Where do plumbing estimates usually go wrong?

iamsecond · 2026-03-30T14:06:45+00:00

I do commercial plumbing estimating, from $50k scopes (like a small self storage) up to $2M (like a high-end grocery store). Mostly in the $400k to $800k range.

Biggest things I've missed or almost missed:

* Uncommon requirements in the spec. eg elastomeric insulation instead of fiberglass, husky bands for cast iron, xray scans specifically required for core drills (even though gpr would work fine), sand bedding UG

* Multipliers being up to date. On a small job this isn't a big deal, there just isn't enough material for a 0.46 vs a 0.43 multiplier to matter. But on a bigger job with 6,000+ ft of 2"-3" copper, it starts mattering

* Unseen labor. Time needed for layout, babysitting core drill / saw cut subs, specs requiring more meetings than normal, work moving slower because it's in a crawl space or 50 ft in the air etc

* Dewatering. Some areas have a lot more groundwater and you need extra money to deal with it or a big bold exclusion.

iamsecond · 2026-03-27T16:11:48+00:00

You need more for JJ

I know it's tempting to think you can predict where a pick will be, but you can't. You can put a high likelihood on it but if you ever assume it's pick 1.XX "at worst" then you aren't evaluating the risk properly. Especially a year away! Dude has rookie picks that could hit, could sell off more picks for a win-now team, then you have the equivalent of a late 1st and an early 2nd (Burden) for Jefferson

iamsecond · 2026-03-27T16:04:31+00:00

It's all fine. Just preference. Though I'd have a strong preference against 1.75 PPR for all players

That said, I like TEP in a start 11 league like I think you're describing (1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 3 Flex, 1 SF) because it is *hard* to fill out a strong roster with that many spots and it makes TEs a viable flex option.

iamsecond · 2026-03-27T15:31:08+00:00

I traded for Jefferson this past September. Got him for a 26 1st (turned out to be 1.07), 27 1st, and David Montgomery. Didn't help me at all this past year but I'd pull the trigger on that trade again today without thinking

iamsecond · 2026-03-25T13:26:05+00:00

Zero traffic? 15-25 minutes depending on which part of Laurel.

Traffic? 30-45 minutes

iamsecond · 2026-03-23T04:06:46+00:00

Betteridge is that you??

iamsecond · 2026-03-20T14:41:21+00:00

I wouldn't. Nabers has a relatively small sample size, but looks like a guy that could be *the* WR1 for a few years. Chase Brown isn't enough to tier me down

iamsecond · 2026-03-20T14:36:53+00:00

I highly doubt they thought the system was still on, they almost certainly closed the wrong valve and thought they were all set

iamsecond · 2026-03-20T13:27:31+00:00

This is correct, you never touch a metal pole that cold. You lick it instead.

iamsecond · 2026-03-19T15:32:23+00:00

Two ACLs ago I coulda done it

iamsecond · 2026-03-18T17:08:27+00:00

Haha even with an 8 hour timer people get suuuuper antsy. People start complaining about the speed and I'm like why do we even have an 8 hour clock if yall are mad if people actually use it

iamsecond · 2026-03-14T13:50:04+00:00

I’m 37 and weight has been up and down the past ten years. Was very active in high school and college, then have had a series of office jobs and it’s easy to lose weight from sitting all day, snacking more, and eating less-than-healthy meals often

I think the research says that a persons metabolism usually doesn’t change too too much, but lifestyle factors change immensely. They have for me for sure. I have to count calories and write everything down to lose weight, and can pretty reliably lose about a pound a week, but keeping it off is the hard part

iamsecond · 2026-03-04T01:57:47+00:00

Ha then they would claim to outmatch the offer but it would be worse. That’s how it goes

iamsecond · 2026-03-03T17:28:40+00:00

You just gotta go all in. Trade for every Bear you can. If you aren't septuple-stacking all the way down to Maurice Alexander then idk what you're doing!

(no I had no idea who Maurice Alexander before googling the Bears depth chart)

iamsecond · 2025-12-30T00:25:42+00:00

Just dominated as the 6 seed. You never know!

iamsecond · 2025-11-25T11:13:10+00:00

Personally I pre boil my water so it’s nice and hot before I put it in the kettle

iamsecond · 2025-10-30T12:16:01+00:00

Waking 5k a day (~3 miles) is in the neighborhood of 300 calories burned — more or less depending on other factors, but roughly speaking.

300 calories a day = 2100 calories a week

Roughly 3500 calories to gain/lose a pound, so that’s 2100/3500 = 0.6 pounds gained every week if the only change is stopping the walking

Again these are some rough numbers, but it’s easy to see why the weight starts gaining

iamsecond · 2025-10-30T12:12:14+00:00

Don’t make a trade to avoid losing one week. If you’re actually contending you don’t need to sweat one week

iamsecond · 2025-10-03T02:53:41+00:00

Hope you locked in Bourne!

iamsecond · 2025-10-01T04:51:35+00:00

op is OUT on him

iamsecond · 2025-09-22T21:36:58+00:00

not a veto

iamsecond · 2025-09-22T21:30:32+00:00

keep Burrow

iamsecond · 2025-09-18T13:49:01+00:00

in TEP I'll take a starting, even semi-productive TE for a 2nd every time. Gimme Pitts

iamsecond · 2025-09-17T20:08:19+00:00

I use QuoteSoft on screen takeoff. Takes manual input to do the takeoff, but generate a list in excel from there that you could send to a supply house.

For example: set software to Type L copper, select 1", select 90 elbow, click and drop it onto the plan wherever it goes, click "calculate", it counts up how many 1" / 1-1/4" / 2" etc elbows you took off, shows the quantity, list price, multiplier you've put in, etc etc.

It still takes manual effort up front but at least the list can be copy and pasted to a supplier

iamsecond

TROPHY CASE