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Calculating Quantities with Formulas & Equations

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Looking to enhance your estimates with precise quantities derived from combining values and parameters together through formulas or equations?  Have you leveraged formulas in spreadsheet systems before and want to implement them in CoConstruct?

Harness the power of a quantity with CoConstruct formulas.

WHAT FORMULAS

Use any formulas to quantify the appropriate quantities.  See the full list of available formulas below:

FORMULA WHAT FORMAT EXAMPLE

Addition

Add a value (x) with another value (y) x+y

Ex. Calculate the quantity of floor receiving hardwood flooring

={1st Floor Living} + {2nd Floor Living}

Subtraction

Subtract a value (x) from another value (y) y-x

Ex. Calculate the quantity of deck around a pool

={Deck Area} - {Pool Area]

Multiplication

Multiply a value (x) by another value (y) x*y

Ex. Calculate the quantity of carpet then apply a 15% waste factor

=({Master Bedroom}+{Guest Room 1}+{Guest Room 2})*1.15

Division

Divide a value (x) by another value (y) x/y

Ex. Calculate the number of hours it will take to install a roof by first translating the number of roof squares into total roof SF, then dividing that against the number of square feet worked per hour

=({Roof Squares}*100)/40

Exponentials

Find the exponential total of a value (x) to the nth degree (y)  x^y

Ex. Calculate the quantity of concrete required for the garage floor

={Garage Length}^2 

Square Root

Find the square root of a value (x) sqrt(x)

Ex. Calculate the quantity of fence needed for the yard by deriving the square root of the lot area to obtain length, then multiply by 4 sides to get the appropriate quantity

=sqrt({Lot Area})*4

Rounding

Round a value (x) up or down to desired number of decimals (y) round(x,y)

Ex. Calculate the number of hours it will take to install a roof rounded to the nearest whole number by taking division example above and selecting what place value to round to

=round(({Roof Squares}*100)/40,0)

Round Down

Round a value (x) down to the nearest whole number floor(x)

Ex. Calculate a competitive quantity of flooring labor by first dividing total floor area by the number of square feet installed per hour then rounding that value to the nearest whole number

=floor(({1st Floor Living} + {2nd Floor Living})/55)

Round Up

Round a value (x) up to the nearest whole number ceil(x)

Ex. Calculate the number of paint gallons needed for a certain wall area by rounding the total wall area divided by the number of square feet in a gallon

=ceil({Wall Area}/400)

If Statement

When a value or formula (x) meets some criteria (y) then use a different value (z), and if not use (w)

Potential Criteria:
- Greater than (>)
- Less than (<)
- Greater than or equal to (>=)
- Less than or equal to (<=)

if(x,y,z,w)

Ex. Calculate the number of bricks needed for a patio by first establishing how many bricks required (calculate patio square feet by number of bricks in a square foot).  Then establish the criteria for ordering at a wholesale price of 2500 bricks.  If it's below a certain number you need to order for a wholesale price, use the minimum order amount OR if it's not, then use the actual value.

=if(({Patio SF}/4.5)<2500,2500,({Patio SF}/4.5)

Minimums

Use the lowest set of values or formulas

min(x,y,z)

Ex. Calculate the quantity of porch by originally budgeting the smallest of the different porch options that range from 7 ft wide, 10 ft wide, and 5 ft wide on all four sides.

=min((7*{House Width})+(7*{House Length}),10*{House Width},(((5*{House Length})*2)+((5*{House Width})*2)))

Maximums

Use the largest of a set of values or formulas

max(x,y,z)

Ex. Calculate tile floor installation per room by leveraging the largest room quantity in order to set a standard rate per room

=max({Kitchen SF}/40,{Bath 1 SF}/40,{Master Bath}/40)

 

USING FORMULAS

Start by leveraging the parameters tool to house any project measurements or dimensions.

Learn More: Utilizing Parameters for Estimating

As you estimate and calculate project quantities, simply type an "=" to open up a larger formula tool.  Combine the appropriate values and parameters together with the type of equation you'd like the system to perform.

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Pro Tip: Save common formulas and equation formats to your Spec/Selection template(s).  When you create a new project, bring all that saved data down to the estimate so you can quickly populate costs based on project measurements.

 

Note: This enhanced estimating function is only available on CoConstruct Plus plans.

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