TM 5-800-4
PROGRAMMING COST ESTIMATES
FOR MILITARY CONSTRUCTION
1. Purpose.
prepared, and they include the cost of installed building
equipment, air conditioning, and fire protection systems
This manual establishes criteria and standards for
authorized by existing regulations. The amounts for build-
development and preparation of programming cost
ings exclude all supporting facilities outside the 5-foot
estimates for constructing military facilities.
line such as water, gas, electrical, and telephone service;
sanitary and storm sewers; special foundations (piles,
2. Scope.
piers, rock excavation); fencing; site improvements (clear-
This manual addresses programming cost estimates for
ing, grading, seeding, and planting of trees and shrubs);
new construction and alteration projects, includes cost
and demolition.
data (based on historic data and experience) and factors
(1) Building Size. The square-foot building areas
for adjusting facility costs to reflect project conditions.
indicated in appendix A are based on the average sizes
from construction award data of facilities for individual
3. Reference.
category codes. The average sizes will be used as
The following document forms a part of this manual to the
reference sizes to calculate appropriate size adjustment
extent referenced:
factors for proposed facilities.
(2) Installed Building Equipment. Normally, the cost
AR 415-15
Army Military Construction
of all items of equipment which are permanently built in
Program Development and
or attached to the structure are included in the unit cost
Execution
shown in appendix A. This includes items with fixed
utility connections. A list of installed building equipment
4. Overview.
which forms part of the building cost is contained in AR
415-15.
Programming cost estimates must be prepared as
b. Size Adjustment. Table 1 provides adjustment
accurately as possible to reflect the budgetary cost of
factors to be used when the gross square footage differs
providing facilities. In order to do this, basic data must be
from a similar type building listed in appendix A.
accurate and it must be consistently applied. A basic cost
c. Location Adjustment. Appendix B is a listing of
model which reflects all applicable factors derived from
factors for use in adjusting estimated costs to specific
accurate data forms the basis for determining the facility
geographical areas. The location adjustment factors reflect
budgetary cost at a specific location and under specific
the average statistical differences in normal labor,
conditions.
material, and equipment costs for similar facilities built m
5. Use of Adjustment Factors.
different geographical locations. The factors also make
allowances for weather, seismic, climatic, normal labor
Except for facilities subject to congressional statutory
availability, labor productivity, life support/mobilization,
limitation, programming for repetitive type facilities will
and contractor*s overhead and profit conditions. The
be adjusted by all applicable factors. Programming es-
factors do not reflect abnormal differences due to unique
timates will make proper allowances for all factors that
site consideration, such as historical preservation.
may be reasonably expected to influence project cost
d. Cost Escalation Adjustment. Appendix C provides
through the expected construction period. However,
data to be used to project cost escalation due to
deviations which are significantly above or below the
inflationary factors that apply to construction costs for
factored unit cost must be explained in detail. For
projects scheduled differently than the assumed midpoint
facilities subject to statutory limitations, (i.e. family
of construction used as the basis for preparing appendix
housing), appropriate cost factors will be used. If the
A. The unit prices shown in appendix A reflect costs
adjusted estimated construction cost is over the statutory
forecast on the basis of an assumed midpoint of
limit, a waiver including complete substantiating data
construction date; therefore, projects having a midpoint of
must be requested in accordance with
construction date other than the assumed date should have
AR 415-15.
appropriate cost escalation added. The midpoint of
construction for each facility should be determined based
6. Facility Unit Costs.
on a realistic judgment of the construction time schedule.
Appendix A contains a listing of expected facility unit
The adjustment factor for adding appropriate escalation is
costs for locations having a geographical location
obtained as follows: Divide the cost index for the assumed
adjustment factor of 1.00. Unit prices reflect costs
midpoint of construction date of the facility being
forecast on the basis of an assumed midpoint of
programmed by the cost index of the assumed midpoint of
construction date.
construction date on which the prices in appendix A are
a. Building Cost. The prices for buildings are based
based.
on published criteria existing at the time appendix A was
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