construction cost estimation : Flexible pavement

Cost estimation for construction of flexible pavement is very important to enable a smooth construction activities in road constructions. In order to do cost estimation of Flexible pavement for road, there are numbers of important information that we need to know about the flexible pavement. Below are some of the important parameter required to enable the cost estimation.

 

1. Flexible pavement structure, dimension and quantity.

2. Construction material required

3. Construction Methodology or work method statement

4. Construction work duration 



 

General flexible pavement structure

(credit to Kontraktor Malaysia Facebook)

Construction Material for flexible pavement.

1. Suitable soil (well compacted) for sub-grade
2. Down Crusher Run ( Crush and well Graded Granite stone) for Flexible pavement Sub-base and base course
3. Prime Coat
4. Asphaltic concrete Binder Course (ACB)
5. Tack coat
6. Asphaltic Concrete Wearing Course (ACW)





Estimating construction rate per unit of work

Competitive tendered price is one of the greatest factor to win a construction project. However in any business, one of the main factor is to make money. This is true and also applied to construction industry. Therefore winning a project is just a small portion of construction business but be able to secure and deliver projects within the budget is the main agenda of construction business.


HOW TO ACCOMPLISHED THAT TARGET???????


The answer is knowing how to estimate and doing the breakdown of the BUILT-UP RATE PER UNIT OF WORK.


Building the rate is in theoretically knowing the cost of every single item or component that involved in order to deliver the end product. In general these are some of the item that need to be include while estimating rate per unit work or product.


(1). Cost of the construction material
(2). Cost of the Logistic or transportation
(3). Labor cost
(4). Machinery cost
(5). Allow cost for wastage of material
(6). PROFIT MARGIN


Each of the item, from item no. (1) to item no. (5) need some simple calculation and have to be present into "per unit rate". It is then sum-up to create the cost of construction of a unit product.The next procedure is to apply item no.(6) into the sum-up cost.


For example if the cost of construction of a unit product is "W" and targeted profit margin is "Y%", the profit will be "W" X "Y%". let say that the outcome of this calculation is "Z". Hence the built-Up rate is the sum of "W" + "Z"


Calculation:
Item (1) + (2) + (3) + (4) + (5) = W
Profit Margin = Y %
Profit = W x Y% =  Z
Built-Up rate per unit product = W + Z


Built-up rate offered MUST inclusive of PROFIT and Construction Cost.

Traffic Management in road construction

Traffic management is part and partial of road construction that must be look into. Even though it do not contribute to any of the road construction it self but it does  affect the progress of the work. Traffic management become very significant if the construction site is within the existing road. As we all know existing road is road that already open to public.Thus there will be moving vehicle every now and then. We certainly do not want to see any accident occur during construction period which involve our site. Therefore a safe and practical traffic management plan must be in place.

Some of the normal measures and tools that we applied during construction work are:-

1. Provide flagmen at both end of our construction site and equip them with and Personal Protective equipment and communication tools, such as walkie talkie to enable the to guide the existing traffic efficiently.

2. Erecting some warning sign along the existing road to inform public in advance before they reach the construction area.

3. Provide detour sign if the existing traffic need to be redirect into our temporary road.

4. Erect safety barrier along the construction site to prevent existing traffic entry into our work place

5. Install "blinker" before and along the construction site to provide warning sign that public user of the existing road is approaching construction site or they are driving just adjacent to the construction site.

6. Publish construction work notice on newspapers or main stream media to alert public or road user on the coming or ongoing construction work along the road.

7. Periodic monitoring and maintain all safety and warning sign that had been installed to ensure that it is in good and practical condition.

All of the above but not limited to the listed planed safety measures in this article shall follow the minimum standard of traffic management plan required by the authority.

Traffic Management can save life, time and money.

7 important factor affecting Roadworks cost estimation

7 important item that must be consider while doing cost estimation for road construction.

1. Cost of the construction material needed to construct a road.
2. Delivery cost for the construction material.
3. Machinery and labour cost involve during construction period.
4. material wastage, labour and machine inefficiency during construction. 
5. Increase of the price of construction material, Labour and machine in the near future.
6. indirect cost such as Insurance premium, material handling cost, safety and others.
7. profit margin.