How

to Estimate the Cost of a Water Main Installation in a City Street

CPE Candidate No. 0114217

June 15, 2014

How to Estimate the Cost of a Water Main Installation In an Urban Environment

Table of Contents

Section 1 Introduction






Page 6

Section 2 Types of Methods of Measurements




Pages 6-11

Section 3 Project Specific Factors to Consider Affecting Takeoff and Pricing
Pages 12-15

Section 4 Overview of Labor, Material, Equipment, Indirect Costs and

Pages 15-18
Approach to Mark-ups













Section 5 Special Risk Considerations




Page 18

Section 6 Ratios and Analysis Tools Used to Test the Final Bid

Page 19

Section 7 Miscellaneous Pertinent Information



Pages 19-21

Section 8 Sample Plan and Profile View




Pages 21-22

Section 9 Sample Trench and Restoration Detail



Page 22

Section 10 Sample Estimate- Takeoff and Pricing Sheets


Pages 23-25

Section 11 Terminologies Glossary





Page 26

Section 12 References & Copyright Releases




Page 27

Section 1 Introduction

This technical paper is focused on providing the reader with a general understanding of the
necessary steps and procedures to complete a construction cost estimate for the installation of an
underground water main in an existing city street. Unlike residential or commercial projects
conducted in previously undisturbed virgin soil, water main installations in existing urban
environments can present a great potential for difficult obstacles such as unforeseen utility conflicts,
abandoned utilities, contaminated or hazardous soils, existing asphalt and roadway improvement
restoration, traffic control, etc., which will require the cost estimator to consider much more than the
labor, equipment and materials for the project.

The basis for this technical paper is:

Main CSI (Construction Specifications Institute 2004 Master Format) Division

Division 33 Utilities

Main CSI (Construction Specifications Institute 2004 Master Format) Subdivisions

Subdivision 33 10 00 Water Utilities
Subdivision 33 11 13 Public Water Distribution Piping
Subdivision 33 12 13 Water Service Connections
Subdivision 33 12 00 Water Distribution Equipment


Section 2 Types and Methods of Measurements


After the Estimator has conducted a thorough review of the contract documents and determined that
the project falls within the guidelines of company policy to proceed with the estimate, he/she will
need to conduct a quantity survey. The quantity survey or takeoff is one of the most important steps
that the estimator will take in the process of developing the cost estimate. If the estimator is not
careful in taking off the project quantities, it could lead to a costly error, which could detrimentally
affect the price of the bid and result in a significant financial loss on the project. Before starting the
quantity takeoff, the estimator will want to become very familiar with the trench section details and
pipeline profiles for the watermain. The trench section details will provide the minimum depth and
required cover of the watermain, minimum trench width, bedding, backfill material requirements

and asphalt thickness and restoration limits. If available, the pipeline profile should show the
pipeline design depth and vertical alignment of the waterline from start to finish.

A contract for a new watermain is typically bid by the unit price. The contract bid package will
typically include a bid form that will include the engineers quantities for the various bid items. The
contract bid form will list such items as Mobilization Lump Sum, Traffic Control-Lump Sum, Water
Main-Lineal Foot, Tee-Each, Gate Valve-Each, Signal Detector Loop-Each, Asphalt Restoration-Square
Foot, etc. with estimated quantities. The estimator will use this bid form to submit the estimated
prices to the project owner.

The bid form will also serve as a helpful guide in preparing the estimate. However, the estimator
must be careful to always confirm the quantities and not assume that the contract bid item quantities
provided by the engineer or owner are correct. If one of the bid items is presented as a final pay
quantity, there will be no chance to receive additional compensation for actual quantities that
exceeded the engineers bid estimate. Further, there are many appurtenances that will need to be
included with the installation of the watermain, which may not be included on the bid form. The
design engineer may have omitted a blow off assembly or air relief valve that will need to be included
per the contract description of bid item or written specification. Vertical pipe offsets under existing
utilities may not be included in the engineers estimate and should be considered. A cathodic
protection system may need to be installed with anode bags and test stations. When these types of
issues are discovered during the bid process, it is prudent for the estimator to submit an RFI
(Request for Information) to the Owner or Agency for a clarification or revision of the contract scope
to include any additional items that were not called out on the bid form or specifications.

The Estimator can takeoff the project plans by utilizing several methods that can be manual tools
including an engineer, architect or metric scale ruler or measuring wheel, and electronic devices
consisting of a digitizer or onscreen takeoff system software. The information gathered in the
quantity takeoff will become the basis for determining the required labor, material and equipment in

the cost estimate. The quantity takeoff for the new water main will start with the measurement of
quantity of the new watermain by the lineal foot (LF). There are many varieties of material options
for new watermain installations. The most common present day watermain materials specified by
design engineers will include PVC, Cement Mortar Lined and Coated Steel and Ductile Iron. The PVC
and Ductile Iron material is typically supplied in 20 LF lengths, while the steel pipe is commonly
supplied in 40 LF lengths. Whether or not 20 LF of pipeline is being installed, the estimator must still
include the additional material cost for purchasing a full length of material in the bid. Rounding up to
the next full pipe section will be required to ensure an accurate material budget for the project.
Horizontal and vertical changes in direction of the pipeline will require the use of fittings or bends,
which are measured by the each (EA).

Pipe fittings are typically designed as a 22, 45 or 90-degree elbow configuration for PVC, cast or
ductile iron. However, custom offsets and elbows can be fabricated out of welded steel and could be
potentially added to the pipe system if allowed by the project Owner. Depending on the type of
material system utilized, a fitting may be constructed of PVC, Steel, cast or ductile iron. Specification
requirements may require that the non-plastic fittings include special coatings that include fusion
bonded epoxy, liquid asphaltic coat and cement mortar lining and coating. If the material is not
supplied with the specified coating and lining, the estimator will need to source a coating company
and provide the vendor with an estimated diameter, length and weight that will need to be coated to
determine the appropriate cost. Often times the required coatings will be included in the suppliers
pipe package.

In addition to the special coatings and linings, the estimator needs to fully understand the specified
type of connection. The various types of connection could include slip on, flanged or mechanical
joint. In some cases the connection type will also need to be restrained with a mechanical lug
restraint for mechanical joint fittings or restraint harness systems for push on and flanged
applications. Many project specifications require the restraint of the fitting with a concrete thrust
block. An appropriate quantity of short load concrete will need to be added under the backfill

estimate for the pipeline. Special consideration should be taken here because it may not be possible
to place a full load of concrete for all thrust blocks in a given day. Therefore, a higher concrete unit
cost will need to be applied. The quantity of the concrete thrust block will be calculated by the cubic
yard (CY).

Water systems can contain a considerable amount of valves, fittings, accessories and appurtenances
that need to be carefully considered by the estimator. Most of these items will be taken off by the
each (EA). While most waterworks and pipe supply houses will prepare a materials list and package
bid for a project, it is important to carefully analyze and verify what is being quoted and avoid
plugging the low material bid amount into the estimate without carefully analyzing what is included
in the total quote. Often times different supply houses will be quoting different manufacturers that
may not be an equal to what the design specification has called out for. Assuming that the low price
pipe package with a coating or restraint system that is not an equal to what has been called out in the
specifications could be a costly mistake if not approved by the Owner.

Once the total lineal footage of the watermain has been determined, the estimator can then use the
trench section detail and profile to determine the quantity of trench excavation by the Cubic Yard
(CY). The Cubic Yard calculation is three dimensional (Width X Depth X Length/27), and will require
the estimator to determine the average depth of the pipeline, as well as the average width.
Additional considerations for existing adjacent utilities, concrete structures or trench shoring will be
required when determining trench width.

The trench volume cubic yards can be converted to tons for an accurate estimate of required trench
rock backfill or cement slurry. The backfill requirements can be verified in the project specifications,
Agency Standard Specifications or contract drawings. It would be prudent for the estimator to
consider a waste factor when calculating the needed quantity of materials. Thus, the ordered backfill
material will be greater than the theoretical calculated bank volume. Further, the trench spoils from
the excavation will need to be off hauled. The excavated spoils will swell once removed from the

trench. The estimator will need to apply a swell factor of 10% when calculating the volume of spoils,
which will affect the total number of trucks and associated fees for trench spoil disposal.

The estimator will need to include analytical testing costs of the soils before hauling to disposal site.
Most land fills, developments or quarries will require documentation on the soil to ensure that is
clean and free from pollutants and constituents of concern before accepting. It is advisable at bid
time to review the bid documents to determine if soils information is available, or submit an RFI to
Owner for more information.

Once the quantity of excavation cubic yardage has been obtained, the estimator can then apply the
calculated dimensions to determine the quantity of pipe bedding and cover which is typically
calculated and purchased by the Ton (TN). The estimator can utilize a multiplier or weight
conversion factor for the various types of bedding and backfill material that will be needed. As an
example, the estimator can use the weight of 1.45 tons per CY as a multiplier to determine the needed
tonnage sand bedding. For the CL II road base rock, a weight of 2 tons per CY can be used to
determine the total tonnage of rock needed. Please note that the conversion multipliers referenced
above also contain a shrinkage/compaction consideration. This is used because the material is sold
and shipped loose. If the estimator only considered bank compacted yards in his/her material
takeoff, it would be short of the actual material that will need to be ordered for the job. In addition to
the material calculation, the delivery of the materials will also need to be calculated. Whether
utilizing company owned trucks or an outside trucking company, the required size and type of truck
to deliver the material will need to be considered to properly estimate the project cost. The most
common options for hauling the aggregate material for an underground watermain project will be a
10 Wheeler Dump with a 12 TN capacity, a Semi Transfer Dump with a 24 TN capacity or a Semi End
Dump or Side Dump with an equivalent capacity. The estimator will need to take the estimated total
quantity of aggregate material needed and divide by the capacity of the selected haul truck to
determine the approximate number of loads. (300 TN Material/24TN Truck Capacity = 12.5 Truck
Loads). The estimator will then take the total number of loads and multiply by the haul time to

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determine an approximate number of trucking hours for the estimate. (12.5 Loads X 2.5 Hr round
trip = 31.25 Truck Hours). Other factors that will need to be considered will be whether or not the
material can be stockpiled or if the area that the truck will be routed through can accept a full sized
semi or will require a smaller truck. When using an outside trucking company, a four hour minimum
charge will most likely apply, regardless of quantity hauled. So, it is important to properly account
for this additional cost if one segment of the watermain will only allow for a small quantity of
aggregate material to be placed on a given day.

If the watermain is to be installed in a paved roadway, it will most likely require a crushed road base
backfill up to asphalt pavement subgrade. Other times there may be a requirement to provide cement
slurry backfill. The requirement for road base or cement slurry is to prevent future settlement in the
roadway area by ensuring the contractor achieves 95% compaction. If the contractor were to backfill
with native material, it is highly unlikely that the specified compaction would be achieved.

The contract specifications will require a testing and flushing of the watermain to ensure that there
are no leaks in the pipe system and to ensure that it is properly disinfected and suitable for
transmission of potable water. The estimator will need to determine the quantity and cost of the
required water to test and properly flush the watermain. By calculating the volume of the pipeline
(pi X radius squared=area; multiply area x length = volume in CF) and then the estimator can
multiply the total calculated cubic feet by the local water agency cost per hundred cubic feet (Ccf).
One hundred cubic feet of water is equivalent to 748 gallons of water. The needed liquid chemicals
or tablets can be estimated by assuming a ratio of gallons of chemical per CF of water volume or
tablets per stick of pipe. Lastly, the estimator will need to determine if the flush water will need to be
dechlorinated and whether or not the water can be discharged in to storm sewer system. In many
areas this will not be allowed and will require a permit to discharge into the nearest POTW sewer
system. The estimated permit fees and cost per gallon will need to be added to the estimate.

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Section 3 Project Specific Factors to Consider Affecting Takeoff and Pricing

The Estimator who will be responsible for the development of the cost estimate for the new water
main installation will need to conduct a comprehensive review of the project scope, construction
plans, details, specifications and Geotechnical Investigation. Often times the Geotechnical Report will
not be included with the bid documents and specification book, but will be available for separate
review over the counter at the Owners office. It is critical that the estimator review this information
if the report is available.

Considerations of season, weather and geographic location of the project are very important. While
most contracts have an allowance for weather delays, it still may be required to complete some
activities in raining or wet environments due to project schedule. An adjustment of production rate
or additional contingencies may be required. When working in northern areas and higher elevations,
freezing conditions may adversely affect trenching and pipe laying efforts. Production rates will be
lower in these conditions and should be adjusted accordingly.

The Soils Report contains valuable information regarding the present site conditions in the vicinity of
the new watermain to be installed. Boring logs can be found as an exhibit in the soils report, which
will indicate the types of soil layers, or rock that will be encountered during excavation. The boring
log will indicate the asphalt thickness in the existing roadway so that the estimator knows how thick
his replacement section of asphalt will be and can estimate that cost accordingly. The boring log will
also indicate whether or not there was refusal during the borehole drilling. Refusal is the point at
which the drilling stops and cannot continue due to obstructions such as rock or an unforeseen
structure. Further, the boring log will indicate at what elevation ground water was encountered, if
any.

Knowing whether or not the excavation for the new watermain will be through rock can be a serious
cost impact that could significantly affect the type of equipment utilized and production rates

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estimated. Type A soils will be cohesive and less likely to cave in, or slough off into a trench, while a
Class C soil will contain granular, sandy material, which is most likely to slough off into a trench.
With this information, the estimator can make the best determination of excavation equipment and
shoring to be used.

Ground water is also a very serious risk on a project that must be considered. If ground water is
present, temporary dewatering with submersible trash pumps must be conducted to remove the
water from the excavation. In these wet areas the subgrade will be very unstable and not ideal for
installation of pipe bedding and rock. Proper stabilization methods, which should be indicated in the
plan details and written specifications, will usually call for the use of clean drain rock wrapped in
geotextile fabric to stabilize the subgrade. The trench stabilization will be an increased cost of
material, trucking and labor time that will need to be accounted for separate from the rest of the
watermain installation. Sometimes this unforeseen stabilization cost will be paid for under an
allowance item for unforeseen conditions. However, this is rare and will likely not be found in most
contracts.

In some instances, it may be required to install a temporary dewatering system to draw down the
water table before trench excavation can begin. In addition to the slower crew production in these
types of conditions, the estimator needs to also include the temporary dewatering system pump or
well point rental costs to contain the groundwater in tanks, obtaining a groundwater dewatering
permit from the local governing authority and have the water tested for constituents of concern
before discharging at an approved location, which could be a POTW or waste facility. In some
instances the ground water can be discharged overland but will require special approval.

Under the specification section for trench backfill, the estimator will need to carefully review and
determine if there are compaction requirements and whether the contractor or Owner will be
responsible for compaction testing for the backfill. The estimator should consult with a materials
testing company to determine the minimum hourly charges for compaction testing and the costs for

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running a compaction curve at the testing laboratory. Once the estimator has determined the
number of backfill days for the project, an estimated number of compaction testing mobilizations and
budget of testing hours can be determined.

When installing a watermain or any underground utility in an existing city street, a special
consideration needs to be made regarding traffic control. Many cities will require a traffic control
plan to be submitted before work can begin. In some cases, a basic markup of a site plan showing the
location and spacing of traffic signs may be considered adequate. However, many cities and agencies
will require a professional traffic control plan stamped by a Professional Engineer to be submitted.
This could be a significant cost that will need to be added to the bid. To avoid liability, many
contractors now subcontract traffic control services to a specialty subcontractor. However, this adds
additional costs and markup to the project cost estimate that may make the estimate less
competitive. The specialty subcontractors are well trained and certify all of their personnel in traffic
safety. If a contractor is considering the utilization of their own onsite crews, they will need to
include the costs for any special training requirements and certifications that their personnel will
need to have. There is a large cost difference between water main installations with a shoulder
closure versus a full traffic lane closure. Further, there will be even larger cost impacts for a
watermain installed on a two-lane road that requires a full lane closure and two-way traffic control.
The traffic control subcontractor will require the number of working days calculated in order to
provide an estimated cost. Whether the traffic control is subcontracted or performed by the
contractors own forces, the duration of traffic control required work will need to be calculated.

When dealing with unit price contracts it is important for the estimator to understand that spreading
overhead, indirect and direct project costs over an estimated quantity of 1000 LF of pipeline will
result in a considerably lower unit price than when those costs are spread over 100 LF. The
estimator will need to pay careful attention to how these line items are paid for and whether or not a
unit price adjustment will be allowed for significant additions or deletions in the contract. The
author of this paper has had first hand experience with an Owner who had deleted 90% of a bid item

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quantity and expected the unit price to remain the same due to a note on the project plan! Material
changes in scope and quantity will warrant an equitable adjustment and will require the estimator to
negotiate a new unit price that will cover the costs, overhead and markup for the modified scope of
work.

A site visit will be needed, as well as a careful review of the Contract General and Special Provisions.
The Estimator will need to assess the anticipated start date and expected completion date of the
project to determine if the needed manpower and equipment will be available in time for the project.
Will the project involve night work or weekend work? Will there be time restrictions in any of the
work areas? Many Cities have working hour restrictions due to commute traffic or schools. Will the
contract be a unit price or lump sum? What is the payment frequency? If the contract is for a unit
price bid, will the contract allow for unit price adjustment if more than 15% of the work scope is
increased or decreased? Some contracts do not allow for a unit price adjustment and will only
compensate the contractor for actual quantities installed. Careful consideration of these items will
need to be evaluated before proceeding with the estimate. It is not uncommon for an estimator to
decide to not proceed with bidding on a project due to any one of these factors not being favorable or
inline with company policy or too risky for the company.


Section 4 Overview of Labor, Material, Equipment and Indirect Costs and Approach to
Markups


Once the estimator has completed the project takeoff, he/she can begin to prepare the cost estimate.
The cost estimate will include all costs for the needed subcontractors, materials, labor and
equipment with an appropriate markup for overhead, profit, escalation, contingency and bonds. The
estimator will need to send out the generated material takeoff lists to suppliers for a job specific
quotation on the required materials. It is imperative that the estimator read the contract
specifications for each material that is being quoted. There are many material prices that will tend to
be repetitive, especially if the estimator bids in the same city or geographic area continually. The

15

estimator needs to ensure that he/she has read the material specification, and avoid plugging
average historical estimated materials costs without obtaining a new job quote. This should be
avoided because it could lead to a very costly mistake if the project specification for the material was
changed due to special job conditions and requirements. Tax, freight and minimum order quantities
will also need to be taken into account in the determining of an accurate materials cost budget for the
estimate.

In order for the estimator to determine the labor and equipment costs for the project, a production
rate will need to be applied to the various tasks on the project. The production rate utilized can be
determined through the use of historical company cost data tracked by a Labor Distribution Report,
or could be determined by published production rates through means, etc. Once the production rate
has been determined it will be applied to the total water line length to determine the number of days
or man-hours required to complete the watermain. Labor and equipment costs will be determined
by applying the calculated total number of man and equipment hours for the work by a composite
crew labor rate, individual crew craft rates and equipment rates as shown below:

COST ITEM

QTY

OPERATING ENGINEER FOREMAN

OPERATING ENGINEER- GROUP 2
LABORER - PIPE LAYER
CREW TOOL TRUCK - 1 TON
FOREMAN TRUCK - 1 TON
CAT 314 EXCAVATOR
CAT 235 EXCAVATOR W/WHEEL

1
2
4
1
1
1
1

TOTAL HOURLY COST

TOTAL DAILY COST (8 HR DAY)

UNIT
HR
HR
HR
HR
HR
HR
HR

UNIT COST
$88.95
$78.95
$58.95
$17.00
$17.00
$65.00
$58.00

TOTAL
COST
$88.95
$157.90
$235.80
$15.00
$15.00
$65.00
$58.00
$635.65
$5,085.20

If the project is being bid for a public agency, there will be a prevailing wage requirement to adhere
to. The prevailing wage requirement, required by the Davis Bacon Act, will be automatically met if
the bidding contractor is a union contractor who is signatory to the appropriate unions such as
Operating Engineers or Laborers union. If the contractor is not a union contractor, he/she will need

16

to reference the local prevailing wage rates, which should be included in the bid documents and
include the appropriate listed rates in the cost estimate. The Public Agency will verify that these
prevailing wage rates are paid to the employee by requiring the contractor to submit a weekly
certified payroll report.

The project direct costs, which include materials, can be generated from the quantity survey for the
project. The estimator will need to ensure that all pipe material; fittings, valves and appurtenances
have been counted and included in the appropriate items of the estimate. The estimator will solicit
suppliers for quotes on the needed materials and will need to ensure that all taxes and freight are
included. Typically, suppliers of construction materials will leave freight and tax out of the bid to
ensure that the contractor can easily compare the bottom line total against the competing material
supplier bid package. Aggregate materials and quarry locations will need to be verified to ensure
that the trucking hours have been calculated appropriately.

Most likely there will be subcontracted work on the project. Subcontractors may include traffic
control, asphalt pavement restoration, concrete sidewalk, curb, gutter and valley gutter replacement,
electrical and signalization contractors for traffic loop replacement, surveying, landscaping and saw
cutting which should be solicited for a written proposal to be included in the bid file. The estimator
should be careful when analyzing and considering subcontractors to include in the estimate. More
than one subcontractor should be solicited. Each proposal should be checked and verified for
accuracy of scope and inclusion of all required items. A subcontractor that cannot perform what has
been quoted could be a significant project risk.

After including direct labor, equipment, material and subcontracted items, the estimator will need to
determine the appropriate overhead costs for the project. Overhead can be divided into direct and
indirect overhead costs. Direct overhead costs will include bid, performance and payment bonds,
workmans compensation, builders risk, equipment floater and property damage insurance, permits,
site supervision, mobilization, etc. Direct overhead costs include advertising, depreciation, office rent

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and associated costs, payroll taxes, professional fees, etc. The direct and indirect overhead costs can
be added to the project as a percentage of the total cost of the project. Contingency and escalation
should also be considered if appropriate for the project. A contingency for unforeseen and
unexpected conditions that may be encountered on the project may be prudent. Although
unforeseen conditions on the jobsite should be compensated for as a legitimate change order, there
are always unexpected situations such as lost or damaged materials, jobsite specific problems, etc.
Adding cost for escalation protects the contractor from increase in material and labor costs if they
are expected before completion of the contract.

After all direct costs and overhead have been included in the estimate, the estimator will need to add
mark up. Markup represents the return on money invested in the project and business operations
after all costs are paid. Competition typically dictates the amount of mark up that will be included in
the estimate. While the contractor may want to realize a 25% markup on the project, depending on
the number of competitive bidders, location, risk, difficulty and amount of contractors backlog, it
could be significantly lower. The markup variable will vary from project to project. The estimator
and executive management will carefully analyze the risks and opportunities of the project and set
the markup accordingly.

Section 5 Special Risk Considerations


Construction of underground utilities in general presents a contractor with a great deal of risk.
Coupled with the challenges and complexities of installing an underground watermain in an existing
urban setting has a potentially unlimited amount of risk and liability. Unlike a green field commercial
or residential site that is in previously undisturbed soil, the existing urban setting includes potential
for unforeseen utilities that include abandoned or unmarked gas, storm drain, sewer and electrical
ductbanks, concrete structures, contaminated soils, asphalt pavement and concrete restoration and
traffic control. The estimator has to consider and include all of the above referenced costs in addition
to the labor, equipment and materials to complete the installation.

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Section 6 Rations and Analysis-Tools Used to Test the Final Bid


Quality assurance and control of the prepared bid estimate is critical in identifying errors and
discrepancies before the estimate is submitted to the Owner. The estimator is responsible for
potentially hundreds of mathematical computations and conversions in the preparation of a cost
estimate. It is very easy for there to be an oversight that may not be completely obvious. In other
trades such as concrete work, it is possible to utilize unit prices to check the estimated bid quantity
costs or bid units to determine if they are within range of the standard unit prices. Unfortunately,
due to the unique risks and considerations inherent to installing an underground watermain in an
existing city street, it can be difficult to compare the estimated cost of the watermain installation to a
developed standard unit price. However, the estimator can utilize past watermain installation costs
as well as tabulated bid cost data from bidders for previous water main projects in the location that
the watermain is being constructed for comparison. The estimator will need to make adjustments for
material and labor prices based on the time period that the tabulated bid data was for. While the
estimator may not have the ability to check the estimate based on bid costs for all bid items, he/she
can check the production rates assigned for pipe trench excavation, pipe laying and backfill. There
will be a range of reasonable production that should be assumed on a watermain in an existing urban
environment. If the estimator rechecks the estimate and notices that the number of days calculated
is a production rate based on 500 LF per day, when the best cast scenario would be 200 LF per day,
the estimate will need to be corrected. It is recommended that a peer or supervisor run through the
estimate and carefully look at all production rates assigned for the project at a minimum to avoid
potential errors in the bid.


Section 7 Miscellaneous Pertinent Information


A common theme that has been reiterated throughout this paper is the fact that the estimator has
much more to consider in his/her estimate than the basic costs for labor, equipment and materials.
The project Owner could be a public utility, city or county that has the project set up under an OCIP

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program (Owner Controlled Insurance) that will require the bidder to remove the project insurance
costs from their proposal because it will be covered by the Owner under its own policy. These types
of contracts usually entail a considerable amount of additional requirements for safety
representatives and special safety training for foreman and crewmembers to be OSHA compliant.
These additional costs should be considered and added to the estimate. Further, the timing on
receiving the safety certifications may prohibit the estimator from bidding on the project if it is
determined that the crew or foreman will not be able to obtain the safety training or certification in
time for the start of the project.

When working in existing city streets, there can be a large amount of unmarked and unknown
utilities. While it is the requirement of every excavation contractor to call USA (Underground Service
Alert) 48 hours in advance of any excavation so that existing utilities can be identified and marked, it
can be expected that there will be some utilities that will not be marked or will be mismarked. It is
good practice to include the costs for an underground utility locating service in the estimate to
survey the work area and mark out all utilities behind the USA before starting work. It is a very
small price to pay for insurance that the crew does not hit a live existing utility while excavating.
Further, having knowledge about potential obstructions and unforeseen issues before starting will
save considerable time on the project by allowing the estimator and project manager to assess the
potential additional cost impacts and come to an agreement with the Owner before proceeding.

Many pubic agencies and utilities require diversity participation in their contracts. The project
documents will typically provide a participation goal, which will need to be met in order to be
considered a responsive bid for the project. The diverse contractor will be a qualified subcontractor
or supplier that is a Woman Business Enterprise (WBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE),
Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) or Small Business Enterprise (SBE). There is usually a
stringent specification that informs bidders how to solicit and recruit diverse contractor
participation. Sometimes it is not possible to find a diverse bidder for the project due to lack of
subcontractors in the area or general interest in the project. Proof of solicitations to all potential

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diverse subcontractors will need to be provided to the Owner in order to still be considered
responsive without listed diverse subcontractor or supplier participation.


Section 8 Sample Plan and Profile View

Figure 1


This page depicts a typical plan, profile and detail of a 10 water main and pressure reducing valve

installation in an existing city street. The estimator can utilize the presented plan to determine the
quantity and length of needed water piping. He/She can easily see the existing adjacent sewer, water
and gas utility lines, needed traffic control considerations and existing concrete sidewalk, curb,
gutter and asphalt striping that will be affected by the new work. The profile view indicates the
minimum depth and amount of cover for both the upstream and downstream side of the new

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pressure reducing valve as well as depth of existing utilities that will be in the vicinity of the
installation and tie in to existing water main.

Section 9 Sample Trench and Restoration Detail

Figure 2

This page depicts a typical trench section and asphalt restoration detail that provides information for
the estimator regarding asphalt restoration, trench bedding and shading, road base section, etc.
He/She will utilize Figure 1 to determine the pipeline depth from the pipeline profile. Minimum
trench width if not indicated in the trench section view may also be found in the contract
specifications.

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Section 10 Sample Estimate Takeoff and Pricing Sheets

23

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Section 11 Terminologies Glossary

Construction Specifications Institute 2004 MasterFormat 6 Divisions is a reference to the 16
divisions of construction that is defined by CSI (Construction Specifications Institue) MasterFormat.
The MasterFormat was updated in 2004 and has been expanded to 50 divisions. This standard
format and specification itemization is utilized by owners, designers, engineers, builders and
contractors to organize and arrange construction contract documents.

Class A, B & C Soil Classification The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) uses a
measurement called unconfined compressive strength to classify each type of soil. Type A is cohesive
and is the most stable to excavate in. Type B soils are less stable than A soils and include angular gravel,
loam and silt. Type C is the least stable being a low unconfined compressive strength material with little
cohesion.

Owner A person or entity who would award a construction contract to the contractor and pays for
services defined in the contract.

Trench Shoring A method of bracing and supporting walls of trench excavation to prevent collapse.

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Section 12 References & Copyright Releases

Reference:
Roberts, D., 1951, 1997 Third Printing, Pipe & Excavation Contracting, Craftsman Book Company,
Carlsbad, CA.

Copyright Release:
The watermain drawings and details shown in Section 8 and 9 were available through the City of
Modesto, CA Public Works Department. Since these documents are considered public domain, no
copyright releases were required.

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