Complex Assemblies

NOTE-- We retired the MacNail estimating program in 2000, and replaced it with Goldenseal construction estimating software. There are still a significant number of die-hard MacNail users, so we keep the manuals online for them! Goldenseal is an integrated program that also includes accounting, scheduling and contract writing. You can include assemblies as components of other assemblies, in Goldenseal, so you can create assemblies for large construction items with multiple subassemblies.

As mentioned on page 108, it's more efficient to break your unit prices down into fairly small 'chunks' of work.

However, if there are more complex assemblies that you use very often, you can create unit prices for them, as a supplement to the unit prices for each of the individual components.

For example, if most of your projects use 1/2" taped gypsum wallboard inside and cedar siding outside, you might want to create a line item for the complete wall assembly-- siding, plywood sheathing, 2x4 or 2x6 wood framing, wallboard hanging, wallboard taping, and perhaps even interior and exterior paint.

To calculate the unit price of the entire complex assembly, add up the cost of each individual component, as listed elsewhere in the estimator or Price Master. Similarly, when creating material assemblies for complex assembly items, create duplicates of the items used in each of the smaller sub-assemblies.

The complex assembly unit price makes it easier to come up with a 'rough' price in the MacNail construction estimating software, since you'll only have to enter one item instead of a half dozen.

When used in MacNail Scheduling, complex assemblies won't be quite as accurate, however, since they lump together several steps which would actually occur at different times. Job costing with MacNail Accounting will also be more difficult, since the larger assemblies will usually combine work that would usually be listed under two or more separate cost categories.