Failed by 4 points the first time with a 69% and honestly couldn't figure out what went wrong. I thought I knew quantity takeoffs cold but the exam has a lot more emphasis on bid analysis and subcontractor coordination than I expected. Spent another 6 weeks before my retake, averaging about 2.5 hours a day on the weaker areas.
The section that killed me the first time was indirect costs — overhead allocation, escalation factors, that kind of thing. I pulled out my old RSMeans manuals and actually worked through 40+ cost estimating problems by hand instead of relying on software. That was the turning point for me.
Second attempt I scored an 81% and it felt a lot more manageable. The material management and scheduling integration questions were where I picked up the most points. If you're already in the trades or construction management, lean on that practical experience during the exam — it shows up more than you'd think.
Did you use any specific prep materials or just RSMeans? I've been studying for 4 weeks and I'm not sure my practice test scores hovering around 65% are going to translate to a pass.
Congrats on getting through it. The indirect costs section tripped me up too, especially when they give you a project scenario and you have to figure out what's included in general conditions vs. overhead. I'd recommend doing at least 20 practice estimating scenarios before you sit for it.
I passed on my first try but barely — 72%. The bid analysis questions were the hardest part for me. Two of the scenarios were basically ethics situations disguised as estimating questions and I almost missed both of them.
Quantity takeoff accuracy on the exam is worth a lot more than people think. I spent 3 weeks drilling that section and it paid off. The CSI division structure questions also show up more than the official outline suggests.
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