Sample Project Controls & Cost Tracking Matrix
Primavera P6 schedules, EVM cost tracking, subcontractor buyouts, and AIA draw audits:
Worked estimating example. Quantities show the stated scope and format; this is not a client project or a project-specific price quote.
| Project Controls Scope | Tracking Frequency | Management Objective | Senior Cost Controller Note | Estimator Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Management Milestone 01 - Primavera P6 Resource-Loaded Baseline CPM Schedule | 1 | LS | N/A | Includes critical path logic, float calculations, and subcontractor milestones |
| Management Milestone 02 - Monthly Earned Value Management (EVM) Cost Ledger | 1 | MO | N/A | Tracks CPI, SPI, actual cost vs committed budget across all CSI MasterFormat divisions |
| Management Milestone 03 - Subcontractor Buyout & Trade Contract Leveling | 14 | PKG | N/A | Reconciles scope inclusions, exclusions, and payment milestone terms |
| Management Milestone 04 - AIA G702/G703 Progress Billing & Retainage Audit | 1 | MO | N/A | Validates stored materials and completed work percentages for lender draw |
Scope and deliverables
Data-Driven Project Controls & Strategic Cost Management
Winning a profitable project on bid day is only the first hurdle—maintaining that profit through construction requires relentless cost control, proactive schedule management, and disciplined trade buyout execution.
At F&K Estimatings, our project management specialists provide fractional project controls. We establish logic-tied CPM baseline schedules in Primavera P6, level subcontractor trade packages, and monitor monthly budget burn rates with Earned Value Management (EVM).
We give general contractors and developers executive-level project controls without the overhead of full-time executive payroll.
Scope, price, and delivery are confirmed after reviewing the project documents and requested deliverables.
Deliverables for your agreed scope
Color-Coded PDF Markups
High-resolution drawing sheets with every line item, area polygon, and linear foot color-coded in Bluebeam.
Itemized CSI Excel Schedules
Measured quantities organized by CSI MasterFormat, with units and separately stated waste allowances. Labor, material and equipment rates are included only in an agreed priced estimate.
Project-Specific Pricing Basis
Cost assumptions are stated in the written proposal and can use client rates, supplier quotes, or another identified basis.
Pre-Bid RFI & Scope Gap Audit
Scope-gap notes and drawing clarifications for the agreed trades. A separate constructability review is included only when specified in the written quote.
Contractors and builders we serve
General Contractors
Needing fractional project management, CPM scheduling, and professional cost control systems.
Commercial Developers & Owners
Requiring independent third-party construction manager oversight and lender draw verification.
Trade Subcontractors
Seeking schedule delay claim documentation and defensible change order pricing support.
Design-Build Contractors
Coordinating preconstruction design schedules with critical procurement milestones.
Construction Lenders
Requiring third-party progress payment inspections and schedule of values reviews.
Project Management Support: quantities, checks and quote requirements
Project management support covers cost tracking after award: schedule of values, change-order pricing, and budget-to-actual updates prepared from your project documents.
Measurement and reporting basis
- Baseline estimate and cost-code structure
- Change log and cost-reporting inputs
- Budget-to-revision reconciliation
Documents to include
- Contract drawings and the awarded estimate
- Revised drawings, bulletins or RFIs
- Your cost reports, if you want budget tracking
Also identify the current revision, addenda, project ZIP code, requested trades and bid deadline.
A scope check before pricing
Define the requested cost-tracking or preconstruction support task. Align cost codes with the estimate and change log so revised scope can be reconciled with the baseline budget.
Scope limits: On-site supervision, safety management and full construction-management authority are excluded from estimating support.
Worked estimating example
Make a quantity revision visible in the cost log
If a recorded scope changes from 100 to 120 units, the measurable change is 20 units. That change alone does not establish an approved change order or schedule impact.
- What the estimate should record
- Record the old and new revision, quantity difference, rate basis and approval status. Keep pending changes separate from the accepted project budget.
- Resolve before pricing
- Who approves the cost change, and which project records define the baseline?
US project coverage for project management support
For US projects, include the ZIP code and the location-sensitive inputs below.
- Identify the project location, reporting calendar and cost-code structure for the requested cost-tracking support.
- Record local vendor revisions, delivery changes and location-related change orders against the agreed estimate baseline.
The proposal records the pricing date, cost sources and unconfirmed allowances. Explore US service area information or send your project details for a scope quote.
Use the document checklist above to request quantities only, a priced estimate or a review of an existing bid.
Request a project management support scope quoteScope coverage for your bid package
Critical Path Method (CPM) Scheduling
Primavera P6 and MS Project logic-driven schedules, milestone tracking, float analysis, and delay claim defense.
Earned Value Management (EVM) & Cost Control
Work breakdown structures (WBS), committed cost tracking, cost variance forecasting, and cash flow modeling.
Subcontractor Buyout & Contract Leveling
Scoping trade packages, drafting scope sheets, leveling sub quotes, and mitigating bid day gaps.
Material Procurement & Delivery Tracking
Early long-lead purchase schedules, vendor expediting, delivery staging, and storage log management.
AIA Progress Billing & Pay Application Audits
G702/G703 schedule of values preparation, stored materials auditing, and lender draw documentation.
Change Order Pricing & Claims Validation
Forensic cost reviews of subcontractor change order requests (CORs), time-and-material audits, and RFI impacts.
From document review to your deliverables
- 01
Share the current bid set
Send issued drawings, specifications, addenda, location and deadline. Identify the trade packages and outputs you need.
- 02
Agree the written scope
Confirm included work, exclusions, estimating fee and delivery date before work starts.
- 03
Measure and review
Organize the agreed quantities or review findings. Record assumptions, missing information and scope clarifications.
- 04
Receive the agreed package
Review the deliverables against the written scope. Raise questions and identify any later drawing revisions separately.
Software and reporting standards
Measured quantities follow the agreed scope and are organized by applicable CSI MasterFormat divisions. Pricing sources and assumptions are identified separately when a priced estimate is requested.
| Software / tool | Purpose | Reporting basis |
|---|---|---|
| PlanSwift Pro | Digitized linear, count, and area takeoff quantification | Industry Benchmark |
| Bluebeam Revu | Vector drawing markup, multi-discipline overlay & RFI logging | CSI MasterFormat |
| Client Rates / Supplier Quotes | Project-specific pricing basis when a priced estimate is requested | Assumptions Stated |
Estimating fees and delivery
Most single-trade estimates are delivered in 24–48 hours; larger packages take longer and the written quote confirms the date Exact fee and date are confirmed in the written quote.
| Scope / project type | Typical delivery | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|
| Single-trade material takeoff | Typically 24–48 hours after approval | $150–$1,000 typical |
| Residential construction estimate | Typically 2–4 business days after approval | $400–$1,000 typical |
| Commercial preconstruction package | Typically 3–5 business days after approval | $150–$1,000 typical |
| Industrial & heavy civil takeoff | Typically 4–7 business days after approval | $1,000–$5,000+ typical |
| Ongoing estimating support | Priority queue agreed in writing | $1,800/mo typical |
These are estimating-service fees. Drawings, scope and requested delivery determine the written proposal.
Frequently asked questions
What construction project management and cost control services do you provide?
We provide fractional preconstruction project management, Earned Value Management (EVM) budget tracking, Primavera P6 / MS Project Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling, subcontractor buyout support, and monthly pay application (AIA G702/G703) audits.
Can you assist with material procurement scheduling and delivery logistics?
Absolutely. Our project managers align line-item takeoff quantities with vendor delivery milestones, ensuring high-demand commodities (structural steel, lumber packages, switchgear) arrive exactly when required by the jobsite critical path.
How do you track construction budgets and cost variances during execution?
We establish baseline cost control work breakdown structures (WBS) mapped directly to your CSI MasterFormat estimate. We monitor committed costs, actual jobsite expenditures, and projected cost-to-complete (CTC) to flag potential budget variances before they erode margins.
Do you develop baseline CPM project schedules in Primavera P6 or MS Project?
Yes. We create resource-loaded and logic-tied CPM baseline schedules, detailing trade handoffs, inspection milestones, procurement lead times, and weather contingency days.
How does fractional project management compare to a full-time executive PM?
Our fractional project management model gives growing general contractors and developers access to senior-level preconstruction directors and cost controllers at a fraction of the cost of full-time payroll, benefits, and executive overhead.
Coordinate related trades
Large or confidential drawing sets? Arrange a suitable transfer method in the bid room.