Estimating for Planning and Scheduling of Construction

When the constructor intends to starts the actual construction work in the field he has to prepare construction programme which indicates planning i.e. sequence in which he would take up various activities of the project and scheduling i.e. starting and completion of each activity. Planning and scheduling enable the contractor to organise the resources required which would involve 

1. placing orders for materials with the selected vendors, 
2. taking deliveries, transporting, storing of materials, 
3. recruiting and selecting human resources - labour, supervisors, engineers, managers etc. 
4. procurement, haulage, erection and dismantling of equipment  and plant, and 
5. payment of wages and salaries. 

Constructor has to plan the programme of expenditure. This is done with reference to the bill of quantities prepared before the commencement of the work. Activities or part thereof to he 

taken up on a unit of time (say a day) is noted from the construction programme. Estimated cost of the activities or their parts are identified from cost estimates and expenditure per unit 

time (day or week) is worked out. Thus the estimating for planning and scheduled would involve 

1. preparation of bill of quantities, 
2. preparation of construction programme, 
3. identifying the activities to be taken up as per the programme, and 
4. splitting the costs of items identified in (iii) above.