#cost control in construction

[asestimationsconsultants]

Ethical Considerations Every Commercial Estimator Should Know

In the fast-paced world of commercial construction, estimators play a critical role in ensuring that projects are completed within budget, on time, and to the desired specifications. While much of the focus in estimating revolves around accuracy, speed, and efficiency, it is equally important for estimators to navigate their responsibilities with a high standard of ethics. Ethical considerations are not just about adhering to laws and regulations; they encompass fairness, transparency, honesty, and professionalism in every aspect of the estimating process.

In this article, we’ll explore key ethical considerations that every commercial estimator should keep in mind to ensure they uphold the integrity of their profession and contribute to successful, equitable, and lawful construction projects.

1. Honesty in Bidding and Estimation

One of the fundamental ethical principles in commercial estimating is honesty. Estimators are responsible for providing accurate, well-researched, and truthful cost assessments. Misrepresenting the estimated costs, whether intentionally or due to carelessness, undermines the credibility of the estimator and can lead to significant consequences for both the contractor and the client.

Key Aspects of Honesty in Estimating:

Accurate Costing: Estimators must provide realistic and truthful cost estimates based on reliable data. This includes accounting for labor, materials, equipment, permits, and any potential risks that could lead to cost overruns. Over- or underestimating costs for the sake of winning a bid is unethical and can lead to financial difficulties, project delays, and a damaged reputation.

Avoiding Misleading Information: Providing misleading or vague descriptions in the estimate can be harmful to all parties involved. For example, if an estimator omits costs for specific materials or underestimates the complexity of a phase, it can lead to disputes later on in the project.

The Impact of Dishonesty:

Legal and Financial Consequences: Dishonest estimating can result in contractual disputes, litigation, or fines. If a contractor is found to have submitted inaccurate bids or falsified estimates, they can face penalties or even lose their license to operate.

Loss of Reputation: In the long term, dishonesty leads to a damaged reputation, reducing the likelihood of repeat business and referrals.

2. Confidentiality and Protection of Sensitive Information

Estimates often involve access to sensitive financial data, proprietary designs, and project plans. Maintaining confidentiality is a critical ethical responsibility for commercial estimators.

Ethical Handling of Sensitive Information:

Client Confidentiality: Estimators must ensure that all client-related financial information, project details, and proprietary designs are kept confidential. This is especially important in a competitive bidding environment, where sharing confidential details with competing contractors or vendors can compromise the fairness of the process.

Supplier and Subcontractor Information: Estimators must also safeguard pricing information from subcontractors, suppliers, and other vendors. Sharing or leaking quotes without consent can damage relationships and lead to competitive disadvantages.

Risks of Breaching Confidentiality:

Trust Erosion: If clients, subcontractors, or vendors feel that their information is not protected, they may be reluctant to work with the estimator or the firm again. This damages relationships and erodes trust.

Legal Consequences: Violating confidentiality agreements or disclosing private data can result in legal action against the estimator or the company they represent, especially when intellectual property or business trade secrets are involved.

3. Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

Commercial estimators must be vigilant in avoiding conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest arises when an estimator’s personal, professional, or financial interests interfere with their impartiality and objectivity in making cost estimates. Conflicts of interest can occur in many forms, including personal relationships with contractors or vendors, or financial incentives tied to specific outcomes.

Managing Conflicts of Interest:

Transparency in Relationships: If an estimator has a relationship with a supplier, subcontractor, or contractor that could potentially influence their decisions, this should be disclosed to the relevant parties. Full transparency helps avoid any perception of bias.

Independent Judgment: Estimators must make decisions based on the best interest of the client, project, and company, without being swayed by personal interests. This requires maintaining an objective mindset and avoiding situations where personal gain could compromise professional judgment.

Consequences of Conflicts of Interest:

Damage to Reputation: If a conflict of interest is discovered, it could significantly damage the estimator’s reputation, leading to the loss of trust from clients, subcontractors, and industry peers.

Legal Ramifications: In some cases, conflicts of interest can lead to legal issues, especially if favoritism or corruption is involved in selecting contractors, suppliers, or sub-contractors.

4. Fair and Transparent Pricing Practices

Ethical estimating also entails providing fair pricing for all parties involved. In competitive bidding, it can be tempting for estimators to manipulate figures to win contracts, but ethical practices demand that all pricing reflects true market value and considers reasonable profit margins for everyone involved.

Best Practices for Fair Pricing:

Accurate Market Research: Estimators should base their prices on thorough market research and accurate historical data. They should avoid inflating or undercutting costs to distort the competitive process.

Reasonable Markups: Estimators must ensure that any markups on subcontractors or materials are justifiable and in line with industry standards. Arbitrary or excessive markups can lead to exploitation of subcontractors or clients, which is unethical.

Impacts of Unfair Pricing:

Financial Exploitation: Unfair pricing practices can harm clients, subcontractors, and vendors by inflating costs without merit, leading to strained relationships or financial instability.

Damage to the Competitive Process: Manipulating pricing to undercut competition can lead to unhealthy market practices and undermine trust in the bidding process, affecting future opportunities.

5. Compliance with Legal and Regulatory Standards

Every estimator must adhere to both local and national legal requirements regarding cost estimation and commercial construction. These legal standards often address issues like building codes, permits, licensing, and taxes, as well as safety protocols and labor laws.

Key Legal and Regulatory Considerations:

Adherence to Building Codes: Estimators must ensure that their cost estimates take into account the necessary materials and labor needed to meet local building codes and regulations. Cutting corners on compliance can lead to safety issues, fines, and project delays.

Fair Labor Practices: Estimators must factor in costs related to fair wages, labor conditions, and union agreements where applicable. Bypassing these costs in estimates can result in legal consequences and subpar working conditions.

Permitting and Inspections: It’s important that estimators consider all necessary permits and inspection fees in their estimates. Omitting these could lead to fines, project shutdowns, or legal battles down the line.

Legal Consequences of Non-Compliance:

Contractual Liabilities: Failure to adhere to legal requirements can result in breach of contract, which can lead to costly disputes and potentially void the contract.

Fines and Penalties: Non-compliance with local regulations, safety standards, or licensing requirements can result in fines, project delays, or even the revocation of licenses.

6. Accountability and Responsibility

Establishing a strong sense of accountability is a cornerstone of ethical behavior in any profession, and it is especially important in commercial estimating. Estimators are responsible for the accuracy of their work, the integrity of their decisions, and the impact those decisions have on clients, contractors, and subcontractors.

How to Foster Accountability:

Documenting Decisions: Estimators should keep thorough records of all their decisions, calculations, and assumptions. This ensures that any changes to the estimate or disputes about cost projections can be traced back to a clear and transparent rationale.

Regular Review and Auditing: It’s also essential to have processes in place for regularly reviewing estimates and auditing them for accuracy. This reduces the risk of errors or intentional misrepresentations and helps build a culture of accountability.

Consequences of Lack of Accountability:

Reputation Damage: If an estimator fails to take responsibility for their mistakes or poor decisions, it can result in a loss of credibility, not just for the estimator but for the entire organization they represent.

Legal Repercussions: Accountability lapses can also result in legal actions, especially if clients or contractors feel that they were misled or that poor estimates led to financial losses.

Conclusion

Ethical considerations are at the heart of successful commercial estimating. By adhering to principles of honesty, confidentiality, fairness, and accountability, estimators can help ensure the long-term success of construction projects while maintaining the integrity of their profession. Ethical estimators don’t just build cost estimates—they build trust with clients, subcontractors, and all project stakeholders. Ultimately, maintaining high ethical standards helps safeguard the financial stability, legal compliance, and reputations of everyone involved in the project, leading to better outcomes and stronger relationships in the construction industry.

[pejasurveying1]

The Role of a Contractor’s Quantity Surveyor in Managing Project Budgets

Discover how a Contractors Quantity Surveyor expertly manages construction budgets, controls costs, oversees subcontractor agreements, and ensures financial stability for large-scale UK projects. Contact PEJA Surveying to optimise your budgets and achieve successful outcomes.

[kapilasteel]

Kapila Steel's Super Rings: Revolutionary structure with unmatched power

In construction, the quality of a project's fundamental elements frequently determines whether it succeeds or fails. In this regard, steel reinforcement rings are a game-changer, and Kapila Steel's Super Rings have become the industry standard for strength, dependability, and long-term performance.

The vital function that high-quality steel reinforcing plays

Reinforcement is the foundation of any robust building, as construction specialists are aware. With unmatched endurance that surpasses conventional reinforcement options, Kapila Steel's Super Rings represent a revolutionary advancement in steel ring technology. These precision-engineered parts, which have exceptional structural integrity and can endure harsh environments, are not your typical steel rings.

What Makes Super Rings Extraordinary?

Kapila Steel's Super Rings stand out through several key characteristics:

Superior Material Composition: Made of high-grade steel alloys that provide maximum tensile strength

Exceptional Dimensional Accuracy: Made to precise standards for perfect fit and consistent performance

Corrosion Resistance: Advanced metallurgical treatments for environmental degradation protection

Rigorous Quality Control: Every Super Ring is inspected multiple times to ensure peak performance

Strength That Speaks Volumes

The true value of Super Rings becomes apparent when examining their performance under real-world conditions. Unlike standard reinforcement rings that might compromise under stress, these rings maintain structural integrity even in challenging environments. Whether it's a high-rise building, a bridge, or critical infrastructure project, Kapila Steel's Super Rings provide the reliable backbone that engineers and architects can trust.

Beyond Standard Specifications

The main thing that differentiates Super Rings from traditional options is the consistent ability to surpass standard specifications. Independent testing has proven that these rings deliver:

A 30% increase in load-bearing capacity above traditional steel rings

Better ductility that enables superior stress distribution

Extraordinary resistance to fatigue and long-term structural wear

The Economic Advantage of Investing in Quality

Though the Super Rings might involve a higher initial investment, long-term economic benefits are very substantial. Reducing maintenance costs, potential structural repairs, and elongating the construction projects' lifespan, the rings are of exceptional value.

Smart Construction Solution

For the increasing complexities of project requirements in construction, professionals will find Super Rings to be an intelligent solution. The rings are of advanced design and entail:

Reduced material waste

Lower long-term maintenance costs

Improved structural reliability

Compatibility with advanced construction techniques

Making the Right Choice

Super Rings of Kapila Steel are a choice to buy, rather than a purchase of a commodity. They reflect the intent to quality, safety, and performance during the lifecycle of the entire building.

Critical Buying Decision Points

There are some crucial parameters that Super Rings offer that make it the preferred option for all reinforcement solutions.

Track record of performance

Technical Support

Consistent quality across production batches

Adaptability to various construction methodologies

Conclusion: A New Standard in Steel Reinforcement

Kapila Steel's Super Rings are more than a product; they are a symbol of engineering excellence. By combining cutting-edge metallurgical science with precision manufacturing, these rings offer construction professionals a reliable, high-performance solution that stands up to the most demanding challenges.

Super Rings are the epitome of steel reinforcement technology for projects that cannot compromise on strength, durability, and long-term reliability.

Transform your construction approach. Choose Kapila Steel's Super Rings – Where Strength Meets Innovation.

[23sanguinity]

I hate my brain it’s decided that the constructicons are cool now and that naturally means I want to buy the upcoming figures of them but they’re all like 25 dollars and there’s fucking! SIX!! Of them

And no I can’t just by one of two because if you get all six they combine into a big robot together!! Which is fucking awesome!!!!! fuck!!!

[productiveandfree]

Benefits of Utilizing Time and Materials Contract in Project Management

Statistics show that 60 to 80% of business deals are set in stone by a contract. At the core of successful project management lies choosing an appropriate contract type. Time and materials contracts stand out among available alternatives as one of the more flexible and adaptable.

T&M contracts provide clients with another approach by billing for both time spent and materials used on each project, rather than specifying one fixed sum upfront. Time and materials contracts offer many advantages when managing projects where their scope isn't fully defined from the outset or there is significant unpredictability.

Here, we explore their key benefits in project management, specifically regarding flexibility, risk mitigation, cost control, client transparency, and adaptability. Let's begin!

Project Flexibility

One of the primary advantages of drafting a time and materials contract is its inherent flexibility when it comes to project scope. Unfortunately, project teams cannot always foresee everything that may arise during its scope. Requirements may shift, new challenges emerge or unexpected circumstances call for adjustments that must be made without having to negotiate new terms. T&M contracts allow project teams to quickly accommodate these changes without needing to go back through negotiations or sign new ones altogether.

Flexibility in project requirements ensures teams can continue working without being hindered by rigid scope definitions, especially important in industries like software development or construction where changes may be frequent and can become expensive to manage with fixed-price contracts. A T&M contract enables projects to adapt organically as new information or client feedback emerges.

Risk Mitigation Strategies for Both Parties

T&M contracts in project management provide another significant benefit: mitigating risk for both parties involved. Fixed-price contracts often place too much financial risk on contractors due to having to accurately predict costs and timelines before the project begins. Any unexpected challenges could force contractors into cutting corners to meet budgetary restrictions or face financial ruin as a result.

T&M contracts allow more equitable risk distribution between contractor and client. Because billing for T&M contracts occurs according to actual time and material used, there's less pressure for contractors to stick rigidly to initial estimates, meaning more time for quality delivery without worrying about unanticipated expenses or delays. From the client's viewpoint, only paying for what work was performed reduces overspending risks by paying only for work that actually gets done.

Improve Cost Control

Although fixed-price contracts might appear to offer greater cost control by setting one price for an entire project, these contracts can actually lead to greater spending if estimates prove inaccurate. Contractors frequently build contingency into fixed-price contracts to protect themselves against unexpected challenges that increase overall expenses; T&M contracts provide clients greater budgetary oversight.

T&M contracts give clients greater insight into the work being performed and allow for adjustments to project scope or pace to help control costs more easily. If costs begin rising faster than planned, clients have options such as scaling back their project or prioritizing certain tasks, which is something usually unattainable under fixed-price contracts that lock clients into one price regardless of the efficiency of project development.

Increased Transparency and Accountability

Transparency is another advantage of using a time and materials contract. Clients receive invoices that show exactly where their money is being spent, including hours worked by each member as well as materials bought specifically for it.

Transparency fosters improved collaboration between clients and contractors. When clients can see the progress of projects in real time and access financial reports, they're more likely to trust contractors and feel assured they are receiving value for their money. This also makes approving or disapproving additional work much simpler since clients understand all associated costs more accurately.

Ability to Take on Complex Projects

Many projects in industries like IT, construction, and product development involve multiple phases or components which make them challenging to predict or plan for, making T&M contracts ideal. Their adaptability enables the project team to pivot flexibly without feeling limited by an overly rigid contract structure.

For example, in a software development project, clients often opt to alter features or functionality after seeing an early version of the product. With fixed-price contracts, this would involve lengthy negotiations and potentially additional costs; but under T&M agreements, project teams can easily adapt to such changes quickly while continuing onward with billing the client for any extra resources necessary for completion.

Adaptability is crucial in meeting client expectations throughout a project's course and helping teams respond more quickly and effectively when unexpected events such as supply chain disruptions or technical challenges occur, without endangering its success.

Conclusion

Time and materials contracts provide numerous advantages to both contractors and clients involved, particularly on projects with uncertain scope, timelines, or requirements. T&M contracts offer clients flexibility as the project unfolds, as well as enhanced risk management and cost control measures. Plus, clients benefit from increased transparency and accountability that allows them to track exactly where their money is being spent in real-time.

Share in the comments below: Questions go here

[avalonstudiodesignbuilder]

The Crucial Role of a General Contractor in Achieving Project Success

A general contractor serves as the cornerstone of any construction project, ensuring that each phase—from initial planning to the final touches—runs seamlessly. They are responsible for managing a web of complex details, coordinating diverse teams, and solving the inevitable challenges that arise. By keeping the bigger picture in mind while paying close attention to the fine details, the contractor ensures that the project is delivered on time, within the budget, and to a high standard of quality.

Overseeing the Entire Construction Journey

A general contractor’s job is to orchestrate the entire construction journey. They coordinate the efforts of architects, engineers, and subcontractors to ensure that every moving part of the project aligns smoothly. Their task goes beyond managing individual teams; they are responsible for crafting detailed schedules and budgets that act as the blueprint for the project’s progress. By overseeing every phase from start to finish, they ensure the construction stays on course, avoiding any delays or inefficiencies that could derail the project.

Navigating Building Codes and Regulations

An often overlooked but critical duty of the general contractor is ensuring that the project adheres to local building codes and safety regulations. These rules are in place to guarantee the safety and integrity of the structures being built. A general contractor must stay informed about the latest legal requirements, obtain the necessary permits, and make sure the project passes all required inspections. By doing so, they shield the client from legal or financial complications while ensuring the structure meets safety standards.

Balancing the Project's Budget

Effective budget management is central to a general contractor’s responsibilities. Whether it’s sourcing materials or managing labor costs, the contractor must keep a close watch on expenditures to ensure that the project doesn’t exceed the financial boundaries set by the client. This role demands exceptional organizational skills and the ability to negotiate favorable terms with suppliers. Keeping the project within its financial scope not only avoids unnecessary expenses but also ensures that the client remains confident in the contractor's ability to deliver within the agreed-upon budget.

Upholding Quality and Deadlines

Delivering a project that not only meets but surpasses expectations is a core element of a general contractor’s work. Their role involves consistently monitoring the construction site, checking that each aspect of the build matches the project’s specifications, and confirming that only top-tier materials are used. This dedication to detail helps guarantee that the final product is not just completed on schedule but also exceeds the client's standards in terms of quality and durability.

Mastering the Many Facets of Construction Leadership

A general contractor is the essential leader in any construction project, balancing technical skills, strong leadership, and financial insight. By managing the flow of the construction process, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, and keeping tight control over both the budget and quality, the contractor plays an indispensable role in transforming the client’s vision into a successful, completed project.

[techdriveplay]

How to Make an E-Bike

Building an e-bike can seem like a daunting task at first, but once you understand the process, it becomes much easier and can even be quite profitable. Many people, myself included, have turned this skill into a rewarding hobby, creating and selling e-bikes for a profit. In this guide, I’ll take you through how to make an e-bike from start to finish, whether you’re aiming to create a custom ride…

[nnctales]

Geobags in Civil Engineering: A Comprehensive Solution for Coastal Protection and Erosion Mitigation

Introduction: Coastal erosion poses a significant challenge to civil engineers worldwide, requiring innovative solutions that balance effectiveness, environmental sustainability, and cost efficiency. In recent years, geobags, a product of geotechnical engineering, have gained prominence as a versatile and resilient tool in the realm of coastal protection. This article explores the technical…

[valtsv]

there's this specific kind of "bad"/unsympathetic victim narrative that i'm obsessed with when it's executed well, where someone's trauma response is to become increasingly destructive and selfish, at first in the hope that there will be consequences - that someone will follow the broken, bloody trail they're leaving behind them and try to stop them - because that will mean that they've been seen. that someone has finally noticed them, acknowledged their pain, and done something about it. but then, when those consequences never arrive, or are too easily brushed aside, they realise that they're enjoying being in control (or the illusion of control) for once far too much to stop, and start to buy into this delusion they've begun to construct for themselves, where what they're doing is Justified, Actually, because of what they've endured to reach this point. they've long since crossed sunk cost fallacy event horizon. to look back now would be unbearable. which is, of course, when the consequences they cannot so easily ignore arrive, and they're forced to reckon with the fact that they've mistaken the grave they've been digging for a great and gleaming tower, the crumbling walls of which are now starting to collapse inwards on them. it's such an inevitable but compelling tragic route to go down.

[asestimationsconsultants]

Best Practices for Commercial Estimating in Competitive Bidding

In the world of commercial construction, competitive bidding is a critical process that determines which contractor will get the job. With margins often tight and competition fierce, commercial estimators must adopt strategic best practices to provide accurate, competitive, and profitable bids. The goal is to not only win the project but to ensure that the project remains financially viable throughout its execution.

For estimators, success in competitive bidding requires a blend of technical expertise, market knowledge, and an acute awareness of the project’s risks and potential challenges. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best practices that commercial estimators can follow to stay ahead in competitive bidding.

1. Thoroughly Understand the Project Scope and Requirements

Before diving into the numbers, one of the most critical steps in any bid is fully understanding the scope of work and client requirements. Misunderstanding the project scope can lead to inaccurate estimates that either overbid or underbid, which can disqualify a bid or eat into profits.

Review the Plans and Specifications: Carefully read the project’s blueprints, technical specifications, and any other provided documentation. This helps you understand the scope of work and catch any potential discrepancies or unclear details early on.

Clarify Assumptions and Exclusions: If any aspects of the project are unclear, reach out to the client or general contractor for clarification. Also, be sure to document all assumptions and exclusions in your bid to avoid misunderstandings later. For example, if certain materials or labor types are excluded from the bid, they should be clearly stated.

Know the Client’s Objectives: Understanding the client’s goals, whether it’s speed, sustainability, or cost efficiency, can provide insights into how to approach your bid. Aligning your bid with the client's priorities can make your proposal stand out from the competition.

2. Accurate Quantity Takeoffs

Accurate quantity takeoffs are the backbone of a reliable estimate. A quantity takeoff is the process of measuring and calculating the materials, labor, and other resources required for a project.

Use Digital Tools and Software: Modern estimating software like Procore, Bluebeam, and PlanSwift can help automate and speed up the process of quantity takeoffs. These tools allow you to accurately measure dimensions from digital drawings, reduce human error, and ensure a comprehensive understanding of what’s needed for the job.

Double-Check Measurements: Accuracy is paramount, especially in competitive bidding, where small errors can lead to significant cost discrepancies. Take the time to cross-check measurements, quantities, and material requirements before finalizing your bid.

Factor in Waste: Construction materials inevitably incur waste, so be sure to factor in a percentage for material loss (typically 5% to 10%, depending on the material). Failing to account for this waste can lead to underestimating material costs, which could eat into your margins.

3. Analyze Historical Data and Past Projects

Reviewing historical data from similar past projects can provide valuable insights when estimating costs and timelines. By analyzing previous projects, estimators can develop a better sense of the potential risks, market trends, and cost fluctuations that might affect the current project.

Compare Similar Projects: Look at projects that are similar in size, scope, and complexity. Analyzing the actual costs and unexpected challenges encountered during past projects helps you make more informed decisions about contingencies and pricing.

Study Subcontractor Performance: If your estimate relies on subcontractors for specific portions of the work (e.g., electrical, HVAC), reviewing past performance data—such as pricing trends and completion times—can give you a more accurate cost base.

Factor in Economic Conditions: Stay aware of market trends, including the cost of labor, materials, and equipment. Estimators who have a pulse on the local market and economy can adjust their bids accordingly, anticipating potential price hikes or shortages.

4. Build Strong Relationships with Subcontractors and Suppliers

A large portion of any construction project’s cost is determined by subcontractors and suppliers. Building strong, trustworthy relationships with them can significantly impact the accuracy and competitiveness of your bid.

Engage Early: Reach out to subcontractors and suppliers early in the bidding process to get accurate pricing. This gives you time to solicit competitive quotes and allows subcontractors to factor in their schedules and availability.

Negotiate Volume Discounts: If you are working with suppliers or subcontractors on multiple projects, ask for discounts or better terms based on volume. Securing favorable terms can reduce overall costs, giving you an edge in a competitive bid.

Maintain a List of Reliable Subcontractors: Keep an updated list of subcontractors you can rely on for consistent pricing, quality, and performance. Having trusted partners on hand can ensure that your bid is both realistic and competitive.

5. Factor in Risks and Contingencies

No estimate is without risk. While estimators strive for precision, unforeseen challenges—such as changes in the scope, unexpected site conditions, or fluctuating material costs—are always a possibility. Including a contingency in your bid helps account for these unknowns and provides a cushion for potential issues that may arise.

Identify Potential Risks: Identify areas of risk in the project that might affect its cost. This could include regulatory hurdles, labor shortages, tight schedules, or other factors outside your control. By identifying these risks early, you can better gauge how much contingency is appropriate.

Use a Risk-Adjusted Approach: If the project is particularly complex, high-risk, or time-sensitive, consider applying a higher contingency percentage. For less risky projects, you might reduce your contingency, but it should always be sufficient to handle most unforeseen circumstances.

Transparent Communication: While it’s essential to factor in contingencies, it’s equally important to communicate transparently with your clients. A bid that includes excessive contingencies might raise concerns for clients, so ensure you explain the rationale behind your contingency choices.

6. Incorporate Technology and Estimating Software

The use of estimating software is becoming increasingly important in ensuring accuracy, consistency, and efficiency in the bidding process. Construction estimating software allows estimators to:

Improve Efficiency: Automate repetitive tasks such as quantity takeoffs, cost calculations, and report generation.

Increase Accuracy: Reduce the risk of human error by working with digital drawings and historical data.

Track Changes: Easily track changes in the project’s scope or costs and make necessary adjustments.

Manage Multiple Bids: When bidding on several projects simultaneously, estimating software helps you stay organized, manage deadlines, and maintain consistency across all proposals.

7. Offer Value Engineering Options

In highly competitive bidding environments, offering value engineering options can differentiate your proposal from others. Value engineering involves analyzing the project to identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising the quality or scope of the work.

Alternative Materials: Suggesting alternative materials or construction methods that are more cost-effective can help reduce project costs while maintaining the desired quality and functionality.

Efficient Scheduling: Optimizing the construction schedule to reduce downtime or delays can also lower overall project costs, which might make your bid more attractive to the client.

8. Communicate Your Bid Clearly

Once your estimate is ready, it’s essential to communicate it effectively. A clear, detailed bid is more likely to build client trust and help them understand the rationale behind your pricing.

Break Down Costs: Provide a comprehensive breakdown of labor, materials, equipment, and subcontractor costs. Clients appreciate transparency and a clear view of where their money is going.

Include Supporting Documentation: Include backup documentation such as drawings, specifications, and assumptions. This helps demonstrate that your bid is based on a thorough understanding of the project.

Highlight Your Competitive Advantage: Don’t just focus on pricing. Showcase your company’s strengths, such as previous experience, safety records, or commitment to sustainability, to provide value beyond just the numbers.

Conclusion

In competitive bidding, success lies in providing accurate, competitive, and realistic estimates that reflect the project’s scope and risks. By understanding the project requirements, using the right technology, building strong relationships with subcontractors, and factoring in potential risks, commercial estimators can develop bids that stand out for their value, reliability, and attention to detail. Following these best practices not only improves your chances of winning the bid but also sets your company up for successful project execution and profitability.

[pejasurveying1]

Hire Expert Freelance Quantity Surveyor Services in London – Flexible, Cost-Effective Support

PEJA Surveying offers top-notch Freelance Quantity Surveyor services in London and beyond. Specialising in cost management, budget control, and contract oversight, we provide flexible, scalable, and cost-effective solutions tailored to your project needs. Trusted by construction firms for 15+ years.

[reasonsforhope]

Article | Paywall-Free

"The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule Tuesday [October 8, 2024] requiring water utilities to replace all lead pipes within a decade, a move aimed at eliminating a toxic threat that continues to affect tens of thousands of American children each year.

The move, which also tightens the amount of lead allowed in the nation’s drinking water, comes nearly 40 years after Congress determined that lead pipes posed a serious risk to public health and banned them in new construction.

Research has shown that lead, a toxic contaminant that seeps from pipes into the drinking water supply, can cause irreversible developmental delays, difficulty learning and behavioral problems among children. In adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead exposure can cause increased blood pressure, heart disease, decreased kidney function and cancer.

But replacing the lead pipes that deliver water to millions of U.S. homes will cost tens of billions of dollars, and the push to eradicate them only gathered momentum after a water crisis in Flint, Mich., a decade ago exposed the extent to which children remain vulnerable to lead poisoning through tap water...

The groundbreaking regulation, called the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, will establish a national inventory of lead service lines and require that utilities take more aggressive action to remove lead pipes on homeowners’ private property. It also lowers the level of lead contamination that will trigger government enforcement from 15 parts per billion (ppb) to 10 ppb.

The rule also establishes the first-ever national requirement to test for lead in schools that rely on water from public utilities. It mandates thatwater systems screen all elementary and child-care facilities, where those who are the most vulnerable to lead’s effects — young children — are enrolled, and that they offer testing to middle and high schools.

The White House estimates that more than 9 million homes across the country are still supplied by lead pipelines, which are the leading source of lead contamination through drinking water. The EPA has projected that replacing all of them could cost at least $45 billion.

Lead pipes were initially installed in cities decades ago because they were cheaper and more malleable, but the heavy metal can wear down and corrode over time. President Joe Biden has made replacing them one of his top environmental priorities, securing $15 billion to give states over five years through the bipartisan infrastructure law and vowing to rid the country of lead pipes by 2031. The administration has spent $9 billion so far — enough to replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes, the administration said.

On Tuesday, the administration said it was providing an additional $2.6 billion in funding for pipe replacement. Over 367,000 lead pipes have been replaced nationwide since Biden took office, according to White House officials, affecting nearly 1 million people...

Environmental advocates said that former president Donald Trump, who issued much more modest revisions to the lead and copper rule just days before Biden took office, would have a hard time reversing the new standards.

Erik Olson, the senior strategic director for health at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said that the Safe Drinking Water Act has provisions prohibiting weakening the health protections of existing standards...

Olson added that the rule “represents a major victory for public health” and will protect millions of people “whose health is threatened every time they fill a glass from the kitchen sink contaminated by lead.”

“While the rule is imperfect and we still have more to do, this is by far the biggest step towards eliminating lead in tap water in over three decades,” he said."

-via The Washington Post, October 8, 2024

[howdoesone]

How does one consider the availability of local resources and construction materials in regional architecture?

Considering the availability of local resources and construction materials is a crucial aspect of regional architecture. When designing and constructing buildings in a specific region, it is important to take into account the materials that are locally available. By using local resources and construction materials, architects can create sustainable, cost-effective, and contextually appropriate…

[p0orbaby]

A Tide of Tender Mercies

summary: oh, no, i think i’m in love with you

warning: SMUT 18+, oral, fingering (alexia receiving), some angst, reader being stubborn af

a/n: thank you to @muffinpink02 for helping navigate the sexy part ! also i’ve deffo repeated some bits but i cannot for the life of me be bothered to sort it out

word count: 7k

part 1

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The chalet is…well, perfect. It’s the kind of perfect that only comes from meticulous planning, obsessive list-making, and a kind of restrained indulgence that most people would never understand. Set high above a tiny Swiss village known for its fondue and twenty-something millionaires, it sits against a backdrop of mountains sharp enough to slice the clouds. The exterior is severe, almost aggressively minimalistic: crisp white stucco, blackened wood shutters, and glass doors that could double as showroom installations. The effect is daunting, beautiful, and—if you’re being honest—a bit over-the-top. You chose it, naturally, because it’s the type of place where “just a fling” can occur without a single hint of domesticity.

Inside, everything is pristine, hand-selected, curated to within an inch of its life. You were adamant that the linens be Egyptian cotton, but not the gaudy kind; they’re 800-thread count, light enough to seem insubstantial but woven to feel solid, unyielding. They’re arranged in clinical folds on the bed, starched and pressed in a way that suggests they’re almost afraid to be touched. You’ll mess them up later, but for now, they’re an artwork of restraint.

And then there are the wines, selected with the sort of care that would make a sommelier weep. It’s silly, of course—Alexia doesn’t normally drink during the season, so she will hardly glance at the labels, but you’ve assembled an array that hints at depth nonetheless. An entire wall of Swiss Chasselas, a few rare vintages from Bordeaux, and an stupidly expensive pinot noir that tastes like dirt but cost enough to suggest you know what you’re doing. The idea is that if she gives in to something sophisticated, she’ll find it here. If she doesn’t, you’ll find her something else. Something that says you’ve thought of everything. Which, of course, you have.

The whole thing has a sort of perverse charm, really, how every detail has been obsessively pre-arranged to ensure that she knows you’re not in this for anything serious. And yet, here you are, flying her across Europe to the kind of setting people book for anniversaries and life-altering proposals.

There’s a sort of humour in it, if you’re willing to look. You even laugh to yourself, laying out the spa towels in the bathroom—too thick, too plush, a little too “I love you”—knowing full well she won’t notice them. She’ll think of them as “towels,” and if she does notice, it’ll be because she needs a new one. But that’s fine. It’s all part of the performance, all part of the thing you’ve constructed around this chalet, around her arrival, around the notion that this is—what? Casual? Fun? Whatever word fits it neatly enough to deny what you’re feeling.

And then there are the candles. Oh, God, the candles. You tried to keep them simple, restrained, the kind of scents that evoke a distant memory rather than a specific moment. Sandalwood, bergamot, a flicker of pine; nothing too floral, nothing that says “romance,” but hints of something just familiar enough to feel safe. You even toyed with the idea of an unscented option, just in case the pine felt too… suggestive. It’s ridiculous, but you’ve learned to lean into it, to control it, to package it neatly. If it’s planned, then it’s deliberate, and if it’s deliberate, then it’s just for fun.

“Why all this?” you imagine her saying, eyebrows raised, maybe laughing as she notices the excessive stock of Swiss chocolates in the cabinet. You have them lined up in neat rows, the artisan kind—no corner-shop Toblerone here—and each one is individually wrapped in foil that gleams in the dim kitchen light. You picture her rolling her eyes at the small mountain of truffle boxes, asking if you’ve stocked up for a wedding. And you, of course, would shrug it off, offering some deadpan line about Swiss tourism. Or a joke about Swiss efficiency. Or something suitably bland that keeps the tone right where you want it—on the edge of humour, a step away from real. You’ve prepared for every reaction, really. Which is pointless, because she hasn’t even arrived yet.

It’s the first time she’s been here. The place is new, purchased after a very well-timed therapy session that conveniently rebranded “self-indulgence” as “self-care.” The therapist’s exact words were “If you want to be your best self, find the spaces that let you breathe.” And you took that literally, flying up here for private viewings until this place caught your eye. Well, maybe not your eye. But it was one of those rare places that looked exactly like the pictures, maybe better, and it had the kind of aesthetic that screams “I need nothing from you” while begging for a sense of purpose. You bought it almost instantly.

And now, after weeks of fine-tuning, she’ll be here soon. You catch yourself arranging the books on the side table, pausing over which titles to leave out—a mix of philosophy and modern fiction that says “I read but don’t take it too seriously.” You laugh to yourself at the pretension of it, yet you leave the carefully selected titles exactly as they are.

It’s silly, really, because the goal here is detachment, the freedom to keep things light and uncomplicated. You tell yourself that as you straighten the pillows on the sofa for the second time, catching your own eye in the polished mirror that hangs in the foyer.

“You’re being weird,” you say out loud, imagining her walking in, that quick smile flashing, eyebrows raised in a way that says, “Is this all for me?” You picture her laughing, maybe rolling those pretty green eyes of hers. But you have an answer for that too, prepared in advance, a casual shrug.

“Just a little atmosphere,” you’ll say, as if it’s nothing.

You check your watch. Thirty-two minutes until Alexia arrives. Thirty-two minutes to double-check that every single minutely considered, utterly detached detail says, I couldn’t care less—or, more precisely, I care in exactly the right amount of less. Because she needs to know that this is nothing. That this trip to an over-the-top chalet overlooking a town mostly inhabited by 19-year-olds in cashmere is simply an exercise in relaxation, togetherness, a concept you’re fairly sure you’re allergic to.

She doesn’t know it yet, but you bought the place partly to show her. Partly to remind her, subtly, that she could disappear tomorrow and you’d still have this. Because that’s the problem with Alexia, isn’t it? She’s not really yours. She’s something you can enjoy, display even, but never own. The complete opposite of the real estate you’ve added to your collection. You stand there, glass in hand, the Lagavulin you’ve graciously poured yourself warming your fingers through the crystal, staring out at the Alps with the vague thought that an obscene number of people have had their ashes scattered here, somewhere along this ridgeline. It’s an unsettling idea you rather enjoy.

She texts, something about a delay on the tarmac, and you stare at the message for a beat too long, analysing the exact wording like you’re looking for hidden subtext. As if there could be subtext in the word “delayed.”

A casual fling, you remind yourself, should never be complicated by subtext.

To pass the time, you scan the kitchen once again. The coffee is fresh-ground, of course, from a bag that cost as much as an entire year’s supply from anywhere normal. It’s pre-portioned in tiny glass canisters your assistant found online that look like vintage apothecary jars. The labels are printed in Helvetica Neue because you once read that it’s a ‘subtly superior’ font. Ridiculous. But also, it’s perfect. There’s also a miniature mountain of imported Spanish oranges on the counter, carefully arranged in a hammered copper bowl you don’t remember buying. You could make mimosas, you think, if you didn’t know she’ll insist on starting with a protein shake instead.

You put a bottle of Alpine mineral water in the fridge just for her, chilled to the exact 4.4°C she prefers. Yes, it’s an oddly specific temperature preference. No, she didn’t tell you directly. You overheard her mention it once, offhand, to someone else. Which is exactly why you’re bound to a polite indifference if she asks why it’s there. It’s simply what the fridge was set to. Nothing personal.

Just the thought of her walking in has you adjusting your posture as if she’s already watching. Alexia doesn’t miss a single detail. Once, she commented on the way you have a tendency to pull your sleeves over your hands. You haven’t done it since. Now, you check that every piece of clothing you’ve chosen is deliberately, carelessly oversized—but only to the point that still reads as flattering.

Then, at last, you hear the crunch of tyres on gravel. You scurry to watch from the window as she steps out of the car you sent, and she’s immediately caught in that glacial alpine light, her features so stark and defined that it’s almost cinematic. There’s a sharp thrill—one you won’t admit to yourself—in seeing her here, framed against this scene like she’s the final piece in some high-budget film. The coat she’s wearing is slightly too large, lending her a relaxed, indifferent air, as if she’d picked up the first thing she saw on her way out the door. Effortless, in that way that would feel studied on anyone else.

You stand back from the window just before she glances up, retreating into the comfort of shadows. Timing is everything. You’ve thought this through, down to each calculated second. It’s critical, after all, that she finds you not watching, but instead lingering at a perfect remove, preferably with a slight air of distraction. You’re aiming for a kind of aloofness, as if her arrival is the least interesting event of the day.

She’s about to ring the bell when you move, deliberately slow, to the door, letting it swing open just as she raises her hand. There’s a brief, barely perceptible pause as her eyes meet yours, a spark of something unspoken passing between you both before she raises an eyebrow, a look that hovers between amusement and challenge.

“Missed me?” she asks, dryly, though there’s a glint in her eye that suggests she’s perfectly aware of what she’s doing. She’s close now, close enough that you can catch the faintest whiff of her perfume, something dark and woody and just the right side of familiar.

You tilt your head, giving her a slow once-over, and shrug. “Not especially,” you say, voice low, careful to keep the tone perfectly flat. But you let your gaze linger just a second too long on her collarbone, barely visible where her coat has slipped slightly, enough to make her catch it, her mouth curling up at the edge. It’s a deliberate game, one you’ve both played a hundred times, each move rehearsed, practised to the point of art.

She’s barely through the door when you feel it—that unmistakable tension, thickening the air between you. It’s almost tangible, a static hum just beneath the surface of polite conversation, something that pulls at you like gravity. The moment feels precarious, balanced on the edge of something you’re not quite willing to name, because if you wait too long, the feeling will settle into something more familiar. Something too close to comfort, which is the last thing you want.

She doesn’t seem to notice it, of course, her mind likely on dinner plans or the slow crawl of the evening. You, however, are already teetering at the edge of patience, every nerve just slightly too aware of her. She walks in, drops her bag by the door with a casual grace that feels almost too natural, like she’s done this a hundred times, like she could do this forever if you asked her to. And you wonder if you’d even want that—something so predictably domestic, the quiet comfort of a routine. No. You want her in ways that defy that kind of simplicity, in a way that doesn’t ask permission.

You watch her from the corner of your eye as she takes in the room. Her eyes linger on the minimal, curated details you agonised over: the leather-bound books you never plan to read, the art on the walls meant to suggest a taste for something more sophisticated than it is. She’s oblivious, seemingly caught up in the novelty of the place, and that’s exactly what you intended. She can’t know how meticulously you set the scene, how every pillow and chair is positioned with an almost obsessive precision. All she has to do is be here. You’ll take care of the rest.

There’s a slow, unhurried quality to her movements, an ease that’s infuriating because it’s so at odds with the pulse of urgency rising in you. She wanders over to the fireplace, running her hand along the mantel with a soft, idle curiosity. Her fingers trace over the edge of a photograph you don’t remember putting there, something abstract and distant, chosen for the way it says absolutely nothing about you. It’s maddening, really, the way she lingers in the space, claiming it without meaning to, as if her very presence could overwrite the hours you spent constructing it.

“You’ve really outdone yourself,” she says, her voice light, unaware of the way it cuts through the silence with a sharpness that’s almost physical. There’s a half-smile on her face, something unreadable that you can’t quite shake off.

You shrug, adopting an air of disinterest you’ve perfected over the years. “Thought you’d appreciate the change of scenery”

She raises an eyebrow, still oblivious, her focus now on the bust of Venus of Arles by the window. For a second, you want to laugh at the madness of it, how she’s here, right in front of you, while you’re clawing at the edges of your own restraint.

But she’s still gazing around, her fingers brushing the edge of a table as if she has all the time in the world. As if she doesn’t know what you’re holding back. You take a slow breath, exhale, feel the tension coil tighter inside, and think that if you let this linger for even another second, you’ll start to resent the calmness of it, the quiet rhythm that feels too much like waiting. Like settling into something you’re not prepared to face.

“Wine?” You ask in a futile attempt to keep things just this side of civilised. The offer hangs in the air, a thin layer of normalcy that feels like it could snap at any moment, but she only nods, glancing over with a slight smile, one corner of her mouth lifting in that way that’s halfway between polite interest and something more.

“Sure,” she says, her voice smooth, without a hint of awareness. “You pick”

You turn to the wine rack with an exaggerated casualness, scanning bottles you chose with this exact moment in mind. You could explain the notes of every vintage, how each one was picked not because it pairs with any particular food—because let’s face it, dinner’s not exactly on your mind—but because it suggests a kind of sophistication, a subtlety. You choose a bottle of red, something full-bodied and just slightly bitter, almost as if in silent commentary on the situation. You pour, slowly, setting the glass down in front of her with a kind of precision that’s both reverent and clinical. She reaches for it, her fingers grazing the stem, the gesture infuriatingly graceful.

The first sip seems to surprise her. “Good choice,” she murmurs, eyes meeting yours over the rim of the glass.

The silence stretches on just a moment too long, the air thick with something that isn’t quite tension, more like a coiled spring just waiting for one of you to press down. You feel it building as she shifts, glancing around the room, and suddenly, you realise she’s working up to something. There’s a certain deliberateness in the way she moves, a careful consideration in her stare, and you know—know—she didn’t come all this way just to admire the decor.

“Look,” she starts, her voice softer than usual, carrying a weight that tells you she’s not talking about the view. “I’ve been thinking—”

But you can’t—won’t—let her finish. Not when you know exactly what she’s about to say. You cut her off, leaning forward, your tone light, easy, deliberately dismissive. “Please don’t tell me you came all the way here just to talk, Alexia”

She freezes, mid-sentence, and there’s a flash of something in her eyes, a blend of surprise and—annoyance, maybe? But she masks it quickly, her lips pressing into a tight line. “I thought you’d appreciate me being… honest,” she says slowly, as though testing the waters, watching you carefully.

“Honest? That’s what we’re calling it?” You let a smirk tug at the corner of your mouth, a practiced expression, something designed to be just detached enough to hold everything at arm’s length. “Come on, we’re better than that, aren’t we?”

She raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by your deflection, but there’s still a hint of amusement in her eyes. “Better than what? Talking?”

Talking. The word hangs in the air, innocent, innocuous, yet loaded in a way that feels heavier than it has any right to. You shift, taking another sip of wine, letting the liquid burn down, hoping it’ll smother the way her eyes feel like they're peeling away all your practiced layers. It’s one thing to enjoy someone’s company, but the feeling creeping in now is something else, something you’re not used to. It feels inconvenient. Like an itch you can’t reach.

You try to fire back, something witty, something cool, but the words catch in your throat, your mind scraping empty. It’s frustrating, the way she’s caught you off guard, how she’s unraveled your carefully crafted reserve without even trying. You reach for your glass again, swirling the wine, stalling for time, anything to avoid that knowing look in her eyes.

But then it dawns on you, like a spark catching flame—there’s still one thing left to do to regain control. Something you can do that would put you back in charge, bring this uncomfortable vulnerability back into something physical, where you excel. You set your glass down, slowly, purposefully, letting the silence stretch taut between you both.

She watches you with that smirk, that trace of challenge, as if daring you to break this moment of stillness.

“Come here,” you say, low and steady, injecting just enough command to leave no room for debate.

“No”

She says it so simply, so carelessly, that for a moment you’re almost convinced you misheard her. It’s infuriating, really, that one little word has the power to throw you so entirely. Your pulse stumbles, and you feel the ground slipping from under you, just enough to catch you off guard.

“Alexia.” You give her a look that’s intended to be definitive, final, but it lands with all the power of a weak threat. Her smirk widens into a full, infuriating smile, the one that says she’s entirely aware of the effect she’s having on you.

“Just hear me out,” she says, with a kind of softness that’s more unnerving than you’d like. “You’re doing that thing. The thing where you turn everything into—” She pauses, gesturing vaguely with her hand, searching for the right word, “—into some kind of performance”

It’s an odd, unnerving feeling, this loss of footing. Normally, you’d have a witty reply ready, something cutting or clever, but instead, you feel like she’s stripped you bare, left you standing there with nothing but honesty, and you hate it.

“So now you’re the expert?” you reply, finally finding your voice, though it sounds sharper than you meant. “Since when do you—”

“Since I started actually falling for you,” she says, cutting you off, her voice low but clear. It’s not even particularly dramatic, the way she says it, and somehow that’s worse. Like she’s not trying to turn it into anything, not expecting any kind of reaction—just stating it as a fact.

You feel a flush rise to your face, and you mask it with another sip of wine, a hasty attempt to cover up the sudden jolt in your chest. She waits, just watches you with that maddening calm, as if giving you all the time in the world to come up with some kind of response.

The air between you feels thick, heavy with something unsaid and unfamiliar. You feel the urge to laugh, to make light of it, anything to disperse this feeling building between you, something dangerously close to vulnerability.

“You don’t have to make this into… whatever this is,” you say, gesturing between you. “Let’s not get sentimental”

“I’m not,” she says, crossing her arms, looking impossibly patient. “I told you I’m just trying to be honest. I thought that was allowed”

“Honest,” you repeat, as though the word itself is foreign. And maybe it is. Honesty has never been the thing you reach for. Honesty is for people who can afford to look foolish, who don’t mind slipping, stumbling a little. Honesty is… unnecessary. And maybe that’s exactly why it’s got you so rattled now.

You set your glass down, more forcefully than intended, and close the distance between you with a deliberate slowness, a silence that says everything you aren’t willing to say out loud. She watches you, unmoving, waiting, that infuriating patience of hers still intact.

“Fine,” you murmur, leaning in close, your voice barely above a whisper. “If youre falling for me, fucking show me”

Her lips quirk in the barest hint of a smile, a flicker of amusement mixed with something warmer, something that makes you feel like you’re the one being dissected here. It’s maddening, really, how effortlessly she manages to get under your skin, slip past all those careful layers. And yet you’re already reaching for her, pulling her closer, desperate to change the pace, to turn this moment into something you can control.

There’s a split second where neither of you move, holding the charged silence like it might be the only thread of control left. And then it snaps. You reach for her, not gently, fingers curling around her wrist with enough force that she has no choice but to be pulled in. Her smirk flickers, only slightly, and there’s something about the momentary surprise in her eyes that makes your grip tighten further, anchoring yourself as much as her. It’s a flash of vulnerability that vanishes as quickly as it appears, leaving behind nothing but a thin layer of bravado, one you’re keen to shatter.

You pull her toward you, and the air shifts, that faint hint of uncertainty cracking into something far messier. Your hand finds its way to the back of her neck, fingers threading into her hair with a kind of reckless precision, not even aware of how tightly you’re holding on. You don’t waste time; you’re not even sure there’s time to waste. And as soon as you lean in, catching her mouth with a kiss that’s anything but tentative, you feel her resistance melt, her lips parting under yours with a roughness that’s almost defiant.

She meets you with equal force, as if each clash of mouths, each bruising press of skin, is a way to gain back her own control, and you revel in it, the give-and-take that feels as calculated as it is chaotic. Your hand slips to her jaw, holding her there, your thumb brushing over the corner of her mouth with a kind of ferocity that toes the line between possessive and desperate. You know it’s not going to be gentle; there’s a part of you that doesn’t want it to be.

You’re moving backwards, feeling the edge of the marble island press into your spine, but it doesn’t matter. She’s everywhere, her hands gripping the fabric of your shirt, blunt nails scraping against your skin as if she’s staking a claim, as if she’s finally caught on to the pace you’ve been trying to set and decided to match it.

“Is this what you wanted?” Her words slip out like a slow, deliberate knife cutting through the air between you. The tone, sharp, unfamiliar, though has been the soundtrack to your late-night thoughts. It’s almost as if she knows, like she’s caught you in the act of something that’s always been just below the surface. Her breath comes in shallow gasps, eyes darting between your face and the space between you two, as if trying to read the faintest tremor in your expression. It’s always a game with her, always a step too far.

Yes.

“No,” you manage, your voice betraying you—cracked, thin, like a lie too rehearsed. The words come out wrong, but they come out anyway, forced through a tightening chest.

The moment stretches, each second fracturing, bending and folding into itself. It’s like trying to hold a conversation with a shadow—everything slips just out of reach, and the harder you try to grasp it, the more it seems to twist away, leaving nothing but the sensation of your own breath hitching in your throat. You fucking hate this. You hate the way her fingers curl in the fabric of your shirt, as if trying to remind you of your place, of the expectations that have always followed you both like a silent, mocking echo.

No, you don’t hate her.

Fuck. You love her.

The thought is an ugly, dissonant thing, a weight that doesn’t settle easily, like a slow-moving tide pulling you under. The water’s cold. You can’t feel the bottom. You don’t know which way is up, and the only thing you do know is that, somewhere along the line, you’ve let yourself drown.

Your pulse is almost deafening in your ears, hammering in time with your desperate need for air. There’s something about the way she stands before you—still and deliberate, eyes trained on yours—that makes the room feel smaller, closer. You think you can hear her thoughts. Feel them. It’s maddening, how much she seems to know you, how she’s always known the way you bend. How much she’s learned to manipulate that bend, until you almost forget what it’s like to be anything but this: a response.

You swallow. The taste of her is lingering on your lips, sweet and bitter all at once, like a bad memory. How many times has this happened? You don’t know anymore. The last time feels as far away as the first time—when she leaned in, the weight of her body an invisible promise. But tonight, there’s something different. It’s in the way she watches you, cold, calculating, her fingers still gripping the edges of your shirt, the only real connection between you two in the moment.

She inhales slowly, the rhythm deliberate, like she’s listening to a song you can’t hear. The silence is suffocating.

“You’re lying,” she says, low and accusing, with just enough venom to make you flinch. There’s a tiny smile that tugs at the corner of her mouth, something fleeting, something knowing. You want to reach out, to take her in your hands and pull her close, but the distance between you both feels like a universe. The space feels like a reflection of everything that’s wrong with you: the empty conversations, the meaningless gestures, the ache that’s always there, just beneath the skin. It’s maddening, this tension.

And yet…

You want her. Fuck, you need her. You don’t know if it’s because you love her or because she knows how to make you feel more alive than anything else. She’s become your addiction, your fire, the only thing you can’t quit.

Another shift in the air. Another breath from her, shallow and calculated. It’s not a question anymore, not a challenge—it’s an affirmation. She knows, and you know, too.

You close your eyes for a moment, just long enough to lose yourself in the fleeting memory of something that almost felt like peace. The sound of her voice, the taste of her, the way she touched you. It’s all a blur, a disjointed collection of moments tied together by one inescapable truth: you’ll never be able to walk away.

Not this time.

When your eyes open again, she’s still standing there, eyes not leaving yours, studying you. Everything feels slowed down, almost too slow. Like time is bending around her, twisting the seconds into something thick, sticky. Her gaze doesn’t soften, but it holds you in place, an anchor, a force. The room is silent except for the faint hum of the refrigerator in the background, the dull tap of your own pulse in your ears.

You don’t speak. Not yet. You don’t need to.

Her fingers slide along your chest, trailing down in that same slow, infuriating pace, until they settle on the edge of your shirt again, the same place they started. She doesn’t look away, her lips curving upward in a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes.

It’s like she’s trying to decide whether you want to hurt her or fuck her. And the problem is, you’re not sure you can tell the difference anymore.

Your hands curl into fists at your sides, nails digging into your palms like that might keep you steady, like that might stop you from doing the one thing you swore you wouldn’t.

Loving something. Someone. Loving Alexia.

“What are you so afraid of?” she murmurs, her voice low, almost gentle, and it’s the softness of it that makes you unravel completely.

You don’t think—you can’t. One second you’re standing there trying to convince yourself you still have your palms wrapped around this situation, and the next they’re on her, pulling her in with a force that’s almost cruel. Your mouth finds hers, hard and unrelenting, and she gasps into the kiss, her fingers clutching at your shirt, wrinkling the silk, as if you might disappear if she doesn’t hold on.

She tastes like spearmint gum and coffee. You imagine her shivering as she steps off the plane, teeth chattering in the wind, and too polite to mention it. But your driver notices, you pay him to notice, so before her luggage is out of the cargo, a café con leche is being pressed into her gloved hands.

It’s not a kiss. Not really. It’s a collision, hard and unrelenting, her mouth crashing into yours with a force that feels like defiance, like she’s daring you to stop pretending. To stop holding yourself together so tightly you’re liable to snap.

Your hands are already on her, pulling her close, so close it feels claustrophobic, but you can’t stop. You can’t make yourself pull away because then you’d have to look at her, really look at her, and confront the unbearable softness in her eyes. You’d have to hear her voice again, saying the one thing you’ve been trying to ignore since she first murmured it like a needle under your skin:

“What are you so afraid of?”

What you’re afraid of is this. Her. The way she’s stripped you bare with no effort at all, no grand gestures or declarations. She’s unravelling you with the weight of her presence, with the simple fact of her being, and you hate it almost as much as you crave it.

Your teeth scrape against her lower lip, harder than you mean to, and she gasps, but she doesn’t pull away. Her nails dig into your shoulders, gripping onto you while you take your rightful place at the helm of this godforsaken dance.

And she’s letting you. Letting you press her against the edge of the table, her legs bumping into the thick, varnished oak. The table was handmade by some artisan you don’t remember the name of, its surface polished to a high gloss that reflects the warm light overhead. You’d spent weeks agonising over the purchase, debating wood grains and finishes with a level of scrutiny that felt absurd even at the time. It’s the kind of thing people like you do when they’re too scared to focus on what matters.

But now it’s just a table. A thing in the way, a thing that’s caught between you and her.

Her jeans catch on the wood as you push her back, and the sound is sharp, cutting through the fog in your head. You hesitate for half a second, your hands hovering at her hips, fingers brushing the cool metal of her belt buckle.

“You’re thinking too much,” she says, her voice low and breathless. It’s not a reproach—it’s almost amused, like she knows exactly what’s going on in your head, and it’s ridiculous to her that you’re trying to wrestle this into something it’s not.

“I’m not thinking at all,” you say, and it’s true. Or it’s a lie. You don’t know anymore, and you don’t care.

The belt comes undone with a soft clink, the leather sliding through the loops of her jeans in one smooth motion. You let it fall to the floor, the sound of it hitting the tile lost beneath the ragged breaths you’re both taking. Your hands are shaking slightly as you undo the button on her jeans, the metal cold against your fingertips.

She doesn’t help you. Doesn’t lift her hips, doesn’t make it easier. She just watches you, her gaze steady and unwavering, like she’s daring you to keep going.

And you do.

You yank the denim down her thighs, your movements jerky, almost frantic, and it’s not until the fabric crumples on the floor that you realise your hands are still trembling. She notices too, her lips twitching into that infuriating half-smile, the one that makes your stomach twist into knots.

“What are you doing?” she asks, her voice soft but edged with something sharper, something that cuts right through you.

“I don’t know,” you admit, and the honesty of it feels like a blow to the chest.

“Don’t stop,” she whispers, and the words make something inside you snap.

You hook your fingers into the waistband of her underwear, dragging them down her thighs in one swift, unceremonious motion. The damp lace clings for a moment before it slides free, pooling at her knees before hitting the floor. You don’t stop to think. There’s no room for hesitation here, no space for the doubt that’s been clawing at you since this started.

Her scent hits you first, heady and intoxicating, and for a moment you freeze, overwhelmed by the sheer weight of it. But then she moves—just slightly, her hips tilting forward in an unspoken plea—and it’s all the permission you need.

You press your mouth to her, your tongue sliding through her folds with a slow, deliberate pressure that pulls a broken sound from her throat. Her taste is sharp, almost sweet, and it floods your senses in a way that makes you dizzy. Her thighs close around your head instinctively, caging you in, and you let out a low, involuntary groan against her skin.

“Fuck—” Her voice is high and breathy, her fingers digging into your scalp now, hard enough to sting. “Don’t stop. Don’t—”

You don’t. You press deeper, your tongue finding the sensitive bundle of nerves at her centre and circling it with a precision you didn’t know you had. She jerks against you, her body arching off the table, and you use the opportunity to slide your hands up her thighs, holding her steady.

The table creaks beneath her, the sound of the wood groaning under her weight mixing with the wet, obscene noises of your mouth against her. It’s filthy and raw, every sense overwhelmed, and you’re not sure if you’re doing this to prove a point or because you can’t bear to stop. Maybe it’s both.

Her head tilts back, exposing the long, elegant line of her throat, and you want to mark it, to leave evidence of this all over her skin, but you can’t pull away. Not when she’s gasping your name, her voice breaking like she can’t quite believe what’s happening.

You slide a finger into her, slow at first, just enough to make her hips stutter against your mouth. She’s tight, impossibly so, and you feel her clench around you as you add a second finger, curling them just right. Her moan is loud, sharp, and it sends a bolt of heat straight through you.

“God, you—” She doesn’t finish the sentence, doesn’t seem capable of forming words anymore, and it sends a twisted sense of satisfaction through you. You focus on her clit again, your tongue moving in quick, precise circles as your fingers work her open, the slick heat of her making it almost too easy.

Her legs tremble around you, and you can feel her getting closer, her breathing turning shallow and erratic. You don’t let up, don’t give her a second to recover, pressing her higher and higher until she breaks with a cry that sounds like your name.

Her whole body shudders, her thighs clamping tight around your head as she rides out her orgasm, and you keep going, drawing it out as long as you can until she’s pushing weakly at your shoulders.

“Enough,” she gasps, her voice wrecked, and you finally pull back, your lips and chin wet with her.

You look up at her, and she’s a mess—her hair sticking to her damp forehead, her chest heaving with every ragged breath. Her eyes meet yours, dark and unreadable, and for a moment neither of you says anything.

Then, slowly, she reaches for you, her hands shaking as she grabs at your jumper and pulls you up to meet her. Her kiss is rough and desperate, her teeth catching on your lower lip, and you realise she’s not done.

Her hands don’t go for your own clothes like you’d expected. Instead, they move to your thighs, her grip firm and commanding, and before you can comprehend what’s happening, she’s lifting you. The sudden change knocks the air out of your lungs, and you gasp, your legs instinctively wrapping around her waist, locking you against her. The motion is seamless, like she’s done this before—or like she’s always known she could.

You try to tell yourself you hate how easy it feels, but you don’t. You can’t.

Your hands find her shoulders, her jaw, her hair—anything to ground yourself, but nothing works. You’re still dizzy, still untethered, even as her lips crash against yours. There’s nothing gentle about it, nothing controlled. Her teeth scrape your bottom lip, her tongue pushes into your mouth like she’s trying to devour you, and you let her because for once you don’t want to think about what comes next.

She’s walking, you realise belatedly, the steady rhythm of her steps making your body rock against hers. It’s disorienting, the way she carries you so easily, like your weight is nothing, like you’re the fragile thing here.

You kiss her harder to prove you’re not, nipping at her lip until she growls low in her throat, a sound that vibrates through you and pulls a small, involuntary moan from your lips. Her hands tighten on you, her fingers digging into the soft flesh of your thighs, and it sends a sharp thrill up your spine.

The hallway blurs around you, the world narrowing until it’s just her—her mouth on yours, her hands gripping you like she’ll never let go, her body impossibly solid against yours.

When she finally kicks the door open and lays you down on the bed, it feels like surrender. Not hers. Yours.

You don’t realise how tightly you’ve been clinging to her until she pulls back, your fingers still knotted in the collar of her shirt. The fabric wrinkles between your hands, and for a moment you just stare at each other, the room charged with something you don’t have the words to name.

Her eyes are dark, searching, but there’s no smugness, no trace of victory there. Instead, there’s something softer, something that makes your chest ache in a way that has nothing to do with lust.

“I’ve got you,” she murmurs, her voice low and steady, and it undoes you more than anything else she’s done tonight.

It’s too much. The weight of her words, the way she says them like a promise, like she means it. Your chest tightens, and you shake your head, your fingers releasing her collar to press against her shoulders, keeping her at a distance.

But she doesn’t let you push her away completely. Her hands slide up your sides, gentle now, her touch a sharp contrast to the bruising grip she had on you moments ago. She’s watching you, waiting, like she knows exactly what’s going through your head.

You hate her for it. You hate her because she’s right.

“I can’t…” Your voice cracks, barely audible, and you don’t even know what you’re trying to say.

She leans in, her forehead resting against yours, her breath warm against your cheek. “You don’t have to,” she says simply, and the honesty in her tone is unbearable.

You want to argue, to fight, to push her away, but your body doesn’t move. You just lay there, your chest heaving, your hands trembling against her. You feel like you’re teetering on the edge of something vast and unknowable, and for the first time in a long time, you’re not sure if you’ll survive the fall.

Because this isn’t about sex anymore.

It’s about her, and the way she looks at you like you’re something worth holding onto. It’s about the way your body feels like it’s breaking apart under the weight of it, like you’re finally being seen for what you are—what you’ve always been.

A liar. A coward. Someone too afraid to let go, too afraid to feel, too afraid to love.

Her lips brush yours again, soft this time, barely there, and you let out a shaky breath. It’s not enough to drown in. Not yet. But it’s close.

“Let me in,” she whispers, and it’s not a command. It’s an offering.

You close your eyes, and for the first time, you don’t resist.

[click4rainy]

Logan Howlett boyfriend Head Canons

👽:my favorite old man frfr 😪 (not proof read)

SFW💛

★ Logan is fiercely protective of you, sometimes it can border on overbearing…If he senses danger just know he’s quick to step in without hesitation. “Just—stay close to me alright?” “I don’t care if it’s just a noise, stay behind me. I’ll check it out.”

★ This man is rough and rugged, always. But only you get to see his softer, more vulnerable side. Especially during quiet moments (aka when wade’s not home)

★ “Don’t go paradin’ this to the entire city now, but you’re my favorite person on this god forsaken planet.” He’ll murmur while bringing your hand up to his lips.

★ Logan is loyal to a FAULT! Once he commits, that’s it. He’s all in whether you like it or not. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right here with you. Don’t think for a second I’d ever leave.” His loyalty runs deep and he’ll stand by you no matter the circumstances or the cost.

★ Peanut isn’t big on flowery words or poetry. But his love for you is shown through touch—rough bear hugs, protective hand holding, or giving you forehead kisses.

★ Again, rather than words this man expresses his love for you with his actions. “C’mere…” he mutters, pulling you into a hug that’s as secure as it is slightly crushing…

★ Fixing things around the house, cooking a simple, hearty meal. He tends to your wounds and pampers you when needed.

★ Logan’s temper flares if he feels like someone is crossing a line with you. “This guy botherin’ you?” He’ll ask cocking a brow, eyes narrowing as he sizes up the situation.

★ He’s got a dry, sarcastic sense of humor. Always expect sharp, quick witted one liners. “You’re late.” You’ll say, hand on hip. Smirking, he’ll reply some shit like “Time’s a human construct, babe.”

★ For someone who holds a gruff and rough exterior, he’s surprisingly a good cuddler. He’ll pull you close without a word, “Didn’t know I needed this til now.” He’ll smirk, relishing the warmth you provide.

★ Logan is the type of boyfriend who will stare at you when you’re not looking. His gaze can vary from intense affection to slight sadness. Sometimes he’ll reflect on the fear of losing you when he get’s lost in his admiration…

★ “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” You’ll ask whenever catching his stare. He just shakes his head slightly. “Just…takin’ it all in.”

★ Not one for fancy dates, he’ll plan out more low-key, intimate activities like camping in the woods, hiking together, or road trips on his motorcycle.

★ “I know a spot a few miles out. Stars are brighter there. Thought we could use the peace tonight.”

★ He has the absolute BEST stories. He shares stories behind his scars, memories from his long life during intimate moments. “This one?” He traces the mark up his arm. “Happened back in ‘78. Remind me to tell you about it when we get more whiskey.”

★ Whenever you’re feeling sad, or down, Logan knows how to be there, how to be present without speaking. “You don’t have to talk if you’re not ready. I’m here for ya…” He’ll sit beside you, offering you silent support and reassurance by giving your shoulder a comforting squeeze.

★ Sure, he’s blunt and straightforward. But with you, he’s also soft spoken. “I love you” “How did I get so lucky?” “You gonna let me hold you already or what?”

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

NSFW💦🤭

★ He’ll never admit it, (he will) but he thinks it’s totally hot when you take control. Mostly because it’s a rare treat when you decide to do so. “Alright, alright. I’m sat.” “I love it when you get aggressive.”

★ He’s an experienced man. Who knows what he wants and exactly how to get it. “Mhmm—just like that…” “god damn baby…” “that’s right~”

★ Man’s got stamina for days. I’m talking about round after round. He’s down as long as you are.

★ “Oh, come on princess, I know you can take it a little longer.” He smiles, pounding into you relentlessly, his hand on the back of your head while pushing your face into the pillows.

★ Logan is rough around the edges…so of course you’re in for some rough treatment during freaky deaky time. “Quit squirmin’ and take it.” He grunts, pinning your wrists above your head, drilling into you with quick, harsh thrusts.

★ “God damn you’re snug.” He says, smacking your ass harshly while wrapping your hair around his free hand, pulling your head back as he sets a brutal pace.

★ Logan loves marking your skin during intimacy. Biting your shoulders. Nuzzling into the crook of your neck, sucking and leaving dark marks along the column of your delicate skin while soothing each sting with a tender kiss.

★ “look at you.” Logan coos, cupping your cheek, his thumb brushing over your bottom lip. “All beat up and tired. We haven’t even started yet.”

★ Gets off from overstimulating you with his cock. Rolling his hips against yours, slowly and agonizingly after making you cum several times already. Smirking while splitting you open. Using zero effort while your hands fist into the sheets. Legs trembling and a sheen of sweat on your forehead.

★ “Gonna make you walk crooked—fuck you til you’re beggin’ me to stop. Then keep goin’ til I get my fill. How’s that sound?” He teases, rubbing the tip of his cock against your buzzing, numb cunt before slamming into you without another word.

★ Loves it when you get on your knees for him. “Atta girl. Now, open up for me.” He commands gently, fisting your hair up into a ponytail for you. (Or just gripping your melon if you have short hair)

★ He’s not going to fuck your face unless you ask him to. Usually letting you set your own pace when you’re tasting him. Keeping your hair out of the way while praising you.

★ “Take it all baby..” “perfect.” “You’re damn good at thi—s aren’t you?” “Swallow for me…” his grip will tighten in your hair (or not) as you bob your head up and down his shaft. Feeling his cock throb in your hot mouth before spewing thick, white ropes down your throat.

★ He low key likes thigh riding. Like…a lot. It seriously is one of his favorite ways to make you a whimpering, whining mess.

★ “Fuck, you’re doing so good—” He’ll praise you, hands sliding up and down your sides before firmly gripping your hips, grinding you harder against his thigh. “You like that?”

★ After care…Logan knows his way around the block when it comes to pampering the love of his life. Especially after fucking you senseless.

★ Has a habit of getting too rough with you sometimes. Happens to the best of us, right? “Let me see those marks…” he’ll whisper, tracing over your skin with his finger tips.

★ “You alright?” “Still with me, sweetheart?” “just relax, that’s right. Let me take care of you.” “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” “C’mere, let me hold you”

★ Massaging your back, getting you a drink, cleaning you up and getting you a fresh set of clothing, running a bubble bath or shower. Whatever works best in the moment for you, he’ll do it.