Construction Cost Estimating for the Civil Engineer

Instructors

David J.Hanna, PE, M.ASCE
Mr. Hanna is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a M.S. degree in Environmental Engineering and a B.S. degree in Marine Engineering from the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Mr. Hanna is a Professor at Ferris State University with faculty responsibilities in the Construction Management program. He worked for nineteen years with design build construction firms and with consulting engineering firms. He has had estimating, cost control, contract management, and change order responsibilities on all his projects. Since joining the construction faculty at Ferris State University in 1991, Mr. Hanna has taught construction and construction management courses including Project Management; Value Engineering; Professional Methods in Construction Management; Construction Contracts; and other related construction courses. Mr. Hanna has earned distinction for his teaching from Ferris State University and several professional societies, including the American Schools of Construction. He has conducted Value Engineering studies with significant cost savings results.

Harold Johnston, M.S
Mr. Johnston is a graduate of Washington State University with a B.S. and an M.S. in Construction Management. He has extensive construction and construction management experience with several large construction firms headquartered in the western United States. He is now a faculty member with the Construction Management program at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, California. He teaches courses in quantity estimating, estimating finance and costs, scheduling, project management and other construction courses. Mr.Johnston has earned distinction for his teaching and has authored two widely used texts on construction cost estimating and construction field administration. Mr. Johnston is a Certified Professional Estimator with the American Society of Professional Estimators.

Purpose and Background

This seminar presents the basics of construction cost estimating for civil engineers. An emphasis is placed on developing realistic costs and estimating procedures for civil engineering infrastructure projects.

Topics covered include: introduction to estimating and estimating bid strategy; bid process for lump sum contracts; bid process for design-build and other types of negotiated price projects; estimating for heavy construction and other types of unit price bid work; elements of value engineering; conceptual estimating; life cycle costing of projects; and estimating for change orders.

This seminar will provide the cost estimating background needed for developingrealistic costs on a wide variety of civil engineering infrastructure projects.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the mechanics of construction cost estimating
• Know the various bid strategies
• Review the elements of a Bid/No Bid decision
• Know the factors in pricing site overhead costs
• Know how to close the bid
• Know techniques for preparing square foot estimates
• Know techniques for preparing systems estimates
• Know techniques for preparing unit price estimates
• Understand the importance and fallacies of pre-bid communications
• Know the factors and accuracy of conceptual estimates
• Know the major phases of a formal Value Engineering effort
• Know how to construct life cycle cost models
• Know how to prepare a construction Change Order

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Throughout the seminar, class exercises, group discussion, calculation and interpretation of materials taught will help assess students’ achievement.

Who Should Attend

This seminar is designed for civil engineers and design engineers, consulting engineers and project managers, construction contractors and constructors, project estimators, owner’s representatives for civil engineering infrastructure projects, contract managers, cost engineers, construction superintendents, regulatory agency project managers, and value engineering program managers.

Seminar Benefits

• Determine which bid strategies and procedures apply to different types of construction projects
• Understand the various estimating requirements for conceptual vs. hard bid estimates
• Know which estimating approaches are appropriate for different construction delivery systems (design-build, lump sum, unit price, guaranteed maximum price)
• Know the components and potential impact of conducting a Value Engineering analysis
• Know the impact of life cycle costing on estimating and pricing change orders
• Know how to prepare an acceptable change order