The way we estimate lumber waste has completely flipped since the 90s

I started framing houses in Austin back in 1995 and we used to figure 10% waste minimum on every job. Now I see guys budgeting 5% or less and acting surprised when they're short by the time they hit the roof. Last week a crew on a 40-unit apartment build ran out of 2x6s because their estimator only accounted for 3% waste. Has anyone else noticed digital takeoffs making people too confident with their numbers?

4 comments

4 Comments

felixhenderson1mo ago

Oh come on, its just lumber waste not brain surgery. People been building houses with rough estimates forever and somehow they still stand. If you're short a few 2x6s just send a truck to the yard, its not that deep.

iris_schmidt4d ago

Bought a pack of lumber last spring and told the guy at the yard I needed 20 two by fours. Got home and counted 18, but honestly I was too tired to drive back so I just made it work with what I had. Case in point, @casey818 might be 20 in their digital takeoff but my tape measure says we're all a few boards short sometimes. Bob's football stats from 79 probably hold up better than my last house project honestly.

casey8181mo ago

Bet my digital takeoff would say I'm still 20.

the_eric1mo ago

My neighbor Bob just turned 62 and he still swears by his high school football stats from 1979. It's funny how a number that might be a little generous can turn into the truth if we hold onto it long enough. That's been my experience anyway. We all pick some version of ourselves from the past and just carry it around forever. A digital takeoff or a photo or a memory, they all work the same way. We just pick the version we like best and ignore the rest. Your mileage may vary but I see it all the time.