Wholesaler · Cardiff By The Sea, CA · Member since 2016 · 1 post · 0 votes
I was considering getting the Marshall & Swift residential cost handbook or their software, but wanted to see what others are using, or if there are any comparable resources that I could consider before dropping $500.
Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2016 · 9 posts · 3 votes
10y
I am also curious what people use in the north east Houston area. I got an RS Means cost book which has a good bit of info and was much cheaper than Marshall Swift. I just don't like that digital version uses DRM so it can only be used in adobe digital editions which is garbage. Otherwise when used on my laptop it is helpful I just have not had an opportunity to verify its accuracy yet. I would buy the actual book next time. They use regional multipliers for whatever area you are in and I can't imagine it to be "accurate" but better than just guessing. I also considered the "craftsman guides" which are DRM free and work well on mobile devices since they are just PDF.
Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2015 · 99 posts · 56 votes
10y
I don't know about Marshall & Swift, but I have looked at RS Means and did use National Repair & Remodeling Estimator to estimate repairs. Both of those were hit and miss depending on the projects. It would over estimate on some projects, which can lead to missing out on deals if it bring your bottom line cost up.
So I only use those estimators as a conservative starting point, knowing that I can probably get the repair done cheaper.
Hang out at your local Home Depot and talk to the folks who work in each department. They'll tell you how much labor cost for Home Depot is for installation and you can use that as your guide. Information from those folks is more realistic and applicable to the local area in my opinion than those national estimators.