It's really great if you don't know what you should be looking for in a complete system. For example, what goes into a stem wall - this book explains it, and then prices each individual part. Great resource!A quick way to an estimate. The Assemblies Cost Data method is a reliable and fairly quick way to generate an estimate. This is especially helpful if you want to compare the costs of different construction types (i.e. steel, pre-cast, cast-in-place). However, I found that I still needed the information in the more detailed Construction Cost Data book to fill in missing items, like demolition, louvers, or ceiling insulation.