Part 5 in Jeff's discussion about mistakes on the job.
This month, for our ongoing discussion of "making mistakes" in the estimating process, we'll take a look at one of the most common types of mistakes: misinterpretation.
A fairly common example of an interpretation mistake in estimating concerns the manner by which an important type of delineation: elevations (both interior and exterior) are presented on architectural drawings. It is fairly easy to determine the orientation of an exterior building elevation when they are defined by: front, rear and sides, even when a plan/RCP does not make specific reference to the appropriate elevation by way of an indicator or target. Typically, the front is where the building entry occurs-usually on the ground or first floor. With this piece of the puzzle in place, it is quite easy to determine the rear and side elevations. However, for determining a building's exterior elevations by compass direction (N/S/E/W) without the benefit of plan/RCP indicators, a little more interpretation is called for-thus the increased chance for a mistake to occur.