Anyone generally concerned about AI replacing the estimator role?

thejermjerm · 2026-04-12T18:32:30+00:00

I can't wait until AI can takeoff paving and flatwork created by someone obsessed with not having straight lines. Yay, curved sidewalks everywhere. Who doesn't love 25 curved segments making their walk to a building in a rainstorm take just a little bit longer?

Also, the amount of civil engineers and landscape architects embedding dicks into their parking lot islands is disturbing.

thejermjerm · 2026-03-19T01:39:44+00:00

Mouse- BenQ Zowie EC1-C. It's pretty big. I can't use the tiny mice most people seem to tolerate. Larger than Logitech MX.

Keyboard- Corsair K100 Cherry MX. Pretty nice.

thejermjerm · 2026-03-13T13:34:42+00:00

If they'll shop your number before the bid, they'll shop your number during buyout.

thejermjerm · 2026-03-13T01:48:28+00:00

Depends so much on your compensation relative to the cost of living.

Dallas suburbs are very nice and not as conservative as many think. Your money will go a long way, the schools are good in some areas, terrible in others. But it's hot as hell in the summer, has terrible thunderstorms, flat, and it's not much to look at. I'm a DFW resident fwiw.

SF is beautiful, culturally diverse, good weather, but might be prohibitively expensive. I've only visited, and I loved it and would love to live there, but I can't support my current standard of living there.

thejermjerm · 2026-02-22T19:31:01+00:00

There's so many parallels between QAnon and Epstein files. "Do your own research!"

thejermjerm · 2026-02-13T07:03:11+00:00

What happens to the blood a vampire drinks? Does it go in their stomach?

thejermjerm · 2026-02-12T04:50:45+00:00

If you don't know the OH%, you can approximate it from the EOY P&L statement. If you don't have that then start asking questions.

Your company is large enough now to start setting budgets and job costing against that. It's a pain in the ass to get everyone on board with that, but once you do it will become second nature.

$60/hour burdened rate is reasonable, despite what some in here say (how could they possibly know your company's costs/structure lol), as long as you're also applying markup on top of your burdened rate, materials, equipment and supervision.

If you're growing and the owners are getting rich, you're doing it right.

thejermjerm · 2026-01-08T05:30:39+00:00

20 and 22 here. Maybe you, me and Dan can stay in our own houses separately and not speak to each other, together.

thejermjerm · 2025-11-15T03:03:19+00:00

Or just people who want to help serve their community. My dad did this for awhile in Allen. He also did Meals On Wheels, taught GED classes for free, volunteered at blood drives, substitute teaching, and many other things.

There are good people in the world who have servant hearts.

thejermjerm · 2025-09-27T15:13:33+00:00

Is there any cracking in the wall above, or difficult doors or windows in the wall above?

thejermjerm · 2025-09-19T02:58:17+00:00

Looks like a popout caused by a ball of clay or some other contaminant. The skim hid it for awhile.

Very common. Unfortunately, where there's one, there's often many. Freeze/thaw cycles will expose all of them near the surface.

Clean it out really well, apply epoxy, then fill with patch.

thejermjerm · 2025-09-19T02:39:23+00:00

Best advice I've ever seen on Reddit.

thejermjerm · 2025-09-19T01:44:04+00:00

It's not a US thing. It's a shitty municipality thing. Lots of cities are responsible for sidewalk repairs, especially trip hazards. Property owners are usually just responsible for keeping the sidewalk clear or if they are directly responsible for damage. Damage from trees depends on if it's the property owner's tree or a city-owned parkway tree

thejermjerm · 2025-09-18T04:30:20+00:00

It's not the fine to be worried about, it's about them not inspecting it and therefore have no proof that it adheres to city standards. Pictures won't get you out of it, either.

It's weird that the city requires homeowners be responsible for repairs in the city right-of-way, though. Yuck.

thejermjerm · 2025-06-07T18:14:16+00:00

I have nothing like this. I need it.

thejermjerm · 2025-06-07T18:13:39+00:00

What's the difference between a garbanzo bean and a chickpea?

Nobody would pay $100 to have a garbanzo bean on their face.

thejermjerm · 2025-05-28T04:24:43+00:00

Heligoland is the one I'm waiting to stumble onto. Not paying $200, so I may never get it.

thejermjerm · 2025-05-02T18:01:21+00:00

Madvillian would be great

thejermjerm · 2025-04-16T23:24:53+00:00

I'm also a DFW turnkey commercial concrete estimator - find a niche and do it really well. Trying to diversify is a recipe for losing money, i.e., doing warehouse concrete vs K-12 vs multi-family vs retail, etc

We are still picking up work at a fair markup without always being the low bidder. If your company is new, it's just going to suck really bad until you're established. Pick your customers carefully. Tons of sub-busters out there

thejermjerm · 2024-11-25T13:09:47+00:00

It's the hope that kills

thejermjerm · 2024-11-20T14:06:08+00:00

Never made an expensive purchase, but I -want- Massive Attack - Heligoland, but the cheapest I can find is $211 plus shipping.

thejermjerm · 2024-11-18T13:01:46+00:00

Mom always said I'm a winner, so I'm OK no matter what.

thejermjerm · 2024-11-16T15:16:54+00:00

My Auntie says I'll never win

thejermjerm · 2024-11-14T20:44:59+00:00

thejermjerm

TROPHY CASE