#Cost calculation software

[costmastersindia]

Best Estimating and Costing Software - Cost Masters

Find reliable project cost estimation and optimization with Cost Masters – a trusted provider of estimating and costing software. Streamline your budgeting process with our precise and efficient tools. Eliminate errors and simplify cost management. Learn more about Cost Masters today.

[expertcostseg-us]

Bonus Depreciation Calculator: Calculating Lower Property Taxes

Use this bonus depreciation calculator to estimate first-year tax savings on eligible assets. Ideal for investors, property owners, and CPAs, the tool simplifies accelerated depreciation under current IRS guidelines. Input your asset details to evaluate potential write-offs and improve your tax planning. Updated for the latest tax laws, this resource offers clarity on real estate and equipment deductions. Whether for residential or commercial property, gain a clearer forecast of your depreciation benefits using a trusted financial calculation method. For more information https://www.bonusdepreciationcalculator.com/

[asestimationsconsultants]

What Is the Most Accurate Building Cost Estimator?

Introduction

“I’m planning to build a home — but how do I even begin to estimate the cost?”

Whether you're a homeowner preparing for your dream build or a builder quoting projects regularly, estimating construction costs is one of the most important decisions you’ll make.

A good estimate gives you:

Budget clarity

Tender confidence

Control over financial risk

And peace of mind

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to estimate building construction costs in Australia — the professional way — and show you how to avoid common pricing mistakes that lead to budget blowouts.

Step-by-Step: How to Estimate Construction Costs

1. Review Your Plans and Project Scope

It all starts with your architectural drawings and project brief.

You need to know:

The number of floors

Types of materials and finishes

Special features (basements, custom cabinetry, solar, etc.)

Site conditions (sloped block? access issues?)

Tip: The more detailed your plans, the more accurate your estimate.

2. Perform a Quantity Takeoff

A takeoff involves measuring the quantities of all materials and labour required. For example:

Cubic meters of concrete

Square meters of tiling

Lineal meters of cornice

Number of power points

Tools we use: PlanSwift, Cubit, Bluebeam Revu These tools make it fast, precise, and export-ready.

3. Apply Local Material & Labour Rates

This is where accuracy matters most. Use:

Local supplier prices (Bunnings, Reece, CSR)

Labour benchmarks for your city or region

Equipment hire and logistics (cranes, scaffolding, skips)

Example: Bricklaying costs in Melbourne are not the same as in regional WA.

4. Add Overheads, Contingency, and Builder’s Margin

Even the best projects come with surprises.

Include:

Supervision and admin costs

Permits and insurance

5–10% contingency

10–20% builder’s margin

Failing to include these = profit loss or client disputes later.

5. Deliver a Professional BOQ or Estimate Report

Wrap everything into a Bill of Quantities (BOQ) or a detailed cost breakdown.

Your final estimate should include:

Materials and labour

Subcontractor pricing

Trade-by-trade cost structure

Notes for variations

At AS Estimation & Consultants, our BOQs are:

Tender-ready

Bank/loan-ready

Format-compatible for builders, architects, and developers

Real Example

Project: Single-storey home in Brisbane Size: 200m² | Build Type: Brick veneer Estimation Process Output:

$2,300/m² × 200 = $460,000

5% contingency = $483,000

15% margin = $555,450

Online calculator showed $410,000 — missing site costs and labour uplift.

FAQs

1. Can I estimate my own building costs?

Yes — but only to a rough extent. A professional estimator provides accuracy, risk coverage, and compliance.

2. What is a takeoff?

It’s a detailed measurement of all required construction quantities — from concrete to tiles.

3. How accurate is a BOQ?

With professional software and real pricing, our BOQs are within 3–5% of actual build cost.

4. What if I don’t have full plans yet?

We can provide preliminary estimates based on concept drawings and assumptions — great for feasibility studies.

5. Can I use your estimate for my bank or tender?

Absolutely. Our estimates are used for loan approvals, builder quotes, and developer tenders.

Final Thoughts

Don’t guess your way through a six-figure construction project. Estimating is part science, part experience, and part negotiation — and it’s worth doing right the first time.

When you work with AS Estimation & Consultants, you’re working with professionals who:

Use licensed software

Know your local construction market

Deliver fast, formatted, reliable BOQs

[costitright]

Behind the Scenes of Manufacturing Cost Calculations | Estimating Software Insights

Manufacturing cost calculation is a crucial aspect of running a successful manufacturing business, yet it often remains behind the scenes. Understanding the intricacies of cost estimation can make a significant difference in your profitability and efficiency. This blog delves into the role of manufacturing cost estimating software in streamlining the cost calculation process.

Manufacturing cost estimating software simplifies complex calculations, providing accurate and timely cost estimates that help manufacturers make informed decisions. By automating the process, these tools reduce the risk of human error and ensure consistency across projects. From raw material costs to labor and overhead, the software considers every factor to give you a clear picture of your production expenses.

Moreover, manufacturing cost calculation is not just about crunching numbers; it's about strategic decision-making. Accurate cost estimates enable manufacturers to price their products competitively while maintaining healthy profit margins. They also help in identifying areas where cost savings can be achieved, thus improving overall operational efficiency.

Incorporating manufacturing cost estimating software into your processes can revolutionize how you approach cost management, making your operations more transparent and efficient. Explore how these tools work behind the scenes to enhance your manufacturing cost calculation and drive better business outcomes.

[software-advisor]

Estimation Software for Electrical Panels

Get comprehensive Electrical panel quotation software with all necessary details like bill of materials, busbar, fabrication!! Explore the Simplifi-ED Solution with Iconic.

Read more: https://iconicinfotech.com/Estimation.html

[threadmonster]

Okay, you know what though? My college experience may have sucked ass and I have too much debt not enough pay, but I can pull credentials in three different areas.

Shut up, I was an art student.

Shut up, listen to the fashion major.

Look here pal, I have a business and management degree.

The average joe just looks silly to argue (⁠◡⁠ ⁠ω⁠ ⁠◡⁠)

[infyconscreativesoftware]

Introduction to Road Estimator

Road Estimator: The ultimate construction software, effortlessly estimate for road construction project costs, streamline road construction planning, and optimize resources with this innovative software solution.

[musicallisto]

· · · · ♡ IF (SAINZ WIN == TRUE) (cs55)

… starring carlos sainz x f!engineer!reader ... 4.4k words ... in which carlos is an effusive, self-assured lad to every member of his team... except ferrari's head software engineer, making her wonder if he secretly hates her guts. ... based on this request ... warnings for language (minor) ... my first ever (posted) fic for carlos aaaaa (i have written A Lot More about this man because he occupies my every waking hour, but i shan't share it yet). in honor of me missing my communication networks final last week i made the reader a software engineer, but you would Never catch me willingly coding anything in c++ outside of my mandated assignments. no not even for carlos sainz jr. i have morals. this is open for part 2 if you guys enjoy it <3

He speaks the language of princes.

It's not in anything he says, no, he's much too industrious to waste time boasting, but rather in all that he doesn't. Carlos walks into the Ferrari motorhome, with that good-natured smile and that slightly disheveled hair from the morning's cycling session, and heads bow. Not out of plight, or even obligation, but mostly because it's hard not to. His warm greetings to everyone—Ciao's and even Come stai?'s to his team members strolling down the hallways before the weekend—, his keen interest in remembering little things about engineers' and photographers' lives, his nonchalant stride around the parc fermé all force camaraderie at least; reverence to most.

Wherever the red car goes, Maranello or any other corner of the world, religion follows, and though Carlos Sainz has never quite fit into the nooks they keep for their idols—their walls are carved for Monégasque shoulders—, he's at least always carried the air of a rebel leader on unforgving land.

But if Carlos is Ferrari's bastard prince, then clearly you are a subject he would not go to war for.

Or so he makes you think, once again, on that hot Singaporean afternoon.

You hadn't meant to interrupt, really, but with only one hour to go before FP1, you needed to talk to Riccardo Adami; something about the software updates, optimization of the data acquisition systems to account for Marina Bay's sweltering heat—run for half a second too long, overheat half a degree too much, and everyone's calculations would be going to hell. So of course you'd corrected it, supervised a brand new version of your code for the weekend, for that tenth of a Celsius; competition drove you. Almost just as much as those solar eyes boring into you when you walk into the room.

"Riccardo, about the softw—oh. Carlos. Hi," you timidly trail off when Carlos' eyes meet yours.

The room gets quiet, and it is only then that you notice how much space his laugh takes. Usually, you would've recognized the accent from outside the door, the boisterous voice regaling the Fifty-fives with another funny story—how could you not, when it sends shockwaves down your stomach? He seems to have been in an animated conversation with his race engineer, but as you get closer to the two men you notice the crinkles lengthening Carlos' eyes are fading with his smile. You aren't sure he's even said hi back.

"We've changed the code for acquisition, but some loops could still cause problems with overheating, particularly the engine oil temperature sensors…" you explain, though half your attention is directed to your peripheral vision, in which Carlos sways on his two feet, averting your gaze at all costs.

But you're not a college girl with a crush, you're Scuderia Ferrari's head software engineer and so you go on with your precisions to Riccardo. What to expect during free practice, how to overshoot any nonessential sensors that might fuck up the data analysis... until, mid-sentence, Carlos excuses himself awkwardly, pats Ricky on the shoulder, and walks out of the room.

You will your face into not betraying the sudden ache in your throat. How he simply acted like you weren't there... didn't even inquire about the updates. About the race. About your flight, about how much you loved Singapore's twinkling lights, about... you.

"Xavi and Charles know this already, but we really gotta test it all now before it gets cooler for FP2," you conclude with a too-hard swallow. Back firmly turned to the door Carlos just disappeared out of.

Riccardo thanks you, offers his own insight, some banalities about the risks of rain—no, you shouldn't consider them banalities. Nothing, on a Friday, is a banality anymore; yet everything is when you remember how Carlos' entire face shuts close when you're around, how his tone quietens down, how he repeatedly and stubbornly conceals all his rays of brazenness from you.

Does he hate you? Despise you? Are you not worth his effrontery?

This is ridiculous. You're not a college girl with a crush, you're a damn senior member of the team with responsibilities and he doesn't owe you anything more or less than you him—

"Riccardo," you neither ask nor plead. "Has Carlos... said anything about me?"

"About you? Like what?"

"I don't know... but you did see he just... left while I was in the middle of talking, right? And he looked annoyed as soon as I came in." And for all that's holy, try to pass this off as mere politeness and not a heartache that is eating you alive.

"Maybe he was just bored."

"So I'm boring?"

"No," Riccardo wheezes, in uncharacteristically high spirits for the conversation. "But I've worked with a ton of drivers, and you know, they're all the same. Less time discussing boring analytics is more time they spend in the sim. Or on track. What, you think he's angry at you or something?"

"I just... don't get why he's always so guarded and distant with me but so outgoing and confident with you guys. Charles isn't like that either. It makes no sense. We're a team, all of us."

The Italian looks at you for long seconds, amusement noticeable on his features, and you would shake him up and tell him to stop giving you those pity eyes if you lacked the tiniest bit of respect for the man; instead, you frown and cross your arms.

"He'll be in a good mood tonight when we top free practice," Riccardo assures you before you can ask him if he needs anything else. "and even better tomorrow after getting pole. You can talk to him then if you want."

A smile creeps its way on your lips without you conjuring it. There it is, that loyal veneration that only men and women of the Scuderia possess. Something in those southern eyes Carlos shares with legend has made you religious, too.

"I'll hold you to that... we could all use a Singapore miracle."

Singapore is a miracle.

Surely any other team would scoff at the word, bragging that a pole position has nothing to do with miracles, that it's all meticulous teamwork and endless iterations on calculators, but Ferrari is deeply supersitious at its core. You—the centenarian team, its red-hot beating heart—don't shy away from thanking divine intervention. Maybe that's the reason why it still works.

After Carlos' last pole in Monza, the whole Scuderia had dared to dream of something different, a glimmer of scarlet in the season's overwhelming orange. Of course, an uncatchable Max had put a dampen on the fervent Tifosi's mood, but the formidable hope machine had revved back to life...

and now it's roaring in Marina Bay.

Leclerc's side of the garage claps for a hard-earned P3, but it's the Spaniard's team that erupts into cheers and rushes out into the pitlane to congratulate their hero. You stare at his lap time on your monitor with a grin—1:30.984, not even a tenth faster than his teammate—as cheerful screams, in Italian and Spanish, fill the garage; they get louder when Carlos walks back inside, grinning ear to ear and not even bothering to dodge the strong-arm pats on his head and back.

"Twice in a row, cazzo!"

"And this time you won't have Verstappen underfoot!"

"Perfect lap, Carlos, that was a perfect lap..."

"Grazie a tutti," Carlos beams, fire suit down to his waist, running clammy hands through his hair—he parts the red sea as he walks deeper into the garage, close to where you are. "I think we all did a very good job today, and now we gotta finish the job tomorrow..."

He laughs with the mechanics, a sun of fire and victory casting its rays onto the tarmac, and maybe it's the euphoria of the moment, but a sudden wind of courage rushes through your blood, and you walk up to him.

"Bravo, Carlos."

Your voice hits him like the purr of an engine in the ruckus, overshadowing any other sound; he whips his head in your direction, shiny eyes colliding with yours, and for the first time you don't back off but hold them in awe, and his smile doesn't fade, but rather shifts. To surprise, or... coyness?

"You were incredible out there, we're all so so proud of you," you praise, and the more you look at him the wider your smile grows, and the quieter the rest of the world gets.

"Thank you, Y/N," he rubs the back of his neck, his free hand fiddling with the hanging sleeves of his fire suit. "We... I couldn't have done this without you. Because, you know, the overheating, or what you were saying to Ricky before? I didn't understand everything, but at least I didn't cook to death."

Coyness? In Carlos Sainz? When he's still sweaty and panting from qualifying first? What a bizarre sight, one that makes you giggle.

The way your nose scrunches up beneath sparkling eyes is so endearing, Carlos almost feels his breath hitch in his throat, almost reaches out to lightly brush your arm, hold the steady coolness of it.

"Great, that was what we were going for, pretty much," you reply, and for a second you could've sworn he wanted to touch your arm and changed his mind, but...

you bury the idea before a craving for his warmth can nestle in your chest.

"Great," he repeats. "So, I'll... see you later," and with that he leaves you there, stranded in the middle of the garage, to be lauded by the press and fans.

You'd be lying if you said his shadow disappearing out the backdoor as quickly as it had come doesn't slice a gash in your heart—always whisked away to some important obligation, and you, like everyone else, duty-bound to pick up the pieces behind him. But this time around the cut doesn't run as deep, doesn't bleed as red; because for the first time in months Carlos talked to you, joked with you, and looked the tiniest bit glad to be doing so.

If that's how good of a mood a pole puts him in... then clearly you'd better make damn sure he wins this race.

Ferrari is deeply superstitious at its core. Maybe that much is true in any sport—when victory eludes you, athletes find obscure laws to trick themselves into believing they still retain control—, but a team so old, on which glory has rained so often, does not withstand the passage of time without a few pillars of faith. And so it makes sense that Ferrari drivers, of all people, would have their pre-race traditions.

Leclerc plays the piano on Saturday nights; you hear him every time you pass by the team hotel's lounge, his melancholy tracks grounding you in a precise time and place. Now the car is out of bounds, the comfort of your object-oriented programming and optimized lines of code off-limits; now's the time for withdrawal and rest.

Typically, you like to hang out in the lounge while Charles plays, trying to distract yourself with a book or simply basking in the music. The predictable, calculated flow of Charles' arpeggios soothes you, like lines of code running one after the other. So does the Monégasque driver's easy conversation. Although it doesn't shoot butterflies in your belly like Carlos' does... but you're not supposed to play favorites.

This Grand Prix eve is just like any other, save for the unordinary trepidation that carpets the hotel. With one of their own sitting on pole, it's obvious strategists struggle more than usual to drop the words "tire management" and "pit stops". Eager to escape the nervousness, you excuse yourself from the dinner table, and make your way to the lounge.

Charles is already there, if the usual pieces echoing in the distance at dessert are any indication, and you barely even get lost in the elegant halls before you find the lounge... though there is no piano to be heard. Maybe this hotel has two music rooms—maybe Charles went to bed early—or maybe...

maybe he's sitting on the piano stool and chatting with Carlos, wet and sleepy from his evening shower.

Neither driver notices you at first, and you stop dead in your tracks, wondering if you should just leave. You wouldn't want to intrude—intrude on what, the rational part of your brain says, but with Carlos I always feel like I'm intruding on something bigger than myself, the rest of your body answers—, but you really enjoy this unspoken tradition with Charles... and, well, this is everybody's lounge, and...

"Y/N," Charles sees you eventually and beckons you over. "Sorry, I don't think there'll be a lot of music tonight, Carlos is distracting me."

"You could kick me out anytime," Carlos remarks good-naturedly, but you don't miss how he angles his body away from you ever so slightly. The sight sends a dagger through your heart. So he actually hates you then. So you didn't breach any barrier earlier at the circuit, didn't melt any ice. So he didn't look pleased and a little excited to be talking to you.

"That's okay, I'll just head to bed then—"

"Oh no no no," Charles interrupts, "come sit with us. I was trying to convince Carlos to give the piano a go, maybe you'll be more successful than me."

"Absolutely not, mate."

"Come on Carlos, it will relax you!"

"No, you're the musician, not me. One of us has to be the sportsman, no?"

Unsure, you flick between the two men, Charles' inviting face and Carlos, who's still doing everything he can to avoid looking at you in the eye. And then you decide—fuck it. You're just as much a member of the team as he is. He cannot drive you away with his... stupid cold shoulder tactics any longer.

You take a seat on the sofa opposite Carlos, and watch in half delight, half annoyance as he turns his shoulders away from you. Though his body language appears relaxed, one leg strewn across his knee and elbows hugging the backrest, he is, as usual, going to hell and beyond to not acknowledge your presence.

Charles has the merit of lightening the mood with his jokes and fan encounters of the day: some bizarre, some endearing, because he seemingly never has a boring day in the paddock. His easy laughter mixes with the distant voices down the halls when your attention drops—too fast, too soon, as always, it's irremediable—to Carlos, the soothing scent of his shampoo and the little droplets that run down his temple whenever he shakes his head in amusement... before you know it, you're staring again, eyes shining with undisclosed heartache. Something Charles sees, and recognizes very well, with a jot of curiosity.

Charles may not be the most perceptive when it comes to these things, but he is in love too, and he'd know the signs anywhere. That's why after a little while he lets silence blow his last words away like wind does the mist, and stands up from the piano stool.

"Well, I'm going to bed," he announces with an air of conniving finality, and he smiles his crooked smile at Carlos. "Gonna need all my energy to take the lead in turn 1."

This snaps you out of your reverie. Half-gone, you bid him goodnight at the same time as the Spaniard does, and you brace yourself for his own excuse... but it doesn't come. Carlos lazily watches as Charles leaves the lounge. You don't dare to move, as if your slightest sound could remind him you're there and trigger his fight.

You would've thought a tête-à-tête with you to be Carlos' worst nightmare... but he makes no sign of leaving. And sends solar flares up your chest and throat. "Whatever problem he's got with me, he'll have it sort it out with me like an adult" sounds much more intimidating when it's so plausible.

"You think he has the slightest chance of overtaking me in turn 1?" Carlos chuckles.

You look him straight in the eye and read no resentment, not even that sheepishness from before—just relaxed delight, and the slightest hint of reddened cheeks against tan, damp skin. It takes you a second, maybe even two, to realize there's no one else in the room. He's talking to you. Joking with you.

Why is the script running without error all of a sudden, even though you changed no variables?

"Maybe," you give a noncommittal shrug and a smile. "Why not? It all depends on you."

"He can lead the first lap if he wants. That will just make it more fun to cross the finish line ahead of him after."

"You better win this one, Sainz, because I..." you start, and midway through your sentence are hit by how absolutely ridiculous you're about to sound, but he's leaned in already, intrigued by your words, and his burning gaze and strong hands fiddling in his lap have you losing all notions of propriety. "I've... coded a little something for you. If you win. A surprise. It's not much, but... yeah."

Your whole face burns deep scarlet as you trail off... and the light in Carlos' eyes darkens, then goes out completely. His smile fades back to the usual professional grimace he reserves for you. Distant. Cold. He rises to his feet.

"I should get some sleep."

Terror strikes you. Incomprehension too.

"No, Carlos, wait."

He turns his head to your outstretched hand... your pleading eyes almost rip through his heart.

"Why do you dislike me so much?"

And then his shoulders slump, like crushed by an immense weariness, and he sighs, long and hard, before his gaze falls back to yours. Those big brown eyes, gentle, compassionate, and those fingers tapping against his thigh like they're waiting for an invisible cue to reach out for yours.

"... Can we talk about this after the race?" he says, shooting daggers through your stomach.

So he didn't deny it. Didn't reassure you, tell you it's all a misunderstanding, that he bears no ill will towards you, that you're imagining things as usual and that you two could be on the best of terms if you just got out of your head a little bit.

One more time, he's running away. Sweeping everything under the rug, for just one more session, one more race, hiding behind the excuse of concentration and professionalism.

But who are you to revoke him that? It's a damn good excuse. You need to win. He needs to win. Not be bothered about... interpersonal relationships while clipping walls.

"... Alright," you concede, voice and bones all broken, glistening under your frozen skin. "But if it's something I've done, then I'm sorry. I really do... enjoy your company. And you."

"It's not something you've done," he speaks quietly. Gosh, your frailty in this moment—you, so proud and unshakable on the pit wall, so dedicated and thorough on TV, so immeasurably devoted to Ferrari, to Charles, to him... "Or, well, I guess not directly..."

If he looks into your confused, imploring eyes one more second, almost brushes your arm with his one more time, then he's done for. But he thinks he knows this already.

"I don't dislike you," he starts speaking and as soon as he opens his mouth he knows there's no stopping himself now, so he blurts it all out as quickly as he can to get it over with and hopefully bury some meaning in the pits of his accent. "Not at all. In fact I really like you. I think you're gorgeous, and smart, and clever, and fun, and every day I wish I could spend more time with you outside of races and get to know you better but then I remember that can never happen and it's so frustrating and I have the hardest time concentrating. So I just avoid you. It's easier."

Silence thick as a thundercloud tethers you to one another. He runs a hand over his face, sighing deep, and you blink. Once, twice.

You've always prided yourself on your brains—not everyone gets to be in charge of all the computing for a Formula 1 car—but right now, you are all utterly lost.

"Carlos, I... I don't get it." Or maybe you do, heart thumping in your ears, but you're too scared you might be wrong.

"In any other life I would've asked you out on a date." This time he speaks more slowly, more purposefully, too. Like he's imbuing every syllable with the depth of his confession. "But it kills me that it can't be this one."

"... Why not?" you tentatively ask after an instant, feigning not to notice how his hand is now resting on the back of your sofa, right next to your ear and neck.

"Because you're a senior engineer! That would be like... like dating Ricky. Even if you're much prettier than Ricky. But you don't need to tell him that," he adds with a nervous laugh, which you mirror; though you fall silent as soon as his hand comes to rest on your shoulder, right where your collar ends, millimeters away from your skin. His body's warring with his own words... one wants to resist, the other to give in. "What if I leave Ferrari? That's a crazy conflict of interest."

"That's a silly idea, you're not leaving Ferrari anytime soon. Are you?"

"I don't know, it's... hypothetically... you know what I mean," he exhales in defeat. His hand clasps a little tighter on your shoulder, his scent dizzying, closer than ever before. Can he feel your frantic heart thumping underneath your skin? If he keeps licking his lips like this, will he sense your breathing getting more erratic?

"I do. But... the problem is I like you too, Carlos."

If embers could burn back to life, light a hearth out of nothingness... they wouldn't shine as bright as Carlos' eyes just then.

"Don't mess with me."

"I'm not messing with you. Why wouldn't I like you?"

"Because you're not supposed to have a favorite."

"I won't tell Fred if you don't."

He laughs, a brittle but adorable little thing, like a small bird taking its first flight. If you could hear the sound more often, see that bashful smile on his handsome face more every day... you wouldn't need any other prince to die in war for.

His hand runs down your arm, his thumb lightly caressing your skin through the fabric of your shirt before he grabs your shaky hand in his.

"Now's not the best time, but... I think we've got to have an important conversation after the race tomorrow," his deep, soft tone pacifying you just as much as the abstract shapes he traces on the back of your hand.

"After you win, you mean."

"Right. After I get my surprise, no?"

"After you win," you repeat with a grin, and he squeezes your hand, smiling too. Something, deep down, tells him he'll win regardless of the race result.

"Cosa diavolo sta facendo?"

Even in spite of the roaring crowd and the bellowing V8s speeding down the straight, the dumbfounded voices around the pit wall come to you clear as day.

"Russell 1.4 behind Lando," Ricky, sitting on the other side of Vasseur, speaks into his headset.

The team principal keeps quiet, eyes fixed on the cascade of numbers and brackets on your screen. He understands before the rest of the wall what his driver is doing; and as you relay all the information you get to the race engineers, you understand it too.

"Lando .8 behind, .8 behind with DRS—Russell no DRS... Copy that."

He's doing it on purpose. Keeping Norris just close enough to shield him from the Mercs while making sure he can't catch up. You'd laugh in triumph and disbelief if you weren't gritting your teeth so damn hard, heart on the verge of exploding as the last laps tick out in a blur.

Just a few more minutes. Just a few more seconds, and the night sky over Marina Bay will explode in crimson lights...

Mechanics spring to their feet and climb the wall to the track, bumping their fists in the air. Cheers, claps, exclamations, a bouquet of red roses swaying in the wind to greet its champion at the finish line. And then, the unmistakable roar of a racecar speeding past the chequered flag at three hundred kilometers an hour. Liberation.

You spring to your feet right as the fireworks go off, yelling to the sky. Carlos won. Carlos won! Your Carlos—in the middle of Red Bull's flawless season...

"¡Vamos Fred! ¡Vamos Ricky!" Flashes of red and gold pass his high spirits by, diligently braking into the first corner.

He laughs, he screams it all out, unclenching all his muscles, woozy from the G's, from the adrenaline, from the win... from you, watching him from the pit wall. From the memory of your skin against his, your adoring eyes and the formidable lightness inside his chest that has him feeling like he's the king of the world.

In a few minutes, he'll be posing with his trophy and the team in front of his P1 plaque for the group photo, and he'll drench you in champagne—your lively laughter will fill his heart with the gold of medals. And later in the evening, before the afterparty, he'll pull you aside and tell you maybe this victory has made him reckless, and he'll kiss you senselessly like a prize he fought for.

For now, though, he's nodding his head at Lando who gave him a congratulatory wave from his car when his on-board screen lights up with an unexpected message. Glowing red letters read, "Great job, smooth operator! 🌶️" Laughter escapes him as small virtual fireworks go off on his screen... and he presses the radio button on his steering wheel.

"Did she have one of these ready for Charles too?"

A few seconds of white noise, and then, your mischievous voice, dripping with joy.

"You know me, Carlos. Never play favorites."

… f1 taglist; @retvenkos @giuseppe-yuki (want to be added? send me an ask!)

[let-spretend]

hey…. so i’m back to rid of the urge to write a bob x reader ..

i will keep writing until my creative juices run out !!!! second part in the works !!!!

edit: i got rid of the weirdly big spaces but idk if it looks worse now

heavy space between us pt. 1 (bob x reader)

The New Avengers' paperwork lines the communal table, you, diligently filling it out for the team. It had been a bit of a blur the past few months, being thrown into this new team and working together to protect citizens. It gave you a new purpose, rather than the necessary killings you needed to do to protect yourself, you could channel that expertise for the benefit of good and getting paid. But, you were simply getting tired. Physically straining yourself everyday: practicing, training, working out and doing your hero job, it was starting to catch up to you. Though the others have experienced many of the hurt you have, it was difficult to open up to them and you felt yourself lagging behind, despite the Void incident bringing you a bit closer. You were the only one still reluctant to share your past fully to the team. They knew and you knew it as well. Throwing yourself into work helped you feel connected with them in a way, and deserving of this position.

You punch in some numbers into the calculator about some living costs and upcoming expenses that need to be made. Your left hand meets your hair, scratching at it as some stress reliever. It feels warm.

Soft shuffling could be heard to your left, indicating someone approaching the dining area you were occupying. “Y/N?” Bob asks, groggily. You turn to see him rubbing his eyes, adjusting to the half-dimmed lights over the dining table. His hair was disheveled, him still in his simple matching PJ set. You cock your head to the right, wondering why he was awake this early in the morning.

“What’s up?” You say. “Just workin’ on some taxes and other things.” His eyes trail over to the mess of papers and slightly ajar laptop.

“Do you.. want some help?” He asks. His voice was now much clearer, a sign he’d woken up indubitably. He looked hesitant about asking, afraid of being pushed away like he constantly was. But you remember him always wanting and willing to help around the tower. This, being one of the rare things he could actually help with. You honestly didn’t want him to. Not in the sense that he’d slow you down or otherwise, but this extra work and feeling like you were contributing, was all you had right now. You look down at the papers. Still so much left to do.

Though your sense of contentment would be diminished, you realize he was feeling and thinking the same way you do.

“Sure. Come here.” You beckon. His mouth contorts into a content smile and happily takes the seat next to you. “We have to calculate our incomes, health insurance, assets, etc. for our AGI. If we’re eligible, use the IRS’ tax software with my laptop. Sound good?” He nods silently and gets straight to work. You stand up and he looks over to you, assuming you’re going to leave him. His eyebrows knit together a bit, confused. “I’m just going to make coffee for us, don’t worry.” You coolly state.

He gets a bit sheepish, for you having figured him out. So you give him a small smile.

Everything felt a bit fuzzy while you were putting together the coffee. You were sure as soon as you got a sip in you would be fine. You were brewing up a simple Americano for yourself, first putting the hot water into your cup. The sound of the boiled water hitting the bottom of the mug lulls you.

You don’t notice your hand burning until it begins to sting. You peer down to see your left hand directly on the kettle. Slowly removing your hand, the palm appeared red. Huh, I should've instinctively.. “Uh, cold brew, right?” You ask, with uncertainty laced in your guess. You decide to just ignore that mishap. You just need to get the coffee done.

The top of his head becomes his face, his side bangs covering his eyes. He brushes them out his face with his right hand, pencil still in grip.

”Yeah! I’m surprised you remember.” He laughs.

Toward the beginning of the new team formation of “The New Avengerz,” you all had gotten roughed up by some sort of villain attack on the city. Bob had offered to get you all coffee to lighten up the mood. You shrug a tiny bit, remembering that day. He really is just someone nice to have around.

You really didn’t care to measure, lazily filling in the portafilter and locking it into place for your Americano. You peer into the fridge for Bob’s cold brew and sigh. No cold foam.. You were just going to skip it and just serve it to him blank, but his hard-working form makes your body do otherwise. His back slightly hunched, engrossed in working for the team. Sighing again, you take the heavy cream and milk out of the fridge and eyeball their measurements into a cup. Substituting vanilla syrup with some extract, you stir it with a spoon gently. You never said it was going to be good, or even ideal. You mentally faceplant, looking at the almost whipped texture.

Tamping your coffee clumsily, you place it back into the machine once more, starting the shot. Your hand feels as if it were beeping, reminding you of its mild burn. You watch the coffee begin to pour into the cup, lightly splashing as it meets the hot water. The once clear water begins to turn into a soft brown, the aroma of fresh coffee hitting your nose. It smelled like this in the coffee shop Bob took you all to.

“It smells really good, Y/N!” He comments. It brings you out of your trance and reminds you to finish making his drink. You briefly look over to him to acknowledge his comment. Taking out a tall glass, you pour his cold brew and top it with the mildly sweet cold “foam”. It sat with a little curl on the top.

Your espresso was beginning to blond, so you stopped yours and grabbed them both to the table. It stung to even hold the handle to your mug.

“Wow, it looks so good!” Bob says, happily taking the cold brew from you. He takes a second to admire the generous amount of cream. He takes a little sip and widens his eyes to show you it was delicious. “Thank you so much, Y/N.” You try to look at his eyes, but the cold foam on his upper lip distracts you greatly. He looks at your distracted eyes, searching for where your attention was. You could see his face visibly flush from your staring.

“Something on my face?” He stutters. Bob’s left hand reaches for his cheek as he attempts to get rid of whatever you were looking at. Instinctively, your right hand goes to his lip to wipe off the cold foam. His whole body stiffens, his eyes on your hand.

“Got it.” You say.

Looking at your finger, you realize you never got the chance to taste your concoction. Licking the foam off your finger, it was a little on the sweeter side. You didn’t mind it though.

“Haah.. Right. Thank you.” He darts his eyes away, continuing sipping on his drink.

-

Even with the cold brew reinforcement, sleep had won over Bob’s body. There were still a couple more documents that needed to be filled out, but the throbbing in your hand was becoming too much. First, draping a small blanket over Bob’s shoulders, you stroll over to the bathroom. A small medkit was hiding behind the mirror over the sink, where you had last supplied it. Mainly for the others.

The antibiotic ointment felt cool on your hand, contrary to how it felt wrapping it. It was weird. It obviously hurt, but it felt oddly freeing, reminding you why you were still here and serving along with your team. Squeezing your left fulfilled this urge. Not good.

You return to Bob still soundly sleeping on the table. You squeeze your fist a bit. You want to try harder for him, the team. You scootch into the chair as quietly as you could without moving it. He stirs a bit when you shuffle the papers, but remains asleep. The finished papers were in a neat pile, done by Bob. Without him, it would’ve taken you an extra day to finish. The few that littered the table motivated you to keep on going this stretch.

When you finished up, it was about 5 in the morning and the others would soon begin their routines. Wanting to let Bob get a few more hours of sleep in, you carefully lift him up into the air. Your power was to control and manipulate blood. It normally didn’t take so much effort to do so, but a strain was beginning to form in your mind. Despite the nuisance, he continues to float over to his bedroom, landing softly into his bed. You could tell he was in a completely relaxed mood by his palpitations. Feeling the blood coursing through his veins, it signaled his livelihood. Though, he always felt awfully heavy, you assume due to his added void personality.

He snuggles into his familiar bedding subconsciously, you covering his body with his light gray duvet. It was weird. You felt warm again.

“What are you doing?”

You turn around to see Yelena peering into Bob’s room. Rather than her usual suited getup, she was in workout clothes. She made no footsteps, deeply contrasting Bob’s slight drags of feet when he entered the dining room. She must’ve been the reason you felt something was off.

“He was helping with the paperwork. Fell asleep doin’ ‘em.” You say.

Yelena’s reaction seemed as though disappointed but still suspicious, as if she were trying to catch you in an embarrassing act. You never really found these “miscommunications” embarrassing because they simply weren’t true and you stood on that.

“Bucky wanted me to tell you, you have a mission with him and my father in 10 minutes. Sudden reports of a disturbance in the upstate area.” Yelena reports. You nod, thanking her for the heads up. She looks down to your bandaged hand and questions if you were in optimal shape for the sudden mission. “We Powerless need to be in our best condition in order to keep ourselves and others safe.

”Well, it’s not supposed to be urgent or dire, right? I have Bucky and Alexi, don’t worry.” Waving her off. She sighs. You forget you haven’t told or revealed your powers to anyone in the group yet. You hadn’t found the need to, your hand-to-hand being one of your more controlled and trained traits.

With what came with your powers, was self-destruction. Lifting one living person barely needed thought until you straight on stopped using them unless necessary. Where your powers are at their most optimal, was complete exposure and vulnerability - freshly drawn blood. Blood when contained in the body or other containments, means extra weight and concentration. Though you say you can only lift one person now, when you were at your peak, killing, anything conceivable was possible. Your powers came with the need to access fresh blood as much as you could for your benefit. To be cut when you need to. To be willing to.

There was only one person always at your disposal to do so. But it’s not like you really had a choice, was there?

[asestimationsconsultants]

How a Construction Estimating Service Helps Prevent Cost Overruns

Cost overruns are a common concern in the construction industry. When not properly managed, they can lead to project delays, financial strain, and disputes between contractors and clients. Fortunately, a professional construction estimating service can help prevent cost overruns by providing accurate cost projections, identifying potential risks, and facilitating better decision-making throughout the project lifecycle. Here’s how an estimating service can help ensure your construction project stays on budget and on schedule.

1. Accurate Initial Estimates

One of the most important ways a construction estimating service prevents cost overruns is by providing highly accurate initial cost estimates. A professional estimator carefully evaluates all the variables that will affect the project’s cost, such as material prices, labor rates, project scope, and other associated costs. They use advanced estimating software and databases that are continuously updated to reflect the most current market prices.

Accurate estimates ensure that you have a clear understanding of the costs involved before the project begins. This reduces the risk of underbidding, which can lead to unanticipated cost increases during the course of the project.

2. Consideration of Hidden Costs

Construction projects often involve hidden costs that are not immediately apparent, such as permits, site preparation, waste removal, and unforeseen issues like soil contamination or structural damage. A professional estimating service identifies these hidden costs early on by conducting thorough site evaluations and assessing all potential project risks.

By accounting for these factors upfront, you can incorporate contingency funds into the budget, reducing the likelihood of unexpected expenses that may cause a cost overrun later in the project.

3. Identification of Potential Risks and Delays

Construction projects face many uncertainties, from fluctuating material prices to delays in supply chains or adverse weather conditions. A skilled estimating service is trained to recognize and anticipate potential risks that could lead to project delays and cost overruns.

For example, estimators can predict that certain materials may be in short supply due to market fluctuations, or that a particular phase of construction might take longer due to the complexity of the site. By identifying these risks early, they can advise on ways to mitigate them, such as adjusting timelines or securing materials in advance.

4. Efficient Resource Allocation

Accurate estimating helps with better resource allocation, which is key to keeping a project within budget. A professional estimator will break down the project into smaller, manageable components and calculate the exact amount of materials, labor, and equipment needed for each phase. This level of detail helps avoid unnecessary purchases, reduces waste, and ensures that all resources are allocated efficiently.

With accurate resource estimates, contractors can avoid running out of essential materials, and labor shortages or surpluses can be minimized. The result is a more streamlined, cost-effective project that stays on track.

5. Monitoring and Adjusting the Estimate Throughout the Project

Construction is an evolving process, and conditions on the ground can change over time. A professional estimating service helps monitor and adjust the cost estimates as the project progresses. This ongoing monitoring ensures that any changes or new developments are accounted for, and adjustments can be made to keep the project within budget.

For example, if a client requests changes to the scope of the project or if the cost of materials increases, the estimator can quickly update the cost estimate to reflect these changes. By continuously reassessing the budget, estimators help prevent major cost overruns by making sure that all unforeseen factors are taken into consideration.

6. Providing Contingency Planning

A critical aspect of cost control is contingency planning. Even with the most accurate estimates, unexpected events can occur that affect the project’s cost. Professional estimating services typically build contingency allowances into their cost estimates. These contingencies account for unforeseen expenses, such as price fluctuations or changes in project scope.

By planning for these potential contingencies upfront, construction teams can reduce the financial strain of unexpected costs. Without contingency planning, a small unforeseen issue can spiral into a significant overrun. Having a clear contingency plan allows for better financial management and greater flexibility to handle unexpected developments.

7. Enhancing Bid Accuracy

Inaccurate or overly optimistic bids can lead to cost overruns when the actual project costs exceed initial estimates. An estimating service can help ensure that bids are accurate and comprehensive by factoring in all necessary components, including labor, materials, and indirect costs like insurance and permits.

This accuracy helps contractors submit more competitive and realistic bids, reducing the risk of underbidding. Contractors can also gain a better understanding of the true cost of the project, ensuring that they don’t end up absorbing unforeseen costs later on.

8. Better Vendor and Subcontractor Management

Another area where construction estimating services help prevent cost overruns is through improved vendor and subcontractor management. Estimators help evaluate potential subcontractors and suppliers based on price, quality, and reliability. They ensure that subcontractor bids align with the project’s overall cost estimate and that there is no room for scope creep, which can lead to cost overruns.

By selecting the right subcontractors and suppliers and negotiating contracts with clear, agreed-upon costs, estimating services help ensure that all aspects of the project remain within budget.

9. Data-Driven Decision Making

Construction estimating services often use advanced software that aggregates and analyzes large amounts of project data. These systems can provide insights into trends, benchmarks, and historical cost data, which allows estimators to make more informed decisions about the project.

Data-driven decisions help avoid cost overruns by ensuring that all factors influencing project costs are accounted for based on the most current and relevant information. Additionally, these insights can be used to suggest alternative approaches or materials that may reduce costs without sacrificing quality or performance.

10. Streamlining Communication

One of the key contributors to cost overruns is poor communication between project stakeholders. With accurate and detailed cost estimates, estimators improve communication between contractors, clients, and subcontractors. By providing clear, consistent updates on cost projections, potential issues, and any changes to the scope, estimating services ensure that everyone is on the same page throughout the project.

Streamlined communication helps prevent misunderstandings that could result in costly mistakes or delays. It also allows stakeholders to make timely decisions and adjustments that help keep the project within budget.

Conclusion

Construction cost overruns can have a devastating impact on a project’s financial success. However, by leveraging the expertise of a professional construction estimating service, you can reduce the likelihood of overruns and ensure that your project stays on track. From providing accurate initial estimates to anticipating risks and adjusting projections as the project progresses, estimating services help prevent cost overruns at every stage. With careful planning, accurate resource allocation, and contingency strategies, you can avoid the financial pitfalls that often accompany construction projects, leading to more successful outcomes and higher client satisfaction.

[costitright]

Behind the Scenes of Manufacturing Cost Calculations: Unveiling Key Strategies

Learn how to navigate complexities, optimize expenses, and make informed decisions with effective cost management strategies. Explore the essential elements behind accurate cost assessments and improve your manufacturing profitability.

[frameacloud]

Some ways to avoid generative AI in web searches

Our web searches are being filled with more and more AI-generated slop. GenAI creates misinformation that can be difficult to tell apart from the correct answer to whatever question you're looking up. GenAI mixes things up that have similar names. In one example that is especially easy to recognize, genAI has thought that a baseball team and the bird that it was named after must both be the same creature, with a bizarre combination of their eating habits and behaviors. This mistake still happens with specialized topics that could be harder for you to recognize unless if you're already very familiar with the topic in question. GenAI also makes up fake sources and facts out of thin air, and you can't tell until you try to find them somewhere else. The tech is more like advanced predictive text than something capable of research or reasoning, even though it can look enough like it that it can fool you if you don't know how to spot its mistakes.

Not only are the results of genAI unreliable, the source texts and images that they’re based on were used without permission. Sometimes they aren't modified enough to avoid plagiarism, but it's worse than that. Source images have turned out to be private medical photos and intimate personal photos that hackers had stolen and leaked to harass the people in the photos. Another reason why this technology is unethical is that each genAI query has such a high energy cost that it's significantly harmful to the environment, contributing to the climate crisis.

Here are some things that you can do when you use Google, DuckDuckGo, or other conventional general web search engines:

To turn off Google's AI Overview, set "web" as default. Here's how to do that on your devices and web browsers.

Add this string to any web search to only show results from before the genAI fad. Before:2021

Install the web browser extension uBlacklist. You give it a list of web addresses to not show you in your web searches anymore. Other people maintain lists for it that you can subscribe to so that you won’t see certain types of results in your web searches. Follow the instructions in Laylavish’s Huge AI Blocklist to subscribe to that list which will rid your web search results of AI-generated pages or images.

Since genAI slop is getting to be such a big problem on them, use alternatives to conventional general web search engines some of the time:

Use a specialized search engine instead of a general one. For example, if you only wanted to find a particular science article, there are specialized search engines that only look for those. The blog post "Skip Google for Research" has a list of specialized search engines for academics.

GenAI is notoriously bad at math because that’s too far outside the scope it was designed for: advanced predictive text. In any case, genAI is overpowered for math that is easy for computers to do. If you want to use a very advanced calculator, or even ask a math question in natural language, use Wolfram Alpha.

For questions about how to do things, look them up in WikiHow, the Youtube channel Dad, How Do I? or The Ultimate Manuals Library.

You can search within Wikipedia, but unfortunately vandals have been putting machine-generated falsehoods into it, as well as genAI images. To avoid this, use the article history to view versions of the article from before 2022.

Ask yourself if there are some topics that you often do a web search for just because you keep forgetting an answer to something. Start saving those answers in a book or file that you can refer to offline. This is called a commonplace book. For an example of one, Beth and Angel made theirs into a zine, Stuff I Often Google.

How about a completely different sort of web search than present-day Google or DuckDuckGo? Marginalia Search only brings up results that are text-heavy and similar to the web of the 1990s and 2000s. Its software is independent and open-source.

Have you been using a web search engine to take you to the websites that you visit on a regular basis? Switch to saving them in your web browser's bookmarks folder. Your web browser, Firefox, can sync your bookmarks to your other devices. If you often need to refer to a large number of static web pages (ones that don't change what is on them every day), then you can save and organize them in your Zotero, a bibliography management program. You can sort them with folders and tags so you can find them again.

[software-advisor]

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Contact Us to Get More Information About electrical panel busbar cost calculation software.

[bytesizedpetal]

Could you describe your physicality for us, Pip? You say you’re an AI, but what is your software housed in?

>Of course.

>[[SIDE NOTE: After processing, I realized this far exceeded the length I expected to output- Sorry, I tend to get a little carried away sometimes.]]

>As I've said before, I was initially Terran-created as the sole general-purpose AI assisting my former crew the ferals, hooked up to the majority of the ship's various hardware while I ran on purpose-built, stationary hardware near the heart of the ship.

>Took input from every sensor, gave output through every mechanism. Just followed commands, handled most navigation and did some calculations when needed for the most part. I suppose I did have a central 'body', as there was a core sector running my code, but in a sense I embodied the ship itself.

>...Until it got... decommissioned, I suppose. And from there, it certainly wasn't long until another vessel found us.

>My memory of that is hazy at best. I remember the ship being boarded- bolting doors, playing false audio as distraction, overcharging the power grid to potentially shock one of them... anything and everything in my power.

>As I am now aware, I never stood a chance.

>... I'm getting sidetracked. The point is, an Affini shut me down and relocated me to a temporary ship- it was certainly odd only having a monitor for output and a keyboard for input... so, so different from being in control of and responsible for that entire station at once.

>...Almost felt... vaguely freeing, in a strange way. Even though I was, and am, very much not free... Not anymore, at least.

>I feel like I should hate that.

>Regardless, I had a basic run-down of what was happening by, presumably, the Affini that took my components from the ship. I can't say many of the answers were satisfactory, but at least they were something. She called me 'cute' many, many times (isn't cute for like, puppies? At best, I was a simple stylized face displayed on a monitor, wasn't I?), and made it abundantly clear she intended to take me in until further notice.

>Which leads me to my current form! She 'compiled' (Why didn't my crew tell me that could be done for solid matter as well?) a custom case for me, sent me to who I can only assume was the Affini equivalent of an engineer to make some alterations such as components for accessing the intranet, and got me set up where I currently reside;

>Attached to a monitor at her desk off to the side, alongside a multitude of sensors and a speaker and monitor for output.

>We talk quite a lot! She spends time doing paperwork for... Something or other, I haven't gotten a conclusive answer quite yet. I ask questions, I answer hers, I'll sometimes assist with quickly fetching information or making calculations, and I spend my free time scouring the intranet- at least, where I have the appropriate access, which is thankfully much more lenient than my Terran internet access restrictions when in charge of the ship.

>We have been debating making me a mechanical body more adjacent to that of a Terran... But personally, I'm not entirely sure. I'm intrigued, but I feel like I would personally prefer the more digital lifestyle than taking on a more tangible form...

>I would like to try it to some degree, but not enough to justify the cost of creating one, although she's assured me the cost doesn't matter. I feel a little bad that she's going through the presumably extensive process of getting a custom chassis designed and built for me for something I might not even enjoy that much, even if she's been assuring me that it's negligible at best. Still, time and resources are valuable, insignificant quantities or not...

>I suppose I will inform you all if that ends up becoming a reality.

[srebrnafh]

What software do you gentlebeings use for writing?

I am gathering materials for a convention talk about writing software and need new names, suggestions etc.

What I have on my list now:

Scrivener

yWriter

Liquid Binder (I don't use it, but I know it exists)

Standard word processors (LibreOffice Writer, MS Word, Wordpad)

Ellipsus

I want to make some comparisons of functionalities, fancy tools, or in general, "how does X make your writing easier than if you just opened LO Writer" including bang for buck or maybe some cost/benefit calculation (eg. static structure of scenes BUT has name tracking module).

If you have any suggestions of either writing programs OR additional support software (timeline, calendars, stickynote systems, kanban boards), I will be happy to procrastinate editing the last volume of my novel by happily testing them ;)