Ranking of the best online courses for estimators for 2022

Estimator is an interesting profession, but monotonous and responsible. No creativity and amateur performance, only formulas, numbers, norms and job descriptions. Plus, the constant processing of large amounts of information and the periodic passage of refresher courses. We will talk about the best online courses for estimators in the article.

What should an accountant know?

Responsibilities are specified in the job description and depend on the company. If averaged, then a good estimator should be able to:

• draw up, maintain budget and financial documentation - for the construction, repair of buildings, equipment;
• analyze, check repair sheets, read working drawings - already on their basis, calculate the exact cost of work;
• evaluate the correctness of the preparation, the veracity of estimates (be able to determine for which works, materials, prices are clearly overpriced) provided by contractors;
• draw up acts.

A qualified employee must know design methods, standards and technical specifications for development, documentation, building codes, the basics of pricing in construction. And also be able to make estimates for all types of construction work, calculate their volume, be able to read drawings.
In general, the profession is suitable for people with an analytical mindset, able to work with reference information and well-versed in mathematics and physics.

How to choose courses, what to look for

First you need to understand the difference between rates for estimators and rates for estimators. The first is advanced training for working professionals, the second is for those who want to learn a profession.

You need to understand that after completing the course, if you want to learn from scratch, and even receive a certificate, there will not be a queue of employers. With salary promises, many sites are also cunning - usually we are talking about 50,000 rubles for beginners who have just received an education.

At HeadHunter, the picture is slightly different - such wages are offered to leading specialists with higher education. For employees without experience (requirements for specialized secondary or higher education are also indicated in many vacancies), employer companies are ready to pay 15,000-20,000 rubles. On Superjob you can find vacancies with a salary of 120,000 rubles (in Moscow).The main requirements are higher education, 2-3 years of experience in a similar position, work in special software.

So it makes sense to take such courses if you want to improve your skills or work in a related profession (civil engineer, designer or even an accountant in a construction company). If you studied as a manager, but plan to build a house, then taking courses definitely won’t hurt - it will be much easier to control contractors. If not, then paying for such training is probably not worth it.

About promises

If the site promises to make a specialist out of a user in a couple of weeks, then most likely the student will receive general information, such as what the estimator does, what documents he works with. Perhaps the teachers will even give some reference materials. But agree, this is clearly not enough. Therefore, choose a minimum of three-month courses.

If they promise help in finding a job, do not rush to rejoice - usually, help means compiling a “selling” resume from course specialists. By the way, the service is not free. But if they promise an opportunity to do an internship, then it’s definitely worth trying.

About the training program

The more specifics - how many academic hours, how many practical classes, whether or not there is feedback from teachers (or there will be just a chat in which only students can communicate), the better. It would be nice if the site will indicate the level of education, the experience of the curators, perhaps the names of the projects that they led.
If the description contains only slogans about the demand for the profession, high salaries of specialists, then you can look for another course.

About trial lessons

It’s not bad if the site provides the opportunity to take a couple of free lessons in order to assess the level of education and understand how the profession is suitable in general. Some sites offer to return the full cost of the course if the quality of educational services does not suit the user.
If there is such a promise, carefully read the terms of the contract - it often happens that the offer provides for the right of the educational organization not to return the money after the activation of the course. With such an agreement, it is unlikely that it will be possible to return the money.

About licenses

A state license is a kind of quality mark. Firstly, the presence of a license means that the organization conducts training according to a generally accepted program, in compliance with standards. Secondly, the issued diplomas or certificates of successful completion of the course are already a document that can be presented to the employer.

About prices and refunds

Have you noticed that most online schools almost always offer discounts of 30, 50 percent? To buy a course at full price, you will have to try very hard. Therefore, the discount is definitely not the main argument for choosing.
And the last point - it is better to buy courses in specialized centers. If an online school provides training for estimators, hairdressers, makeup artists, programmers, you should think about the quality of the services provided.

Ranking of the best online courses for estimators for 2022

Paid

Institute of Applied Automation and Programming (IPAP)

This organization conducts courses on additional education and retraining. In addition, the institute offers clients to undergo trainings and seminars on:

• Estimated business.
• Research of design and estimate documentation.
• The study of the technological state of structures and buildings.
• Weak systems.
• Energy saving, etc.

For the entire training course for practical training and tests, a free estimate program is offered to choose from:

• GRAND Estimate.
• SmetaWIZARD.
• Complex A0.
• Estimated calculator.
• GOSSTROYSMET.
• programs from the Autodesk series.

Round-the-clock support for teachers and course curators via chat, phone and video calls allows students to be active and quickly get answers to their questions. After the successful completion of the training and passing the exams, the student receives a certificate of promotion of the current sample, which is valid for 5 years, or a diploma.

Discounts from 30 to 35% apply to students and pensioners.

• Own online learning platform, which is located at: https://teachandstudy.ru.
• A large number of fascinating articles and video content are provided free of charge in the "Useful" section and on the YouTube channel.
• Experienced teachers with extensive practical experience from the best higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation.
• Documents of the state standard, such as certificates, diplomas and certificates.
• A large number of educational programs not only for beginners, but also for professionals.
• Lack of a rigid schedule (you can study anytime and anywhere).
• Comfortable payment scheme.

• Not identified.

ADEPT

Online courses from the group of companies of the same name - the creators of special software for estimators with good reviews. Suitable for beginners and for those who want to improve their skills, learn something new. It will also be useful for those who want to learn how to check estimates (including local ones for accuracy) in order to control the work of contractors.

The training program includes 3 blocks - theory, practice and NCS, each of which can be purchased separately, and 11 modules:

• introduction - gives a general idea of ​​​​how estimates are compiled, introduces the regulatory framework;
• calculation methods - SNB ER (GESN);
• coefficients in construction pricing - types, methods of accrual;
• authentication;
• calculation according to the NCS standards.

Plus - feedback from the teacher in the chat and a two-week access to proprietary software and the ability to download all training materials. There are 10-15% discounts for ADEPT-SMETA users, students, pensioners. If you pay for the full course, you can get a 20% discount on the purchase of software.

Price - 15,000 rubles, you can sign up at https://gk-adept.ru/

• lessons are taught by qualified specialists;
• discounts for students who have already completed training on the platform;
• you can buy each block separately - "Practice" will cost 7500, "Theory" 10500 and "CNS" 3750 rubles;
• discount on software is a great solution for construction organizations, you can train specialists and at the same time save on software.

• no.

Central Committee Glavkurs

Training for beginners includes 144 academic hours of lectures and practical exercises under the guidance of an experienced teacher. You can choose the time of training yourself, after payment, video lessons and homework assignments will be available in your personal account.
The user also receives:

• access to the GRAND-ESTIMATE program;
• up-to-date information on innovations (updated constantly);
• accompaniment of the curator, who will answer all the questions, will help to understand incomprehensible topics.

After completing the training, successfully compiling and defending the estimate, the student receives a state-issued certificate, a disk with regulatory documents and more than 110 ready-made estimates for all types of construction work and a study guide.
The cost of training is adequate, given its duration. For comparison, paid lessons on innovations in budgeting will cost an average of 8,000-10,000 rubles, but here they are already included in the cost of the course.
There are no free trial lessons, they don’t promise to return the money if you suddenly realize that you don’t want to devote your life to making estimates.

Price - 14900 rubles, you can sign up at https://online.smetnie-kursi.ru/

• the company is a specialized licensed training center;
• a certificate is issued;
• many training programs - for beginners and professionals (training courses);
• there is no strictly set schedule - you can study at any time, at a pace that is comfortable for you;
• after completing the training, students have access to vacancies from direct employers.

• no.

Construction technologies

Free library, 80 academic hours, 18 lessons, 3 lessons with a teacher on ZOOM, access to specialized software and an online platform for optimal organization of learning. The course will teach:

• work with regulatory frameworks;
• apply indexes of change in value, other costs associated with the construction of the facility;
• draw up reports, budget documentation;
• methods of work performance control;
• work in budget programs;
• determine the scope of the main construction work.

After successfully passing the examination tests, the student receives a certificate and a certificate of the established form indicating the number of points scored.

Price - 14700, site https://smetamds.ru/

• licensed organization;
• training at a convenient time;
• free access to the MDS ESTIMATE program;
• library of normative documents - reference books, changes in legislation.

• no.

Training Center at MSTU im. Bauman

Online courses for advanced training. The requirement for students is a specialized higher, secondary specialized education or work experience as a foreman, economist, standard setter in production. All graduates, after passing the final test, receive a certificate, an international certificate and a certificate - users who have provided copies of a diploma of specialized education.
The program includes 68 academic hours, 48 ​​of which are teacher lectures, the rest is practical independent work. To be admitted to classes, you need to pass a test.

Price - 28,500 rubles (in a group), individual lessons with a teacher will cost 75,000 rubles,You can sign up at https://www.specialist.ru/

• strong teaching staff;
• prestigious educational institution;
• detailed information about the course - in the description, for example, it honestly says that with individual training, the student will receive 24 academic hours, additional classes will be paid separately, and the schedule must be agreed with the teacher;
• you can get an international certificate, which increases the chances of employment.

• schedule - studying at a convenient time will not work;
• price.

Free

Academy of Accounting

Here you can sign up for free webinars, download literature that will give you a general idea of ​​the profession. It will help to understand how estimates are made, what regulatory documents need to be studied. On the site, the user gets trial access to paid courses for 7 days. If you don't like it, they promise to return the money, without deductions for the hours you listened to.
Lessons are taught by professionals in their field - specialists who participated in the implementation of large construction projects. When buying a paid course and successfully completing it, the student receives a state certificate.

You can order free lessons at https://online.academia-bti.ru/

• license;
• a lot of useful literature in the public domain;
• full information about teachers - work experience, education, project name.

• no.

General Estimate

Offers 8 academic hours of free training with the purchase of proprietary software. So if you plan to update the software, you should take advantage of this opportunity.
You can conduct classes in 1 day or split the course into 2 days. What exactly to study is decided by the customer himself - you can understand the program or pay attention to the intricacies of the estimate. After listening to the course, practical work, the user receives a certificate.

Read more at https://general-smeta.ru/

• you can learn to work in the program;
• the user prepares questions of interest on his own;
• can be completed in one day - remotely or at your workplace.

• the offer is not suitable for everyone - in order to receive free lessons, you will also have to refuse the “Gift” option when purchasing software.

StroySoft

For those who are ready to master the profession on their own.After registering on the site, the user will have access to the recordings of webinars, a free trial version of Smeta.RU.

Here you can also sign up for free lessons that take place online, once a month - a detailed schedule is on the website. The forum with a convenient breakdown by topic deserves special attention - you can chat with experts, ask questions of interest.

Website – https://old.smeta.ru/

• the opportunity to study the functionality of the software on which many construction companies work;
• free webinars;
• a forum where you can find information from experts.

• there are no special ones.

As a result

It is worth buying courses if you already have an economic, accounting education or experience in the construction industry (that is, you understand what equipment is used for what work, how much it costs), you know how to calculate using formulas and apply coefficients. Ready to quickly monitor changes in legislation and constantly learn.

If you want to retrain, then study the labor market in advance - vacancies, salaries, employers' requirements. For example, job search sites come across vacancies for a construction company with a high salary. At first glance, everything is fine - no requirements, except that knowledge of office programs, work experience is also not particularly interested in anyone. But if you read the text, it turns out that the duties of the employee include visiting the objects, taking measurements and, unexpectedly, selling the services of the company and the designer. And the promised salary of conditional 120,000 rubles is, in fact, a percentage of sales. There is nothing criminal in this, but to get such a job you do not need to spend 15,000-30,000 rubles on the purchase of specialized courses.
And lastly, carefully study the school website, look for specialized educational platforms. Such students provide access to programs for the duration of training - you can study the functionality and add a new line of achievements to your resume. Plus, such sites usually issue a certificate - a document of the established form, which can be safely presented to a potential employer.