professional - ASPE Denver Chapter #5

September 2013
PROFESSIONAL
ESTIMATOR
Denver, Chapter 5
Winner of the Best Newsletter Award 2012-13 Award in the Northwest Region!
Keep it green! Please print
this newsletter only if
absolutely necessary.
September Program
In This Issue
President’s Message
Feature Article
1,3
2,3,5
Is it Really Any Better?
by Chris Morton
Membership Statistics
2
Awards News
2
Quote of the Month
4
ASPE Code of Ethics
4
Certification Program
5,6
ASPE Golf Tournament Recap
6
September Program Flyer 7
ASPE Strong
Chapter Meeting
Notice
8
ASPE Convention Recap 9
Member Company Roster 10
Board Members and
Committee Chairs
11
ASPE Contact Info
11
BIM from a Structural Steel
Fabrication & Erection
Perspecitve
Program information on page 7.
Register at: www.ASPEdenver.org
Date: Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Time: 5:00 pm Registration/Networking
6:00 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Program
Place: VQ Hotel at Mile High
1975 Mile High Stadium Circle
14th Floor
Denver, CO 80204
Cost: $50.00 Members*
$55.00 Non-Members*
$30.00 Unemployed or
Retired Members
*$5 off if you register by Sept. 5th
MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT
Stacie Flynn
Another summer has come and gone and with that we welcome the
2013-2014 ASPE year. I want to thank Chris Morton for the wonderful
job he did last year as our President and look forward to following
in his footsteps as I begin my term as your President. I would like to take this time to
introduce myself to you all.
I am an Illinois native and have been in Colorado for over 10 years. I have a degree in
Economics and am the Manager of Pre-Construction at Jordy Construction in Denver. I
have been with Jordy for over 9 years and have held this position for a few years.
When I’m not working I enjoy golfing, snowboarding, baseball & hockey games and
learning to cook. I have a great husband who thankfully can cook well so while I learn
we aren’t starving. He is a patient saint as I’ve been “learning” for years.
This will be my third year as a member of ASPE and I would like, and value, your
thoughts and participation in upcoming events and meeting topics. In late July your
board members met to plan the upcoming year and monthly program presentations. I
know we have some great ideas and I will always welcome more for future meetings.
Continued on page 3...
ASPE Denver Chapter Newsletter, Volume 13, Issue 1
Page 1
FEATURE
ARTICLE
Is it Really Any Better?
by Chris Morton, CPE, LEED® AP
When I started working as an estimator 40 years ago, things were quite different than they
are today. In those days, we did not have cell phones, fax machines, personal computers,
the internet, email, digitizers, electronic plans and many of the other conveniences that we
have today. What we did have were paper plans, scales, green paper forms with columns,
pencils, erasers, monster calculators, verbal quote sheets, etc. Most importantly we had
personal, face-to-face meetings with subs when they came to pick up the plans. Back then,
we printed plans for each sub or, in some cases, we printed several sets that subs could
check out for a few days in order to do their take-offs. Once their take-offs were done, they
had to return the plans so that another sub
could check out the plans. Without email,
Membership Statistics
we had to call the subs to review scope and,
(as of August 8, 2013)
in most cases, we talked to them again when
the phoned in their bid. Occasionally, the Current Membership Count 79
subs would deliver or mail a scope letter
in advance and then they would just have
to phone in their bid and any corrections Chapter Membership Classifications:
to their scope letter. Otherwise, we had to 31.65% 25 Certified Professional take all of the information over the phone.
Estimator (CPE)
On bid day, our entire office would literally 54.43% 43 Estimator (E)
stop working on their normal tasks and take 5.06% 4 Associate Member (ASM)
verbal quotes. They would use pre-printed
verbal quote forms that had project specific 2.53% 2 Constructor (C)
items such as the number of addenda issued, 1.27% 1 Student ( S )
sales tax and other pertinent data on the 2.53% 2 Affiliate Member ( AF )
sheet, since most of those people taking the
verbal quotes really did not know anything 0.00% 0 Member Emeritus ( ME )
about the job. Then, an hour or so prior to 0.00% 0 Honorary Member ( HM )
bid time, we would close the estimate and
2.53% 2 Fellow ( FCPE )
have one of our accounting people double
check the estimate totals. From that point 100% 79 TOTAL
on until bid time, we would use a manual
cut/add sheet to make final adjustments to the bid. Since we did not have cell phones, the
bid runner would have to find a pay phone (yes, they really did exist) as close to the bid
Continued on page 3...
delivery point as possible so that they could take all
Chris Morton
Appointed as
National ASPE
Treasurer
ASPE National President Joe Flemming, CPE has nominated Chris Morton, CPE, LEED®
AP, Chief Estimator at Howell Construction, to serve as National ASPE Treasurer for the
2013-2014 year. As National Treasurer, Chris will be a non-voting member on the ASPE
Board of Trustees and will be the Chairman of the Finance Committee.
A
Chris Morton Named
t our May 2013 Chapter 5 meeting, Chris Morton, CPE, LEED® AP was presented the
ASPE Chapter 5
Denver Chapter 5 Estimator of the Year award for 2012-2013. Chris served as Chapter
Estimator of the Year President and Newsletter Chair during 2012-2013. Chris is Chief Estimator at Howell
Construction, a Denver based General Contractor that has been in business since 1935.
ASPE Denver Chapter Newsletter, Volume 13, Issue 1
Page 2
FEATURE
ARTICLE
...cont from pg 2
of the final bid numbers over the phone and get the bid delivered in time.
When we bid a project, the client usually gave us 2 to 3 weeks to prepare our bid and all
clarifications were handled by talking to the architect on the phone. They would then issue
an addendum that we would reproduce and all the subs would have to make another trip
to our office to pick up the addendum. The architects and engineers produced coordinated
documents because the client had given them ample time and money to produce a complete
set of bid documents. Our bid was always based on plans and specs without having the
luxury of providing clarifications, inclusions and exclusions.
Unless we were negotiating a project, we did not have to do multiple budgets and we never
were asked to participate in preparing test fit budgets. In most cases, the architects were
paid to do preliminary budgets.
My how things have changed! We now send all bid documents to subs via email or online
plan rooms, do our take-offs on the computer, receive bids via email (or in some cases by
fax) and we compile the estimate using a spread sheet or other estimating software. In most
cases, we can email our bid to the client and we do not have to hand-deliver the bid. We
now have to bid most jobs within 5 to 7 days after we receive the documents.
The bid documents we receive today are usually not very well coordinated between the
architectural documents and the engineered documents. This is primarily due to the fact
that clients are giving the design team much less time and money to complete their design.
We are also asked to prepare budgets on a project just so we can have the opportunity to bid
the project once the client determines which building they will move into and what the final
design will be. And most of the budget exercises involve up to 4 or 5 GCs. An estimator
I know calls these exercises “bidgets” rather than budgets. The reality is that many clients
Continued on page 5...
President’s Article
...cont from pg 1
As some of you may have noticed we have new software behind the scenes that will send
out our monthly meeting registrations, event registrations, surveys, election ballots, etc.
Please check your spam or junk folders if you have not been receiving e-mails while we
get used to this transition. I want to thank Bryan Cook and Andrea Munoz of the AGC for
their work with ASPE the past few years.
Thank you again for your support of ASPE and I look forward to seeing all of you at our
meetings throughout the year.
Sincerely,
Stacie Flynn
Pictures
From the
May Program
ASPE Denver Chapter Newsletter, Volume 13, Issue 1
Page 3
ASPE Code of Ethics
Canon 1
Professional estimators and those in training shall perform services in areas of
their discipline and competence.
Canon 2
Professional estimators and those in training shall continue to expand their
professional capabilities through continuing education programs to better enable
them to serve clients, employers and the industry.
Canon 3
Professional estimators and those in training shall conduct themselves in a
manner that will promote cooperation and good relations among members of our
profession and those directly related to our profession.
Canon 4
Professional estimators and those in training shall safeguard and keep in
confidence all knowledge of the business affairs and technical procedures of an
employer or client.
Canon 5
Professional estimators and those in training shall conduct themselves with
integrity as all times and not knowingly or willingly enter into agreements that
violate the laws of the United States of America or of the states in which they
practice. They shall establish guidelines for setting forth prices and receiving
quotations that are fair and equitable to all parties.
Canon 6
Professional estimators and those in training shall utilize their education,
years of experience and acquired skills in the preparation of each estimate
or assignment with full commitment to make each estimate or assignment as
detailed and accurate as their talents and abilities allow.
Canon 7
Professional estimators and those in training shall not engage in the practice
of bid peddling as defined by this code. This is a breach of moral and ethical
standards, and a member of this society shall not enter into this practice.
Canon 8
Professional estimators and those in training to be estimators shall not enter
into any agreement that may be considered acts of collusion or conspiracy (bid
rigging) with the implied or express purpose of defrauding clients. Acts of this
type are in direct violation of the code of ethics of the American Society of
Professional Estimators.
Canon 9
Professional estimators and those in training to be estimators shall not
participate in acts, such as the giving or receiving of gifts, which are intended to
be or may be construed as being unlawful acts of bribery.
Revision May, 2011
Quote of the Month
“Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.”
~ Winston Churchill
ASPE Denver Chapter Newsletter, Volume 13, Issue 1
Page 4
Certification
Program
If you’re interested in the certification program and becoming a CPE, I encourage you to
read the following article and then visit the National website http://www.aspenational.org/
Certification_CertificationBoard.aspx. Oh, almost forgot … you need a minimum of 5 years
of estimating experience to qualify for the program.
ASPE certification is a two part process. The candidate is required to write a 2,500 word
technical paper and take two examinations.
The first exam is a General Estimating Knowledge Exam (GEK) consisting of over 500
questions across a broad variety of construction topics, including AIA documents such as
the Instruction for Bidders and the AIA 201 Contract Between the Owner and Contractor.
The candidate has four hours to complete the test.
The second exam is the Discipline Specific Test (DST). This exam is a test of the candidate’s
specific area of expertise. Currently ASPE has Discipline Specific Tests in seven categories.
Each exam is an eight hour test with true/false and multiple choice questions as well as
estimating problems that are mini-estimates. As an example, a General Estimator is asked
questions across all 16 CSI Divisions and estimating problems on Earthwork, Concrete,
Wood Framing, and Structural Steel estimating.
Upon successful completion of the program the candidate receives the designation of Certified
Professional Estimator, (CPE). The CPE must renew his certification every three years by
accruing 30 points over the previous three years. The CPE is then required to earn points
for the Continuing Certification program through activities such as continuing education,
professional contributions, and teaching.
A candidate can participate in either one of two cycles per year. The cycles are labeled the
Winter and Summer cycles. The Winter cycle starts about now. The Summer cycle starts
around May. As a candidate your first task is to download the Certification Application from
the National website, http://www.aspenational.org/userfiles/file/Prof_Eval_App_110109A.
pdf . You have two application choices, the Member or Non-member. Choose the one that
fits your need. Review the application and then call me. You need some direction before
Continued on page 6...
FEATURE
ARTICLE
...Cont from pg 3
will select a GC based on the lowest budget, which means that the budget is really, in a
sense, a bid. Hence the name “bidget.”
The truly sad part of this entire move to technology is that we no longer have any personal
contact with the designers and the subs by phone. Questions are submitted via email and
responses from the design team are emailed back so that the GC can email them to the subs.
The only time the GCs and subs get a chance to talk to each other on a regular basis is either
at job walks or industry events, such as ASPE meetings.
So, is it really any better than it was 40 years ago when I started as an estimator? Yes,
technology makes it easier to do more with less, which most of us are doing these days.
However, it also means that we are cranking out more estimators, the design team is cranking
out more drawings more quickly, and we find we are living our lives as estimator without
really talking one-on-one with anyone. There are exceptions to this, but they are few and
far between. So my answer to the question is no, things are different but I am not sure they
are much better than they were 40 years ago.
ASPE Denver Chapter Newsletter, Volume 13, Issue 1
Page 5
Certification
Program
...cont from pg 5
you can correctly complete the application and submit it to me for verification. If you don’t
receive good direction on completing the exam, you run the risk of making mistakes and
missing your intended cycle due to a resubmittal. It takes some time to fill out the voluminous
application so get started early.
Once you complete the application and have submitted it to me with the application fee.
You have to have the application to me by December 1, 2009. I need time to validate the
application information. If you don’t submit your application in time you won’t be enrolled
in the Winter cycle. National is very strict about the deadlines. No leniency about not having
the applications to them by January 1, 2010. Once your application is submitted you sit
and wait until approximately the middle of February or the middle of August. At that time
you will be informed that your application is accepted (if you completed it correctly) and
you are eligible to take the Certification Workshop. This is an on-line program that must be
completed within 30 days of your receipt of application acceptance. Then it’s off to write
your paper. The paper needs to be completed within 100 days of completing the Certification
Workshop and to National by July 13 and September 13.
Within 20 days of National receiving your paper you will be informed if your paper is
acceptable and you can continue with the process. Now it’s time to take the two previously
mentioned tests. Once the tests are completed the National committee can take up to August
4 or February 8 to inform you if you have completed the process and you are deemed a
CPE. Just one more little caveat, this entire process must be completed within the cycle you
have signed up for. Gone are the days of allowing an extension into the next cycle. If you
interested and have more questions contact me. I’ll be glad to help.
Bruce Thompson
Certification Chair
303-353-3658
2013 ASPE Golf
Tournament
Recap
Thank you to all those who participated in this year’s ASPE Golf Tournament held this past
May, at the Pinehurst Country Club. It was a great success and all had a wonderful time.
A huge thank you goes out to our sponsors: Tournament Sponsors; Heartland Acoustics and
Interiors & Maxwell Builders. Awards Sponsor; Rolling Plains Construction. Hole Sponsors;
Bear Electric, Elements, Initial.aec, Management Computer Controls, MP Contracting,
Spectra Flooring & the Blue Book Network. Without their kind donations, this tournament
would not have been as successful as it was.
The event offered several prizes. A $75 Pinehurst Gift Card was given to each member of
the first place Team 12A. Members Andrew Woodard, Kyle Duitsman & Troy Bergman.
A $50 Pinehurst Gift Card was given to each member of second place finishers, Team 1A.
Players Christine Henkel, Robert Steele, Sally Immel & Travis Bollhoefner. Awards were
also given to Mike McKenna who had the longest putt, Grant Trusler who was closest to
the pin & Andrew Woodard for the longest drive.
ASPE will be hosting another tournament this spring. The date and location are yet to be
determined. If you are interested in a sponsorship, helping organize the tournament or have any
suggestions for next spring’s tournament please drop a note to rsteele@maxwellconst.com.
Again thank you to all participants and sponsors of this year’s tournament. Without your
support ASPE would not be able to continue support scholarship programs and participating
in many of the educational programs around Colorado. We look forward to seeing you at our
upcoming monthly events & at the 2014 ASPE Golf Tournament this spring!
ASPE Denver Chapter Newsletter, Volume 13, Issue 1
Page 6
ASPE S EPTEMBER C HAPTER P ROGRAM
BIM FROM A STRUCTURAL STEEL
FABRICATION & ERECTION PERSPECTIVE
Wayne Muir, P.E., Chairman of Structural Consultants, will be joining us to speak about
the use of BIM in the structural scope. As a nationally recognized leader implementing
BIM into the delivery of a project,Wayne holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering,
Structures and has written various publications. He has participated on 2 national BIM
committees, namely AGC-BIM Forum, Designers Subforum and the Joint SEI.
To Register: www.aspedenver.org
$50 Members*
$55 Non-Members*
$30 Unemployed or Retired Members
*5.00 off if you register by September 5th
Tuesday, September 10th, 2013
5:00pm Registration / Networking
6:00pm Dinner
7:00pm Program
Location:
VQ Hotel at Mile High
1975 Mile High Stadium Circle
14th Floor
Denver, CO 80204
Every society has their traditions. Our traditions form a
bond and sense of community that help build and mold the
next generation; to futher sustain the Society that has worked
feverishly to obtain their position.
We, at ASPE, have our position and we must continue
embracing shared information, new technologies and mentoring
our next generation of leaders. It takes each and every member
to accomplish our goals as a unified entity.
New Member Eligibility:
ASPE Strong Membership Drive
begins on August 1, 2013 and
ends on October 31, 2013. That’s
three (3) months to recruit the most
new members (see details below).
The winning chapter will have the
National President or Executive
Director as a guest speaker for an
upcoming chapter meeting.
•Late Renewals for 12/13 fiscal year members not included.
•Members NOT current during fiscal years 11/12, 10/11, 09/10 will be considered as a renewing member. All other former members must rejoin as a new member.
•Student members joining during this drive may equal up to 1/2 of the total new members recruited. (Example: If ten (10) new members are recruited, up to five (5) may be student members.)
© American Society of Professional Estimators. www.aspenational.org | 615.316.9200
2013 ASPE
Convention Recap
Chris Morton, CPE,
LEED® AP
The 2013 ASPE National Estimating Academy and Convention was held in Philadelphia this
past July and 3 members of our Chapter (Bob Pratt, FCPE, David Morgan. CPE and Chris
Morton, CPE) attended. Attendance this year was one of the best ever with 52 Estimating
Academy Registrants, 125 Convention Registrants, 34 Guests and 20 Exhibitors attending.
Our Chapter received 3 awards at the Convention. On Friday night at the Awards Banquet,
Chapter 5 received a National Outstanding Chapter Award. This award represents the hard
work done during the past year by our Chapter Officers, Directors and Committee members.
Special thanks to Stacie Flynn of Jordy Construction for her hard work in preparing the
awards submission for this award!
On Saturday at the Northwest/Southwest Regional Caucus, our Chapter received 2 Regional
Awards: Best Educational Activity (for our Estimating Academy) and Best Chapter
Newsletter. Again, these awards are the result of the hard work done during this past year
by your Chapter leaders.
For those of you who have not yet attended a National ASPE Estimating Academy and
Convention, this event includes 3 days of seminars and workshops, Regional Caucuses and
the Annual ASPE Business Session. At the Regional Caucuses, Chapter Representatives
discuss issues for the upcoming Business Session plus other items of concern to Chapters.
The Business Session, which is held on Saturday afternoon, includes reports from the
Board of Trustee Members and your National ASPE Staff plus consideration of any
proposed Bylaws Amendments. This year, there were 12 Bylaws Amendment submitted
for consideration. Of the 12 Amendments presented, 3 were withdrawn, 3 were approved
and 6 were defeated.
We capped off this great event with a ferry ride across the Delaware River to an Aquarium
where the President’s Dinner was held.
As a past Chapter Officer and National Board of Trustee Member, I have had the pleasure of
attending 10 out of the past 11 Conventions and I encourage all of you to consider attending
a Convention in the future. Next year, the Estimating Academy and Convention will be
held in Indianapolis, Indiana from July 16 through 19. In 2015, the Estimating Academy
and Convention will be held in San Diego, California (dates to be determined) and in 2017
the Estimating Academy and Convention will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina (dates
to be determined)
ASPE Denver Chapter Newsletter, Volume 13, Issue 1
Page 9
Member
Company
Roster
Companies who represent the ASPE Chapter 5
Adolfson & Peterson Const.
J E Dunn Construction
Alvarado Construction Inc.
J. R. Huston Consulting, Inc.
Assoc. Construction Consultants
Jacobs Engineering Group
Buckles & Associates
Jacobs Facilites, Inc.
Builder’s Glass
Jordy Construction
Building Tech Consultants, Inc.
Kiewit Building Group
Catamount Constructors
Ludvik Electric Co.
CBRE
Madsen Kneppers & Associates
CDM Constructors, Inc.
Maxwell Builders
CFC Construction Company
McNevin Company
CH2MHill
Mechanical Insulation Systems, Inc
Coblaco Services
Merrick & Company
Colorado Window Systems
Metro Steel Fabricating
Currie & Brown, Inc.
Mortenson
dcb Construction Company Inc
Northern Electric, Inc.
Demand Const. Services, Inc.
Piper Electric Co., Inc.
Denver Drywall Company
R.D. Simmermon & Company
Drake Williams Steel-Mtn Steel Div.
RFP Consulting, Inc.
Duro Electric Company
RIB Management Computer Controls, Inc.
Eastcliffe Consulting, LLC
Rider Levett Bucknall
Fransen Pittman General Contractors
Roche Constructors, Inc.
GFC Contracting
Rocky Mountain Excavating & Concrete
GH Phipps Construction
Rolling Plains, Inc.
Heartland Acoustics & Interiors
The Blue Book
Heggem-Lundquist
The Industrial Company
Hensel Phelps Construction Co.
Trautman & Shreve, Inc.
Howell Construction
Vertex Construction Services, Inc
Hyder Construction, Inc.
Weifield Group Contracting
Interior Alterations, Inc.
Willbros Construction US, LLC
ASPE Denver Chapter Newsletter, Volume 13, Issue 1
Page 10
Board Members & Committees
2013 - 2014
OFFICERS:
ASPE Denver Chapter Inc.
18952 East Clear Creek Dr.
Parker, CO 80134-4833
(720) 235-1950
info@aspedenver.org
www.ASPEdenver.org
President: Stacie Flynn, C, Jordy Construction
(720) 570-5750 Email: stacie@jordyconstruction.com
1st Vice President: Eric Ross, CPE, RIB Management Computer Controls, Inc.
(901) 359-2041
Email: eross@mc2-ice.com
Secretary: Officers and Board Members
Treasurer: Eric Ross, CPE, RIB Management Computer Controls, Inc.
(901) 359-2041
Email: eross@mc2-ice.com
BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEMBERS:
Gary Beatty, CPE, Drake-Williams Steel, Mountain Steel Division, gbeatty@dwsteel.com
Eduardo Castaneda, CPE, Roche Constructors, Inc., ecastaneda@rocheconstructors.com
Patricia Noland, E, Currie & Brown, Inc., pnoland23@gmail.com
Robert Steele, E, Maxwell Construction, rsteele@maxwellconst.com
2012 President: Chris Morton, CPE, Howell Construction, Email: cmortoncpe@comcast.net
COMMITTEES:
Awards Committee Chair:
Stacie Flynn, C, Jordy Construction
(720) 570-5750 Email: stacie@jordyconstruction.com
Certification Committee Chair:
Bruce Thompson, CPE, Merrick & Company
(303) 751-0741 Email: bruce.thompson@merrick.com
Education Committee Chair:
TBD
Ethics Committee Chair:
TBD
Membership Committee Chair:
Eric Ross, CPE, RIB Management Computer Controls, Inc.
(901) 359-2041
Email: eross@mc2-ice.com
Program Committee Chair:
Officers and Board Members
Newsletter Committee Chair:
Chris Morton, CPE, Howell Construction
(303) 899-4784
Email: cmortoncpe@comcast.net
Newsletter Editor
Just as our contact
information changes,
we’re sure yours does as
well. Please remember
to contact the National
ASPE office if you have
any changes!
Laura Verrips, SandsComm
(303) 378-1063
Email: laura@sandscommconsulting.com
Webmaster
Stacie Flynn, C, Jordy Construction
(720) 570-5750 Email: stacie@jordyconstruction.com
ASPE Denver Chapter Newsletter, Volume 13, Issue 1
Page 11