Construction Materials & Labor Costs Flashcards
7 cards from real CCT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Construction Materials & Labor Costs flashcards as text
Which cost index is most commonly used to adjust historical construction material costs to present-day values?
Answer: Engineering News-Record (ENR) Construction Cost Index
The ENR Construction Cost Index tracks changes in material and labor costs specifically for the construction industry.
A concrete mix design calls for a water-cement ratio of 0.45. If cement costs $180/ton and water is negligible, how does reducing the w/c ratio to 0.40 primarily affect material cost?
Answer: Increases cost by requiring more cement per unit volume
Lowering the w/c ratio requires more cement to maintain workability and strength, increasing material cost per unit volume of concrete.
In labor cost estimating, what does the term 'crew balance' refer to?
Answer: Matching crew composition to equipment production rates to minimize idle time
Crew balance ensures that crew size and skill mix align with equipment output so no resource sits idle waiting on another.
Structural steel is typically priced per ton in the US. Which of the following best describes the 'fabricated steel' cost versus 'mill steel' cost?
Answer: Fabricated steel is more expensive because it includes cutting, drilling, and welding to specification
Fabricated steel adds shop labor, cutting, drilling, welding, and coating costs on top of the raw mill price.
Which labor burden component is typically mandated by US federal law and must be included in all labor cost estimates?
Answer: FICA (Social Security and Medicare taxes)
FICA taxes (Social Security at 6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%) are federally mandated employer contributions included in every labor burden calculation.
A cost estimator is pricing 1,000 LF of 8-inch diameter ductile iron pipe. The material unit cost is $42/LF and installation productivity is 80 LF/day with a crew cost of $3,200/day. What is the total installed cost per LF?
Answer: $82.00
Installation cost per LF = $3,200 ÷ 80 LF/day = $40/LF; total = $42 material + $40 labor = $82/LF.
When estimating masonry work, what is the standard unit of measurement for brick in the United States?
Answer: Thousand brick (M)
Brick is traditionally priced and quantified per thousand units (M) in US construction estimating practice.