Where form meets function: Celebrating a pioneering spirit

by marika_gabriel | May 13, 2024 1:51 pm

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By Marika Gabriel

Keith Kothmann, a respected expert in construction estimation and a lifetime member of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) since October 2003, founded Construction Cost Management (CCM) in 1979. His career, which began in 1965, reflects his early passion for building things, leading him to study engineering at University of Texas, Austin. Kothmann’s innovative approach to estimation resulted in the development of a computerized estimating system. Recently, The Construction Specifier interviewed Kothmann, CSI, CPE, about his influential half-century career.

In what ways has your membership in CSI benefited your career?

Being a member of CSI has enhanced my career because it allowed me to interact with other industry professionals, and to be called upon when peers and up-and-comers need my expertise. The credential itself is also invaluable. I can’t count how often being a CSI member has been a requirement to be considered for pieces of business.

What does it mean to be a CSI lifetime member? What significance does this hold for you?

Being awarded a lifetime membership was one of the top honors of my career, because it means my peers feel my skills are deep and my expertise is bona fide. CSI members are dedicated to improving project delivery, processes, and communication, both internally and among people on our design teams who come from different disciplines. My CSI lifetime membership gives me ongoing exposure to the diverse membership base and the wide range of projects they undertake. I was—and remain—tremendously proud to be a lifetime member of the CSI.

Throughout your tenure as a CSI member, how have you witnessed the organization adapt to the changing needs and dynamics of the construction industry?

Over the years, CSI offers more and more resources online, and makes it easier to find and get in touch with other members. The resources and opportunities are just so much easier to access than in the past. CSI has done a great job keeping up with best practices in tech. For example, I used to keep a stack of The Construction Specifier magazines in my office. They’re still there, but now I can simply hit the “search” function on The Construction Specifier[2]’s website when I want to refer to articles. Things like making standards packages such as MasterFormat easy to access is a great initiative, and the blogs and articles in Right Angle[3] and The Construction Specifier Express[4] are always worth the time.

As a CSI lifetime member, what initiatives or projects within the organization are you particularly proud to have been involved with or supported?

I can’t point to just one episode. This is because, for me, what comes to mind is more of an “everything” category, which are the interactions I’ve had with colleagues over the years, and especially, the times younger members have reached out to me for career advice. I am happy to share my expertise if somebody asks for it, and one of the strengths of CSI is, it provides the tools to do just that.

Could you share a significant milestone or achievement in your career that you attribute, in part, to your involvement with CSI?

Celebrating 45 years at my own firm, CSI’s recognition has been a significant factor, serving as a major stamp of approval within the industry. Nobody ever said they wouldn’t have hired CCM if I wasn’t a CSI member, but many certainly said they “saw CSI on the credentials sheet” and moved us to top of the “active” pile.

In the early years of construction cost estimation, how did early technology adoption influence the trajectory of the industry?

Reflecting on the evolution of estimation “software,” CSI has played a critical role in adapting to technological advancements within the industry. It was understood that careful, well-thought-out data entry could improve speed and accuracy on a scale that was hard to predict. If I had a partner with veto power at the time, they might have advised waiting until the mainframes were less expensive and less gigantic. However, as a lone ranger in this endeavor, computers felt like uncharted territory—a compelling exploration.

Engineers, by nature, find ways to correct inefficiencies. We’re also a curious bunch. Therefore, it made sense to be eager to get hands on the machine and use the coding experience to make the work product more thorough, faster, and even more accurate. There was also a bit of showmanship in being an early adopter, as the machine even incentivized people to visit the office!

How did you convince clients of the value professional estimators could bring to a project?

In the early days of cost estimating, it was crucial to demonstrate to clients how hiring an expert could save time and significantly reduce costs over a project’s lifespan. Our projects typically involve large-scale construction financed by government funds disbursed when milestones are met. If an estimate goes over budget, the work often stops entirely, as there’s no trigger that opens the spigot for the next infusion of funds. Such situations can be devastating for both the architectural engineer (AE) and the buyer. This was a common occurrence early on, when AEs relied on free estimates from general contractors (GCs). In the construction industry, if there’s no progress, money is being lost. Therefore, incorporating safeguards at the project’s outset is essential. This explains why nearly all U.S. government projects require an independent estimator to conduct a comprehensive cost analysis. It’s not simply a matter of purchasing software and generating an estimate because our industry demands uncovering the unknown. Thorough investigation is necessary, and no software can replace that. The importance of obtaining a professional estimate before making any moves in the industry highlights that incorporating professional estimating into the design process is simply good business practice for everyone involved.

Throughout your career, you have been involved in a variety of complex and challenging projects. Can you share insights into how the estimating process differs for unique and demanding projects compared to more conventional ones?

The approach remains consistent regardless of a project’s scope and size. The engineering mindset views each project as a unique composition influenced by factors like topography, economy, logistics, geopolitics, and weather. Some projects may present novel challenges, such as transporting materials by helicopter or working around protected wildlife habitats. However, the experience I gained from encountering similar situations benefited my clients. Importantly, this expertise allows one to systematically assess every aspect of the construction process, even those that may appear insignificant to those unfamiliar with the industry.

How do you ensure clear estimates when presenting to diverse stakeholders in construction cost estimating?

The methodology involves running a narrative. This allows anyone—except for the layperson—to pick up our estimate, read it, and feel fully informed. While estimates must pass muster with the most experienced technician, they must also be written so they’re broadly accessible and valuable to everyone in the process.

You are now focusing on training the next generation. What is your number one piece of advice for aspiring professionals?

As a mentor, I advise new estimators to engage deeply with industry peers, highlighting the importance of connections made through CSI. Being an estimator isn’t just about crunching numbers and creating documents, it’s about understanding the project in its entirety. You need to get to a point where you can mentally build a project in your mind. Young estimators must develop “depth perception.” For example, recent documents for a boardwalk specified steel fittings. Drawing from past project experience, the need for stainless steel beam clamps and fasteners was recognized due to their resistance to rust in damp, salty air. The idea is to seek such exposure to various aspects of the industry, including the perspectives of architects, owners, GCs, and even lenders involved in financing, whenever possible. Understanding each stakeholder’s role enhances the ability to estimate the project holistically.

How has the estimation process evolved, particularly in response to increased mechanization and reduced human intervention?

Most people today can’t fathom how time-consuming it was to create a handwritten estimate using a mechanical calculator. I remember finishing the calculations in my head before the machine finished grinding out the answer!

Unlike today—where software you’ll never touch drives everything—when I worked on my mainframe, we weren’t far evolved from punch cards. The “human touch” was much bigger than it is now, but the adage of “garbage in, garbage out” was true then, and it still holds water. This is because there are many things technology is not capable of doing. For example, only a human can understand subtlety and nuance—like the issue with the type of steel mentioned earlier—and correct the inputs to make the estimate accurate. And only a human can intentionally create reports written to be understood by “non-technical” people as well as tradespersons. These are the kind of tasks a fledgling, untrained estimator—and certainly, the software available today—just cannot do. However, faster computing speed and the unbelievably improved ease of communication have changed the pace and nature of our business. Now that there’s so much data, protecting it has become a focus.

Constantly upgrading hardware and servers and frequently beta testing new programs is essential. Adopting tech at its earliest iterations proved to be a successful risk!

What are some of the most pressing challenges facing the construction industry today, and how can organizations such as CSI contribute to addressing these challenges?

Labor force, fluctuating commodity prices, and the rapid evolution of tech­­—all these things are challenges in the industry. CSI provides a critical role by making information easily available to members. Another thing CSI does well is offer subject-specific training through things such as the Boot Camp and the practice communities, and of course, the Master Specifiers Retreat. Here’s a hard truth of our industry: Tech moves. CSI helps even old estimators like me move with it.

Looking ahead, what do you envision as the future role and impact of organizations like CSI in shaping the construction industry?

As the construction industry evolves and develops new needs, it’s essential to help train the next generation to take the helm. CSI’s structure, which combines a truly impressive inventory of online informational resources with the opportunity to meet and learn from colleagues and experts, is the best tool to do this. By improving the only true finite resource—the skilled estimator—CSI helps position the entire industry for a very bright future.

Our sincere thanks to Valerie Krieger for her valuable assistance throughout the interview process.

Source URL: https://www.constructionspecifier.com/where-form-meets-function-celebrating-a-pioneering-spirit/

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