Moore Precision Cost Saves You Money and Increases Accuracy
Structure Type 4 Building Construction
Structure Type 4 Building Construction
J WAYNE MOORE PHD, LLC, doing business as MOORE PRECISION COST, is the limited liability company founded by Wayne Moore in 2008 following his more than three decades in mass appraisal. He had directly or indirectly been involved in the implementation of computer assisted mass appraisal (CAMA) systems in more than 300 assessing jurisdictions in North America. He founded ProVal Corporation, which was acquired by a public company in 1999. Although the ProVal CAMA software is still widely used by assessing jurisdictions because of its in-depth appraisal functionality, Wayne no longer has any financial interest in the software or the company that now holds the rights to the software.
Wayne’s undergraduate degree is in Economics, he holds a master’s degree in Systems Engineering, and his PhD is in Business Administration with a specialty in property taxation. He does independent research and writing, having received three IAAO Technical Essay Awards for his published articles in the past 10 years. He provides assessment advisory services and has focused his more recent research on improving and modernizing the methods for estimating construction costs that are the foundation of the cost approach to value, an important subject that has not received sufficient attention in the past. As a result of this research and the industry need for modern, accurate, affordable cost models and cost tables for use with the CAMA software being offered by all vendors, Wayne established Moore Precision Cost as a business of J Wayne Moore PHD, LLC to provide cost models and tables specifically designed for use in mass appraisal.
During the past three decades much attention has been directed toward improvement of value estimating accuracy using regression-based automated valuation models (AVMs) with little attention devoted to cost models and their underlying assumptions. When cost manuals were first developed 30 to 80 years ago, building design, materials, and building codes were different from what is typically found in modern construction. One of the important tasks undertaken in the development of these new cost tables was the study and realignment of underlying cost model assumptions to conform to today’s building designs and materials.
Even with all the attention and hype that has surrounded the potential advantages of using regression-based automated valuation models (AVMs), market-adjusted cost remains the most widely used mass appraisal methodology by assessing jurisdictions. Published research has provided evidence that the market-adjusted cost method is capable of producing value estimates that are statistically equivalent to those obtained using regression-based AVMs. Published research has also demonstrated that adding parcel x-y coordinates and using geographically weighted regression will significantly improve market value estimates, but the same research also found that the best estimates were obtained when replacement cost new (RCN) and RCN less depreciation (RCNLD) were added as variables in the regression model. Hence, the use of modern, accurate construction cost models and cost tables such as those provided by Moore Precision Cost as the foundation of the appraisal process always enhances market value estimating results.
These buildings are single or multiple family dwellings of one to three stories in height. Building loads are light and the framing spans are short. Floor and roof framing consists of wood joists or rafters on wood studs spaced 16 inches apart. The first floor framing is supported directly on the foundation, or post and beam supports. The foundation consists of spread footings constructed with cast-in-place concrete or concrete masonry block. Lateral forces are resisted by wood frame diaphragms and shear walls. Floor and roof diaphragms consist of straight or diagonal lumber sheathing, tongue and groove planks, oriented strand board, or plywood. Shear walls consist of exterior plywood or oriented strand board sheathing with a wide variety of exterior cover materials such as vinyl, wood, hardboard, fiberboard, metal, stucco, including masonry veneers such as brick and various types of stone. Interior partitions are sheathed with gypsum board.
These buildings are usually commercial or industrial with larger floor areas. There are few, if any, interior load bearing walls. The floor and roof framing consists of wood or steel trusses, glulam or steel beams, and wood posts or steel columns. Lateral forces are resisted by wood diaphragms and exterior stud walls sheathed with plywood, oriented strand board, stucco, plaster, straight or diagonal wood sheathing, or braced with rod bracing. Wall openings for storefronts and garages, when present, are framed by post-and-beam framing.
These buildings have perimeter bearing walls that consist of unreinforced masonry, frequently concrete block. Interior bearing walls, when present, also consist of unreinforced masonry. Floors consist of structural panel or plywood sheathing rather than lumber sheathing. The diaphragms are flexible relative to the walls. When they exist, ties between the walls and diaphragms consist of bent steel plates or anchors embedded in the mortar joints and attached to framing. Foundations consist of concrete-spread footings.
These building have reinforced masonry load bearing walls and floors that consist of metal deck with concrete fill, precast concrete planks, tees, or double-tees, with or without a cast-in-place concrete topping slab, and are stiff relative to the walls. The floor and roof framing is supported on interior steel or concrete frames or interior reinforced masonry walls.
These buildings are one or more stories in height and have precast concrete perimeter wall panels that are cast on site and tilted into place. Floor and roof framing consists of precast elements, cast-in-place concrete, or metal deck with concrete fill, and are stiff relative to the walls. Framing is supported on interior steel columns and perimeter concrete bearing walls. Lateral forces are resisted by the precast concrete perimeter wall panels. Wall panels may be solid, or have large window and door openings which cause the panels to behave more as frames than as shear walls. Foundations consist of concrete-spread footings or deep pile foundations.
These buildings feature large, solid sawn posts or laminated columns instead of wood studs, steel framing, or concrete masonry. Post-frame construction is an engineered wood-frame building system that meets UBC and IBC standards. They transfer loads to the ground or surface-mounted to a concrete pier or masonry foundation, and may use plastic barrier systems for enhanced protection of wood and concrete posts or piers. Post-frame structures are more quickly erected than other kinds of buildings. Because the larger posts and the interlocking frame can handle greater loads than stud-wall construction, fewer structural materials are needed, which saves time and other costs. Also, because posts are spaced farther apart than studs, post-frame buildings feature an exceptionally large wall cavity and provide ample room for insulation, lowering heating and cooling costs through the life of the building. Almost any type of exterior façade may be installed on post-frame buildings, which can be designed to meet the highest standards for quality and aesthetics. Post-frame construction is an efficient and economical option for low-rise applications and is now the construction method of choice for any number of commercial, industrial, municipal, residential, religious, and agricultural projects.
These buildings consist of a frame assembly of steel beams and steel columns. Foundations consist of concrete-spread footings or deep pile foundations. Floor and roof framing consists of cast-in-place concrete slabs or metal deck with concrete fill supported on steel beams, open web joists, or steel trusses. Lateral forces are resisted by steel moment frames that develop their stiffness through rigid or semi-rigid beam-column connections. When all connections are moment-resisting connections, the entire frame participates in lateral force resistance. Diaphragms consist of concrete or metal deck with concrete fill and are stiff relative to the frames. A steel building’s structural members are expected to have fire resistance to prevent structural failure for a determined period of time to give the building occupants more time to escape and allow the fire service to control it. The required fire resistance periods for the different steel building types are found in local building codes. The structural steel needs to be protected against fire using the proper insulating materials and methods to protect the structural steel members and allow them to resist weakening for longer periods. Recent research has been conducted resulting in several fire-resistant steels with better strength levels developed. These steels represent a notable improvement over conventional steels in terms of elevated temperature yield strength. Exterior walls consist of metal panel curtain walls, glazing, brick masonry, or precast concrete panels. When the interior of the structure is finished, frames are concealed by ceilings, partition walls, and architectural column furring.
These buildings are pre-engineered and prefabricated with transverse rigid steel frames. They are one story in height. The roof and walls consist of lightweight metal, fiberglass or similar panels. The frames are designed for maximum efficiency and the beams and columns consist of tapered, built-up sections with thin plates. The frames are built in segments and assembled in the field with bolted or welded joints. Lateral forces in the transverse direction are resisted by the rigid frames. Lateral forces in the longitudinal direction are resisted by wall panel shear elements or rod bracing. Diaphragm forces are resisted by untopped metal deck, roof panel shear elements, or a system of tension rod bracing.
These buildings consist of a frame assembly of cast-in-place concrete beams and columns. Floor and roof framing consists of cast-in-place concrete slabs, concrete beams, one-way joists, two-way waffle joists, or flat slabs. Lateral forces are resisted by concrete moment frames that develop their stiffness through monolithic beam-column connections. Modern frames in regions of high seismicity have joint reinforcing, closely spaced ties, and special detailing to provide ductile performance. This detailing is not present in older construction. Exterior walls consist of metal panel curtain walls, glazing, brick masonry, or precast concrete panels. Foundations consist of concrete-spread footings or deep pile foundations.