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Blanchard Cost is a trusted leader in construction cost estimation and preconstruction services, empowering clients in architecture, engineering, transportation, and general contracting.

Sometimes the weather gives a project team a gift.Here in the Midwest, this week is shaping up to be one of those stretc...
10/19/2026

Sometimes the weather gives a project team a gift.

Here in the Midwest, this week is shaping up to be one of those stretches—dry conditions, sunshine, and unusually mild October temperatures.

For construction teams, a good weather window can mean more than a pleasant day on site.

It can support:
- better productivity
- fewer weather delays
- more reliable sequencing
- reduced temporary protection needs
- better conditions for sitework, concrete, roofing, and exterior work

Of course, the opposite is true too.

Rain, snow, extreme heat, high winds, and freezing temperatures can all affect schedule, means and methods—and ultimately cost.

Weather may not appear on the drawings, but it can absolutely appear in the estimate.

Good cost planning means understanding not just what is being built, but the conditions under which it will be built.

Here’s hoping project teams across the Midwest get to take advantage of a great week outside.

Professionalism. Precision. Partnership.

Sometimes the biggest construction constraint isn’t labor, materials, or even the site. It’s power.Across the U.S., the ...
10/15/2026

Sometimes the biggest construction constraint isn’t labor, materials, or even the site. It’s power.

Across the U.S., the rapid growth of data centers and other power-intensive facilities is putting new pressure on electrical infrastructure.

In some markets, the challenge is no longer simply, “Can this project be built?”

It’s: Can the project get the power it needs — and when?

Utility capacity, interconnection timelines, transformers, generators, switchgear, and other electrical infrastructure are increasingly becoming planning issues that can affect schedule, phasing, and ultimately cost.

And the impact doesn’t stop with data centers.

Heavy demand for electrical equipment and specialized trades can create ripple effects for healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, and other projects competing in the same markets.

It’s another reminder that good estimating has to look beyond the drawings.

The project budget is influenced by the environment around the project — including the infrastructure required to make it work.

Professionalism. Precision. Partnership.

Sometimes a new week starts with a little perspective.This was the view from the deck this morning in Illinois.In constr...
10/12/2026

Sometimes a new week starts with a little perspective.

This was the view from the deck this morning in Illinois.

In construction estimating, we spend a lot of time focused on detail—quantities, pricing, assumptions, schedules, logistics, escalation.

All of that matters.

But good decisions also require stepping back occasionally and looking at the whole picture.

What are we trying to accomplish?
Where is the risk?
What assumptions are we making?
And what information will help the team make the next decision with confidence?

Sometimes precision comes from digging deeper.

Sometimes it comes from gaining perspective.

Here’s to a productive week ahead.

Professionalism. Precision. Partnership.

Construction costs are not moving evenly.One of the clearest trends in the market right now is the widening gap between ...
10/08/2026

Construction costs are not moving evenly.

One of the clearest trends in the market right now is the widening gap between overall construction inflation and the cost of certain key materials.

Recent industry data shows sharp year-over-year increases in metals, energy-related inputs, and other materials—while broader construction cost indexes are rising much more modestly. AGC of America

That matters because a project can look relatively stable at a high level while specific systems or materials inside the estimate are moving much faster.

Steel. Copper. Aluminum. Fuel. Freight.

Each can have a very different impact depending on the project type, location, schedule, and design.

That’s why relying on a single escalation percentage can be dangerous.

Good estimating means looking beneath the headline number and understanding which parts of the project are actually driving cost.

For owners and design teams, that can mean the difference between simply knowing that costs are rising—and understanding where the risk really is.

Professionalism. Precision. Partnership.

October has a way of making next year feel a lot closer.Capital plans are taking shape. Budgets are being discussed. Pro...
10/05/2026

October has a way of making next year feel a lot closer.

Capital plans are taking shape. Budgets are being discussed. Projects that felt comfortably “next year” suddenly aren’t that far away.

And this is often where some of the most useful cost conversations can happen.

You may not have complete drawings yet.
The scope may still be evolving.
Some decisions may not have been made.

That doesn’t mean it’s too early to start understanding cost.

Early estimating can help establish realistic expectations, identify the assumptions carrying the most risk, and show where additional information will matter most as the design develops.

The goal isn’t to pretend we know everything early.

It’s to understand what we know, what we’re assuming, and what could change the number.

As organizations begin looking toward 2027, good cost information can help turn a project idea into a more informed plan.

Professionalism. Precision. Partnership.

Sometimes growth starts with a conversation.Over the past week, Blanchard Cost Estimating has been invited to support se...
10/02/2026

Sometimes growth starts with a conversation.

Over the past week, Blanchard Cost Estimating has been invited to support several new opportunities across higher education, faith-based, and affordable housing projects.

Different project types. Different teams. But the same underlying need:

Clear, dependable cost information to help people make good decisions.

Today, part of our team is in Asheville visiting with several architectural firms, introducing BCE, listening, and learning more about the work they’re doing.

Business development isn’t always about making a pitch.

Sometimes it’s simply about showing up, starting a relationship, and making sure people know who to call when they need another set of experienced eyes on a project.

We’re grateful for the opportunities coming our way—and we’re going to keep doing the work to earn the next conversation.

Professionalism. Precision. Partnership.

“Own the mistake before it owns you.”That was one of the lines that stuck with us from a discussion at this week’s estim...
09/29/2026

“Own the mistake before it owns you.”

That was one of the lines that stuck with us from a discussion at this week’s estimating conference about mistakes and lessons learned.

Estimating involves thousands of decisions—quantities, assumptions, pricing, scope interpretation, escalation, logistics and more. With that many decisions, perfection isn’t a realistic standard.

Professionalism shows up in what happens next.

Recognize the issue.
Understand why it happened.
Communicate it clearly.
Correct it.
Improve the process so it is less likely to happen again.

There’s a lot of value in an industry where experienced professionals are willing to talk openly about what didn’t go perfectly—and what they learned from it.

Own the mistake before it owns you.

That’s good advice for estimating. Probably pretty good advice for business, too.

Professionalism. Precision. Partnership.

From hurricanes and endangered tortoises in Florida… to Antarctica, the Moon, winter conditions, and even U.S. embassies...
09/24/2026

From hurricanes and endangered tortoises in Florida… to Antarctica, the Moon, winter conditions, and even U.S. embassies overseas—today’s discussions at the CERT conference covered a remarkable range of estimating challenges.

At first glance, those topics seem to have very little in common.

But they all point back to one of the most important questions in cost estimating:

How do we account for the knowns and unknowns—and how do we explain the contingency behind them?

Every project has conditions that shape cost.

Sometimes they are familiar:

* weather exposure
* site conditions
* logistics
* regulatory requirements

Sometimes they are more unusual:

* protected species
* extreme climates
* international conditions
* entirely new construction environments

But the estimating principle remains the same:

A good estimate doesn’t just produce a number. It helps explain the uncertainty behind the number.

That’s one of the reasons conferences like CERT are so valuable. They remind us that professional estimating is not just about quantities and pricing—it’s also about judgment, risk awareness, and communicating assumptions clearly.

The better we understand uncertainty, the better we can help clients plan for it.

Professionalism. Precision. Partnership.

Before we head to Orlando, we’re making sure the work here is finished well.This week, our team is focused on wrapping u...
09/21/2026

Before we head to Orlando, we’re making sure the work here is finished well.

This week, our team is focused on wrapping up active projects, completing reviews, and making sure clients have what they need before we leave for the annual ASPE meeting in Orlando.

It’s a simple principle, but an important one:

Professional development matters. So does finishing what’s in front of you first.

We value the opportunity to learn from other estimators, hear what’s changing across the industry, and bring those insights back to the work we do for our clients.

But before the conference begins, our priority is making sure the estimates, reviews, and commitments already on our desks are handled with the same care we expect every week.

Then we can head to Orlando with clean plates, open minds, and a little room to learn.

Professionalism. Precision. Partnership.

What makes a construction estimate defensible?A construction estimate sometimes has to do more than establish a budget.I...
09/18/2026

What makes a construction estimate defensible?

A construction estimate sometimes has to do more than establish a budget.

It may have to withstand questions.

Where did the quantities come from?
What assumptions were made?
How was the scope interpreted?
What supports the pricing?
Can another professional follow the methodology and understand how the conclusion was reached?

Those questions become particularly important when an estimate is subject to independent review or used in an expert setting.

But they’re important questions on every estimate.

An estimate shouldn’t depend on someone simply accepting the number. The quantities, assumptions, pricing, and methodology behind it should be clear enough to support the conclusion.

That’s one reason we place so much emphasis on documentation and peer review at Blanchard Cost Estimating.

Whether an estimate is being reviewed by an owner, architect, contractor, or another professional, the principle is the same:

A number is more valuable when you can explain and defend how you got there.

Professionalism. Precision. Partnership.

Address

4126 West Sandridge Court
Peoria, IL
61615

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5am
Tuesday 8am - 5am
Wednesday 8am - 5am
Thursday 8am - 5am
Friday 8am - 5am

Telephone

+13098577189

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