RS Means
The widely used construction cost database that publishes unit prices for thousands of construction work items, updated annually.
Definition
RS Means (now published by Gordian) is the most widely used construction cost database in North America. It publishes unit prices for thousands of construction work items — material, labor, and equipment costs broken out per unit, organized by CSI MasterFormat — updated annually to reflect current pricing and adjusted by city for local cost differences.
RS Means data is available as printed cost books, software, and online subscription. It is used by estimators, owners, designers, and government agencies as a benchmark cost reference.
How rs means is used in estimating
Estimators use RS Means in two main ways. The first is as a quick benchmark for unit pricing — when a contractor’s own historical cost data is sparse on a specific scope, RS Means provides a defensible starting point. The second is for conceptual estimating, where RS Means publishes pre-built assemblies (cost per square foot of various building types) that produce credible budgets early in design.
RS Means data is not a substitute for the contractor’s own cost history on familiar work — a busy GC will have better unit prices on their core scopes than RS Means publishes, because RS Means averages across many regions and conditions. But on unfamiliar scopes, in unfamiliar locations, or for cost benchmarking against an internal estimate, RS Means is the industry-standard reference. Many public-sector estimators are required to back-check their estimates against RS Means.
When to use RS Means
Use RS Means as a benchmark, not as the primary pricing source for a competitive bid. Build your bid from current vendor quotes, recent subcontractor pricing, and your own historical productivity rates, then sanity-check the result against RS Means. Use RS Means as the primary source on conceptual estimates, on scopes outside your core experience, and in locations where you do not have historical data. Always apply the city cost index for the project location.
Frequently asked questions
Q.What does RS Means include?
Unit prices for material, labor (with default crew compositions), and equipment for thousands of work items, plus pre-built assemblies, productivity rates, and a city cost index that adjusts to local conditions.
Q.Is RS Means free?
No — it is a paid subscription product. Books, online subscriptions, and integrated software all carry a license fee. Some libraries offer access to printed editions.
Q.How often is RS Means updated?
Annually. Each new edition reflects updated material, labor, and equipment costs based on Gordian’s data collection in the prior year.
Q.Should contractors rely on RS Means for bidding?
For competitive bidding on familiar work, no — your own historical costs and current vendor quotes will be more accurate. RS Means is best used as a benchmark and a starting point for conceptual estimates or unfamiliar scopes.
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