Standard estimating software prices labor and materials for a city. For a home in a western Alaska village, a lodge on a fly-in lake or a cabin across Kachemak Bay, those prices are only the beginning.
Freight
Materials may travel by barge, air freight or seasonal ice road. Each has costs: freight charges by weight or volume, handling at each transfer, and minimums. Barge schedules may mean materials must be ordered months ahead.
Crew travel
When local labor is not available, crews travel in. That means airfare, lodging, per diem and travel time. Projects may be scheduled around flight availability and weather.
Equipment
Lifts, dumpsters and specialty tools may need to be shipped in and out. Debris may need to be backhauled.
Seasons
Building seasons can be short. If repairs cannot start until summer, temporary protection may be needed for months.
How to document it
- Get written freight quotes from carriers serving the community.
- Get travel quotes for crews.
- Ask contractors who work in the area for estimates that list remote costs separately.
- Keep receipts for temporary protection.
When these costs are listed separately and supported, they are easier for an insurer or appraisal panel to evaluate than a single unexplained markup.