CEMP-E/CECW-E
EI 01D010
1 September 1997
estimating of labor, materials, and equipment is to
CHAPTER 7
also be considered in costing equipment. For each
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AND
significant work task, workers and equipment are
PLANT
expressed in the hourly cost and expected production
rate. Where a major piece of equipment serves more
7-1. General
than one crew, the total equipment time should be
prorated between both crews.
Construction equipment and plant refers to the tools,
instruments, machinery, and other mechanical
7-4. Production Rate
implements required in the performance of construc-
tion work. Construction plant is defined as concrete
After determining the type of equipment to be
batch plants, aggregate processing plants, conveying
employed, the cost engineer should select the specific
systems, and any other processing plants which are
equipment size which has a production rate suited to
erected in place at the job site and are essentially
the efficient and economical performance of the work.
stationary or fixed in place. Equipment is defined as
The size and number of units required will be
items which are portable or mobile, ranging from
influenced by equipment production rate, job size,
small hand tools through tractors, cranes, and trucks.
availability of space for equipment operations, the
For estimating purposes, plant and equipment are
project construction schedule for the various work
grouped together as equipment costs.
tasks, number of shifts to be worked, and the
availability of equipment operators. Emphasis must
7-2. Selection of Equipment
be placed on the importance of establishing a
reasonable production rate. Production may be based
a. An important consideration in the preparation
on actual performance data, commercial
of an estimate is the selection of the proper equipment
manufacturer tables and ratings on MCACES
to perform the required tasks. The cost engineer
historical equipment models and assemblies adjusted
should carefully consider number, size, and function
for project conditions.
of equipment to arrive at optimum equipment usage.
Some factors to consider during the selection process
7-5. Mobilization and Demobilization
are: conformance to specification requirements; job
progress schedule (production rate); magnitude of the
job; type of materials; availability of space; mobility
cost of loading at the contractor's yard, transportation
and availability of equipment; suitability of equip-
cost from the yard to the construction site, including
ment for other uses; equipment capabilities; number
permits, unloading at the site, necessary assembly
of shifts; distances material must be moved; steep-
and testing, and standby costs during mobilization
ness and direction of grades; weather conditions;
and demobilization. Trucks for the project capable of
hauling restrictions; standby time; and mobilization
highway movement are usually driven to the site and
and demobilization costs.
are often used to transport minor items. All labor,
equipment, and supply costs required to mobilize the
b. The cost engineer preparing the estimate must
equipment should also be included in the
be familiar with construction equipment and job-site
mobilization cost. When the equipment location is
conditions. The equipment selected should conform
unknown, the mobilization and demobilization
to contract requirements and be suitable for the
distance should be based on a circular area around the
materials to be handled and conditions that will exist
project site which will include a reasonable number of
on the project.
qualified bidders. Demobilization costs should be
based on that portion of the equipment that would be
7-3. Estimating Methodology
expected to be returned to the contractor's storage
yard and may be expressed as a percentage of
The "crew concept" discussed in chapter 5 for
mobilization costs. Transporting rates should be
construction cost estimates requiring detailed
7-1
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