Kits
What are Kits?
Kits are packed together groups of items required for a specific job or part of a job. Some estimating systems refer to kits as ‘assemblies’, but the terms are synonymous. By associating the amount of an item or service (such as labor) required for a base amount of a task (e.g. 4 tons of gravel and 5 hours of labor to complete 100 square feet of Paver Base Preparation), you can quickly calculate the amount of materials and/or labor required for the desired amount of the job you wish to add to an estimate.
Why Use Kits?
Kits are used to streamline the creation of estimates by creating packages of Labor, Materials, Plants, Equipment, Subcontractors or Miscellaneous items that can all be added to an estimate at one time. At its most basic, a kit is a grouping of material and labor related to each other via a series of ratios or conversion factors. It is easy to see how the proper use of kits increases the speed, efficiency and consistency of building an estimate. Instead of adding each item individually to an estimate, you may simply select the required kit and tell Manage360 how much of that kit you will need for the job and the Kit will do the rest.
For example, the Paver Walkway Kit displayed under the Sample Kits section of this document ties together the amounts of paving stone, crusher run, clean fill disposal, and various labor types required to complete one (1) square foot of paving. This can then be multiplied by the number of square feet needed for the job to give the total amount of labor and material involved.
This document will cover the process of establishing your kits and then entering them into Manage360, as well as providing a few sample kits and a process on how to create and maintain your kits as your Costbook changes over time.