced all role players in the building process when it comes to projecting construction costs on the long term.  Seeing as prices for the core raw materials are increasing at eight to ten times the economy's inflation rate, it is thus no surprise that it is extremely difficult to commit to pricing several months in the future that is still cost-competitive.  Because the volatility of raw materials and supplies will continue for some time into the future, developers must find some other ways to compress the construction schedule and work with leading industry partners to increase the legitimacy of their project budget.  Examples include:
• Certain building owners are beginning to take a more active role in the building and design processes and are functioning as a team member to streamline communications and also strive towards completing projects faster.
• Making contact with a general contractor or construction manager early in the process is a good way to control time in the initial planning phases.  This is because these experts understand permitting and other legal requirements and can ensure all documentation is filed thoroughly and in a timely manner, reducing schedule delays early on. • Tilt-up construction and Fast Track are construction approaches that have definitely reduced the timetable for delivering a construction project. 
Both developers and business owners should carefully control these approaches and only work with general contractors who have a relationship with quality suppliers.  This will maximize their ability to project and budget construction costs accurately right through to the end of the building's construction process.