Materials

Material

Material prices, especially in today’s current market, fluctuate up and down continuously. The estimator must both understand and anticipate the frequency and extent of the price variations and the timing of the buying cycle. Material prices may be affected by:

  • Purchase at a peak or slack time of the year for the manufacturer
  • Material availability
  • The size of the order
  • The delivery timeframe requirement
  • Physical requirements for delivery, such as distance, road size, or site access
  • Payment terms and history on previous purchases