ESTIMATION 1

Lesson 4 - Excavation

Excavation

Excavation is the biggest unknown

element in construction and therefore
has a high risk for additional costs in
terms of variations.
Estimating the cost of excavation is
highly specialized and therefore this
lesson will only touch on the basic
understanding

Excavation

Excavation

Excavation

Ability to read plans and specifications

Understanding of surveying and civil
engineering terminology
Understanding of environmental and
legal requirements
Ability to estimate quantities based on
m3 i.e cut and fill

Excavation

The estimate is separated into two types

of quantities

General quantities work where you can

use motorised equipment such as scrapers,
hoes and loaders and it is based on
production rates
Special quantities ie anything that
reduces production rates and requires extra
care
Rock

excavation
Excavation around sewer pipes, existing
buildings

Excavation

Quantities in excavation are mainly m3

The cost of excavation is on labour and
equipment (cost/hour) needed to
complete the work i.e It is based on the
(volume) m3 of material moved
Programme of works- time is important
factor and is a huge consideration for
the type of equipment you are going to
use

Excavation

The most expensive equipment (cost/hr)

is the most productive. However the
machine with the largest capacity isn't
always the best to use

Good equipment selection will help

reduce costs

Excavation

Considerations when estimating

excavation

Desk top study

Site visit

Excavation Desk top study

Review plans and specifications

Existing utilities lines

How

accurate
Phone the companies to locate the lines for
you. Need to give them advanced notice

Check what permits are required

Resource

consent
Aborist report/permits
Sediment control

Excavation

Review plans and specifications

Public records might give additional

information
Soil conditions
Water problems
Abandoned utility lines

Excavation

Setting out carried out by the engineer

If not cost to get the site surveyed

Under cutting

Might need to remove dirt from below the

existing finishing line if in rock
Underground services may have to cut
the trench deeper for the bedding of the
pipe

Excavation

Cut and fill

Consider

is there enough fill on site from the

spoil heaps.
If not where will you transport it from ?
Is it available?? Snapper rock subdivision
Conversely will you have to transport excess fill
off site
If so.. Where will you transfer it to?
How much are tipping fees?

Excavation

Top soil requirements

Is

there enough on site ?

Can you keep it in spoil heaps on site ?
Will you have to bring additional material in?

Special excavation
Rock

? Hire of specialist equipment

Removal of existing structures

Excavation

Review utility lines

Not only new lines but connection to
existing

Review drainage, new roads, parking lots

and consider the base, sub bases for
estimating

Review the building/basement structure for

estimating

Excavation site visit

Accessibility
Location of the site

How remote ? Are the roads

undeveloped or narrow ? Can you get the
equipment you want on site?
Bream Bay
Sub division

If you are having to bring the dirt out

what is the best route to the tipping site?
Can the trucks use that route

Excavation

If the surrounding area is heavy traffic. Will

you require additional traffic management ?
Do you require a wheel wash facility
(Kensington Park)

Noise restriction if the site is in a built up

area are there noise restrictions

Are there any bridge weight restrictions in

the area which will affect what equipment
you use

Excavation
Degree of Difficulty

Are there steep slopes on site that need

different equipment slopes that are
steeper than 1 in 3 will need track
machines which are slower.

Other considerations are buildings, trees,

underground services, overhead electricity
lines.

Excavation
Surface Conditions
Drainage what happens to the water
across the site. It cant flow into the
existing roads
Sediment control is important
Permit/consents
Silt

are required

ponds
Sand bags
Protect existing waterways

Excavation
Surface Conditions
Trees
Consents

are required
Do you have to protect trees
If they are to be removed who will take them?
Can they be sold for firewood? Are you allowed
burning on site?

Excavation
Sub surface Conditions
Geotech reports
These

reports are expensive. They show the

soil conditions however the bore readings taken
maybe limited - Ibis Hamiliton, Snow planet

If

you are working below the water table level

you may have to pump the water Where is
this water going to go

Excavation
Sub surface Conditions
Some

site have been used as fill sites these

areas will need to be removed and new fill
imported

Soft

spots can be found in any excavation

make sure you either make allowances or tag it
out your tender Ibis Rotorua

Excavation
Utilities
Utility

lines may not be in the correct location and

if they are hit by a digger it becomes expensive
Check manholes are in the right location and they
are at the correct depth and have the right no of
inlets/outlets
Check overhead lines. Can you machines get
under them. Get the electricity company to put
sleeves on the lines or flags Current roadworks
in Remeura.
If Utilities need to be moved check out how
much and how long it will take.

Excavation
Project size
Check if the site is large enough to store all
the equipment and spoil heaps
Traffic Control
Traffic management systems are becoming
paramount they are very expensive

Excavation
Security
Check the security issues of leaving the big
machines on site. They wont take the
machines but they will take the batteries !!
Bream Bay
Do you need to hire security ??
Do you have to fence the site for public
safety??

Excavation
Time of year works are completed
Existing and imported soils
Earthworks

are carried out in the spring and summer

If the weather is wet then the machines are slower,
wet and heavy soil costs more to move than dry
light soils
Compaction of the soil is very important and this is
affected by the moisture content.
If the soil doesnt dry out by natural means then
additives such as lime has to be used
Conversely if the soil is too dry, then water trucks
have to be used

Excavation types of machines

Excavator with back actor and front
loading bucket
available on wheels or track
Capable of trench, basement and
foundation excavation. Can load spoil into
trucks

Excavation
Face shovel
Particularly suitable working against banks,
forming cuttings and embankments

Excavation
Grab
Used to load loose material into spoil heaps
on site

Excavation
Graders
Level out deposit fill

Excavation
Rollers
Used for compaction

Excavation

Compaction and bulking factors

bulking factor
factor
1.00

In place

1.25

compaction

0.90

loose

Compacte
d

Excavation
Bulking factors
% by volume
Gravel 10%
Sand
12.5%
Ordinary earth 25%
Clay
33%
Chalk
33.3 %
Rock
50%

Excavation
By hand factors
Ordinary ground has a value of 1
Type of ground
multipler
Sand
0.75
Stiff clay
1.25
Compacted gravel 1.50
Soft chalk
2.50
Soft rock
4.00

Excavation - calculations
Excavate to reduced levels
Requirements excavator with a banksman
The output of the excavator includes digging
and loading directly onto a waiting truck
Say Banksman is $20.00/hr
Excavator and driver is $40.00/hr
Hourly cost of operation excavator $40.00
Banksman $ 20.00
TOTAL
$60.00/hr

Excavation
Excavate to reduced levels contd
Output of excavator - $15m3/hr
So cost/m3 = $60.00/15 = $4.00/m3

Excavation
Excavate trenches
Requirement 90% completed by machine,
10% completed by hand. Banksman
required for machine
All in hourly rate is as before - $60.00/hr
Assume excavator is 9m3/hr
Cost for excavation = $60/9
= $6.67/m3

Excavation
Excavate trenches contd
Hand digging labour = $15.00/hr
1 labour digs 1 m3 in 2.5 hours
Cost/m3 = $15.00 x 2.5 =$37.50/m3
Total cost
90% of machine cost 90% x $6.67 = $6.00
10% of hand digging 10% x $37.50 = $3.75
TOTAL
= $9.75/m3

Excavation
Disposal of water
Requirement 2 pumps for 8 weeks of
excavation
Labour a day in attendance
Labour - $15.00 /hr
Hire of a pump
$150/week
Cost of fuel/pump $20/week
Total cost of pump $170/week

Excavation
Disposal of water contd
Hire of pump 2 x $170 x 8 weeks =
$2,720.00
Cost of labour
0.50 hour x (8 x 5) days x $15.00/hr
=$2,420.00
TOTAL
= $5,140.00

Excavation
Removal of excavated material
Requirement the excavation is loaded
directly onto 10 tonne lorries
The cost of the excavation is included in the
excavation rate
For the excavator to work efficiently, once
one truck is loaded another one comes
through the gate.

Excavation
Removal of excavated material contd
No of vehicles =
time taken to load + total journey
time
time taken to load
Lorry and driver = $95/hr
Tipping fees = $ 40/load

Excavation
Removal of excavated material contd
Weight of earth = 1.60tonnes/m3 so a 10
tonne lorry with a full load takes
10 tonnes/1.6 = 6.5m3
Allow for bulking factor of 25%
6.5m3 = 6.5m3 x 100/125 = 5 m3

Excavation
Removal of excavated material contd
Time taken to load 5 m3 assume the
excavator is 9m3/hr
= 5/9 = 33 mins
Assume tip is 10k from site
Outward journey 15 mins
Tipping time
5 mins
Return journey
12 mins
Total time
32 mins

Excavation
Removal of excavated material contd
Therefore no of lorries needed are
33 mins + 32 mins = 2 no aprox
33 mins
Cost of operation = 2 no lorries x $95/hr =
$190

Excavation
Removal of excavated material contd
Excavator is working continously and the
quantity of excavated material removed in
1 hour is 9m3
Cost /m3 = $190/9 = $21.11/m3
Tipping charge $40/load
Cost/m3 = 40/5m3 = $8.00/m3
Total cost/m3 = $21.11 + $8.00
= $29.11/m3

Excavation
References
Estimating excavation Deryl Burch
Estimating and tendering building works
R.C Smith