Chapter 7-Labor

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What unit of time is used to measure labor? What does it represent? The unit of time used in estimating is the labor hour. The labor hour represents the amount of work one person can do in one hour.

The unit of time used in estimating is the __________ hour.
A. Half
B. Full
C. Labor
D. Calendar

The labor hour represents the amount of ________ one person can do in one hour.
A. Work
B. Progress
C. Time
D. None of the above

2. How do climatic conditions influence the amount of work actually completed in an hour? Both extreme hot and cold will tend to slow down the pace of work.

Both extreme hot and cold will tend to slow down the pace of work.

3. Where would you use cycle time to estimate productivity? When you have a repetitive process such as hauling gravel with a dump truck or installing sheathing on a roof or a wall.

Always use __________ time to estimate productivity when you have a repetitive process such as hauling gravel with a dump truck or installing sheathing on a roof or a wall.
A. Down
B. Cycle
C. Production
D. Official

4. Where would you use the rate of progress to estimate productivity? When the work is performed linearly, such as paving or striping a road, placing a concrete curb using slip-forming machine, or grading a road.

When work is performed linearly, such as paving or striping a road, placing a concrete curb using slip-forming machine, or grading a road, use the rate of progress to estimate productivity.

5. What federal laws govern employment of labor and what do they cover?

6. What effect can upcoming labor union negotiations have on a bid?

7. What effect could an extreme shortage of skilled workers have on the cost of a project?

8. How can working conditions on the job site affect worker productivity?

9. What are some of the things an open-shop contractor can do to retain workers?

10. What costs should be included in the labor burden?

11. How do allowances differ from reimbursements?

12. How are vacation, holidays, and sick leave included in the labor burden?

13. How can crews be used in the estimating of labor? How does this compare with using individual workers?

Chapter 8-Equipment

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What are the advantages to a small contractor of renting equipment instead of owning?

2. What is depreciation on equipment?

3. What operating costs must be considered?

4. Why should interest be included in the equipment costs if the contractor paid cash for the equipment?

5. Why must mobilization be included in the cost of equipment?

6. Why is it important that reports from the field pertaining to equipment be kept?

7. If there is excessive idle time for equipment on the job, to what factors may this be attributed?

Chapter 9-Excavation

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What type of information about the excavation can the estimator learn from the specifications?

2. How does the type of soil to be excavated affect the estimate?

3. What is the unit of measure in excavation?

4. How will the type of soil, shape of the excavation, and amount of work to be done affect the equipment selection?

5. What is the difference between a bank cubic yard, a loose cubic yard, and a compacted cubic yard? Why are they important in estimating excavation?

6. What is meant by cut and fill?

7. What does the estimator have to consider if there is a substantial amount of cut on the job? What if there is a substantial amount of fill?

8. How can the estimator get an estimate of the depth of topsoil on the project?

9. What type of excavation is considered to be general excavation?

10. How does general excavation differ from special excavation?

11. What is excess and borrow, and how are each considered in the estimate?

12. How will the possibility of a high water table or underground stream affect the bid?

13. What are piles, and under what conditions might they be required on the project?

14. For a project, your company needs to haul away 1,450 bank cubic yards (bcy) of soil. If the soil has a swell of 25 percent, how many loose cubic yards (lcy) of soil will need to be hauled? How many truckloads are required to haul the soil offsite if each truck can haul nine loose cubic yards?

15. For a project, your company needs to haul away 350 bank cubic yards of sand. If the sand has a swell of 12 percent, how many loose cubic yards of sand will need to be hauled? How many truckloads are required to haul the sand offsite if each truck can haul 12 loose cubic yards?

16. If 750 compacted cubic yards (ccy) of in-place soil is required for a project, how many loads of import will be required? The import material has a swell of 30 percent and shrinkage of 90 percent. The trucks can haul 10 loose cubic yards.

17. If 1,490 compacted cubic yards of in-place soil is required for a project, how many loads of import will be required? The import material has a swell of 14 percent and shrinkage of 95 percent. The trucks can haul 12 loose cubic yards.

Chapter 10-Concrete

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the difference between plant ready-mixed concrete and job-mixed concrete?

2. Under what circumstances might it be desirable to have a field batching plant for job-mixed concrete?

3. What is the unit of measure for concrete?

4. Why does the estimator have to keep the different places that the concrete will be used separate in the estimate (e.g., concrete sidewalks, floor slabs)?

5. Why should the different strengths of concrete be kept separate?

6. Where would the estimator most likely find the strength of the concrete required?

7. How is rebar taken off? In what unit of measure are large quantities ordered?

8. How does lap affect the rebar quantities?

9. How is wire mesh taken off? How is it ordered?

10. How is vapor barrier taken off? How does the estimator determine the number of rolls required?

11. What unit of measure is used when taking off expansion joint fillers?

12. What unit of measure is used when taking off concrete finishes?

13. Why should each finish be listed separately on the estimate?

14. Where would the estimator look to determine if any curing of concrete is required on the project?

15. Why must the estimator consider how the concrete will be transported to the job site?

16. What unit of measure is used when taking off concrete forms? How can reuse of forms affect the estimate?

17. What unit of measure is used for form liners? When might it be more economical to rent instead of purchasing them?

18. What two methods of pricing might a subcontractor use for precast concrete?

19. Many suppliers take the responsibility of installing the precast units. Why might this be desirable?

20. Under what conditions might it be desirable for a contractor to precast the concrete on the job site?

Chapter 11-Masonry

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What factors affect the costs of labor when estimating masonry?

2. How may the type of bond (pattern) affect the amount of materials required?

3. Why is high accuracy required with an item such as masonry?

4. Why should local suppliers be contacted early in the bidding process when special shapes or colors are required?

5. Why must the estimator separate the various sizes of masonry units in the estimate?

6. What is a cash allowance and how does it work?

7. How are stone veneer quantities estimated?

8. How may cold weather affect the cost of a building?

9. Determine the number of 8-inch-high by 8-inch-wide by 16-inch-long concrete (CMU) blocks required to complete 250 feet of the fence whose cross section is shown in Figure 11.22. If lintel blocks are required wherever the #4 horizontal bars are located, how many plain blocks and how many lintel blocks are needed for the wall?

10. Determine the amount of rebar needed for the CMU fence in Problem 9. Allow for two inches of cover. Add 10 percent for lap and waste to the horizontal bars.

11. Using 3.5 cubic feet of mortar per 100 square feet of wall, determine the amount of mortar needed for the CMU fence in Problem 9.

12. Determine the cost to lay the CMU block in Problem 9. It takes 5.5 mason labor hours and 7.5 laborer labor hours to construct 100 square feet of wall. The average wage rate for the masons is $39.74 per labor hour and the average wage rate for laborers is $22.35 per labor hour.

13. Determine the number of 8-inch-high by 8-inch-wide by 16-inch-long concrete blocks required to complete the wall in Figures 11.23 and 11.24. The overhead doors are 10 feet wide by 12 feet high. If lintel blocks are required wherever the #4 horizontal bars are located and above the doors, how many plain blocks and how many lintel blocks are needed for the wall?

Chapter 12-Metals

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What two materials are most commonly used for structural framing metals, and how are they priced?

2. Under what conditions might it be desirable for the contractor to use a structural subcontractor to erect the structural metal frame of the project?

3. Why should the estimator list each of the different shapes (such as columns and steel joists) separately?

4. What is the unit of measure for metal decks? What type of information needs to be noted?

5. How are fabricated metal and ornamental metal usually priced?

Chapter 13-Wood

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What unit of measure is used for lumber?

2. Determine the number of board feet for the following order:

3. How would you determine the number of studs required for a project?

4. How do you determine the number of joists required?

5. What is the difference between pitch and slope, as the terms pertain to roofing?

6. Determine the length of rafter required for each of the following conditions if the run is 16'0":

7. What unit of measure is used for plywood when it is used for sheathing? How is plywood waste kept to a minimum?

8. What unit of measure is most likely to be used for laminated beams?

9. What unit of measure is most likely to be used for wood decking? How is it determined?

10. What unit of measure is used for wood trim? If it requires a finish, where is this information noted?

Chapter 14-Thermal and Moisture Protection

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the difference between waterproofing and damp-proofing?

2. What is membrane waterproofing, and how is it estimated?

3. What is parging, and what unit of measure is used?

4. What is the unit of measure for roll batt insulation? What type of information should be noted on the estimate?

5. What is the unit of measure for shingle roofing? What type of information should be noted on the estimate?

6. What is the unit of measure for built-up roofing? What type of information should be noted on the estimate?

7. Determine the square feet of waterproofing needed for a rectangular basement 26 feet by 40 feet. The waterproofing is 8 feet high. How many gallons of waterproofing are needed if one gallon of waterproofing will cover 60 square feet?

8. Determine the cost to waterproof the basement in Problem 7 using a productivity of 1.00 labor hours per square (100 square feet) and an average labor rate of $23.17 per labor hour.

9. Determine the square feet of waterproofing needed for the basement shown in Figures 14.12 and 14.13. The waterproofing starts 6 inches from the top of the wall and continues to the top outside corner of the footing. How many gallons of waterproofing are needed if one gallon of waterproofing will cover 65 square feet?

10. Determine the cost to waterproof the basement in Problem 9 using a productivity of 0.95 labor hours per square (100 square feet) and an average labor rate of $24.42 per labor hour.

Chapter 15-Doors and Windows

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What accessories should be checked for when taking off windows and curtain wall?

2. Define glazing. Why must the estimator determine who will perform the required glazing?

3. What information is required to price a door?

4. Describe the advantages in pre-fitting and pre-finishing doors.

5. Why should the type of finish required on the door and door frames be noted on the workup sheet?

6. Describe briefly the ways hardware may be handled on a project.

7. What precautions must an estimator take when using an allowance, from the specifications, in the estimate?

8. What is the unit of measure for glass, and why should the various types and sizes required be listed separately?

Chapter 16-Finishes

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the difference between drywall and wetwall?

2. Why should walls of various heights, thicknesses, and finishes be listed separately?

3. What procedure is used to estimate the steel studs and runners used?

4. List the types of lath used for wetwall and the unit of measure for each.

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using subcontractors for drywall and wetwall construction?

6. What unit of measure is used for wood block flooring, and what information should be noted on the workup sheets?

7. What unit of measure is used for resilient flooring, and what information should be noted on the workup sheets?

8. What unit of measure is used to estimate carpet, and what can be done to minimize waste?

Chapter 17-Electrical

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the difference between single and separate contracts?

2. Why are the plumbing, HVAC, and electrical portions of the work often put out under separate contracts?

3. Why should the estimator review the electrical portions of the job whether it involves single or separate contracts?

4. Why is cooperation and coordination so important between the various contractors on a project?

5. How will the various types of construction affect the cost of the electrical work?

Chapter 18-Plumbing

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. How do the various codes affect the installation of the plumbing portions of the project?

2. What type of work is most generally included under plumbing?

3. Why would an estimator call a subcontractor if it is suspected that the subcontractor's bid is too low?

4. Why should the estimator review the plumbing portions of the project whether it involves single or separate contracts?

5. How do the various types of construction affect the cost of the plumbing work?

Chapter 19-Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Would electric heat most likely be placed under electrical, plumbing, or HVAC?

2. How do the various types of construction affect the cost of the heating work?

3. Why are subcontractors hired under single contracts to perform the HVAC work?

Chapter 20-Profit

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Where should home office overhead be included?

2. How should project risk affect the profit on a job?

3. Why should you track your competitor's bids?

4. What is the problem with "needing" or "wanting" a job?

5. What should an estimator take into account when setting the profit margin for a job?

Chapter 21-Other Estimating Methods

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. How would you determine the costs for a project using the project comparison method?

2. How would you determine the costs for a project using the square foot method and in-house cost data?

3. What are some of the ratios that you would use to prepare a line-by-line square foot estimate?

4. What components would you include in an exterior wall assembly for a residence?

5. List the items that you would need to include in a concrete footing and foundation wall assembly.