Estimating reinforcing bars

How the bid price is determined

BY WILLIAM C. BLACK
CHIEF ENGINEER
REINFORCING BARS, PILING AND CONSTRUCTION
SPECIALTY SALES
BETHLEHEM STEEL CORPORATION

uppliers of reinforcing bars usually provide certain added services in addition to furnishing
fabricated reinforcing bars to the job site. One
important function is estimating. This is performed by estimator specialists who study a set of contract drawings and specifications and, from their
knowledge of construction and reinforcing bars, are
able to develop a list of quantities of material which
they believe or estimate are required to build the
structure under consideration. From this information
the necessary pricing is developed so that a bid can be
submitted to the general contractor. In a few metropolitan areas this estimating service is provided by estimating bureaus which contract with a number of reinforcing bar supplier clients and prorate the cost of the
service among the various users.
It is important that the contract drawings and specifications give complete detailed information about the reinforcing bars. The estimate is a line-by-line takeoff and
complete details will usually insure a more accurate estimate. When the estimator has to guess and make assumptions, the quality of the estimate may be impaired.
A prudent estimator will tend to figure quantities on the
safe side when there is a question of what is actually required. This, of course, can increase the amount of the
material quotation. The estimators other alternative is
to contact the architect or engineer and attempt to clarify that which is not clear. This can be a very frustrating
experience as answers are not always forthcoming. The
estimator usually works under a tight deadline and must
move forward and complete the estimate. Of course the
bid can be qualified and limited to the assumptions
made, but this can lead to having the bid rejected as being nonresponsive.

EXTRAS ADDED TO BASE PRICE

One aspect of preparing quantity estimates for fabricated reinforcing bars is the way in which charges for extras (per hundredweight of material) may be added to
the base price. The principal extras are for size, grade,
bending and quantity.
Si ze : Extras for size may vary; therefore it is necessary
for the estimator to segregate by size. The table shows

FABRICATED DEFORMED CONCRETE

REINFORCING BARS
SIZE EXTRAS
Bar size

Area
sq. in.

Weight
lb per ft

Extra per
100 lb

#18
#14
#11
#10
#9
#8
#7
#6
#5
#4
#3
# 2*

4.00
2.25
1.56
1.27
1.00
0.79
0.60
0.44
0.31
0.20
0.11
0.05

13.600
7.650
5.313
4.303
3.400
2.670
2.044
1.502
1.043
0.668
0.376
0.167

$ 2.00
2.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.25
1.50
2.00
6.00
15.00

QUANTITY EXTRAS
Quantity

Extra per
100 lb

Over 300 tons

100-300 tons
50-99 tons
20-49 tons
Under 20 tons**

None
$0.25
0.50
0.75
1.25

the current published size extras for fabricated bars

from a major rebar fabricator. Note that the size extra for
#3 bars is $4.00 per hundred pounds or $80 per ton more
than for #4 bars. This shows that it is generally more economical to specify #4 rather than #3 bars for approximately equal areas of steel. Similar comparisons could
be made for other sizes.
Quantity: Extra charges may be incurred depending
on the total weight of steel ordered. The table also shows
the current quantity extras for fabricated re i n f o rc i n g
bars from the same fabricator whose size extras are giv-

en. This shows that there may be a job size penalty in

breaking down smaller structures at bidding time for
separate acceptance.
Grade: Some grades of bars have an extra, making it
necessary for the estimator to segregate by grade as well
as size.
Bending: Extra charges are applied for all shop bending. The estimator must segregate the total quantity of
bending into three classes as follows, based on current
industry definitions:
LIGHT BENDINGAll #3 bars, all stirrups and ties, and
all bars #4 through #18 which are bent at more than six
points in one plane, or bars which are bent in more
than one plane (unless special bending). Also included are all one-plane radius bending with more than
one radius in any bar (three maximum), and any combination of radius and other type bending in one plane
(radius bending being defined as all bends having a radius of 12 inches or more to inside of bar).
HEAVY BENDINGBar sizes #4 through #18, which are
bent at not more than six points in one plane (unless
classified as light bending or special bending) and single-radius bending.

23 jobsshowed class of splice, per

ACI 318.
24 jobsgave a table of splice lengths
(inches), generally conforming to ACI 318, but not
always.
10 jobsmerely referenced ACI 318 or
CRSI Manual of Standard
Practice (or silent).
14 jobshad miscellaneous other
combinations.
One of our conclusions is that some of the odd combinations are due to different designers working on the
same contract.

* Standard tolerances are given in the Manual of Standard Practice published

by Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, 180 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60601.

SPECIAL BENDINGAll bending to tolerances more

restrictive than those shown in industry standards, all
radius bending in more than one plane, all multiple
plane bending containing one or more radius bends,
and all bending for precast units.*
Typical extra charges may be of the order of $4.00 per
hundred pounds for light bending and $1.75 per hundred pounds for heavy bending. Since light bending
costs $2.25 per hundred pounds ($45.00 per ton) more
than heavy bending, it is more economical to specify,
for example, #4 bent bars rather than #3 where total required areas are approximately equal. Multiple bends
such as continuous truss bars in bridge deck slabs are
more costly per hundred pounds since they usually have
more than six bends per bar and come under the light
bending extra.

LAP SPLICES
Ideally, the length and location of all lap splices should
be shown in the contract documents. Unfortunately, this
is seldom the case in the real world. Recently we surveyed 139 jobs currently being serviced around the continental United States. The results indicated that splice
information was given in the following ways:
46 jobsindicated splice lengths in
bar diameters, generally 24,
36 or 40.
22 jobsprovided splice dimensions
on plans, sections, or details.

Figure 1. Using contract drawing information (top) the

estimator visualizes how the detailer would handle the bars
(bottom) before he can estimate quantities. See Figure 2
for a much better way for the designer to treat this corner.

Figure 2. Preferred
way of showing wall
corner in Figure 1.
Overall cost of
horizontal wall
reinforcement is
reduced because only
the bent corner bar is
charged the heavy
bending extra.

Splice location
The estimator must first determine the location of all
splices so as to calculate the total quantity required. This
is fairly straightforward for columns where the typical
detail may show a splice at each floor level. It is not so
obvious for elements such as walls with long runs of horizontal bars. The estimator has a double problem here:
(1) he needs to determine the quantity of splices required in each run of bars; and (2) he also must make a
judgement decision as to how many feet of the run will
be estimated as bent and how many as straight.
An example is shown in Figure l. The contract drawings show a wall cross section and indicate #5 at 12 horizontal both faces. The outside face bars are bent
around each corner and extended 2 feet 2 inches. The inside face bars extend in straight. The estimator must visualize how the detailer would actually handle it. In this
example the estimator has assumed three bars per run in
30-foot stock lengths, plus a bent bar at each end for the
outside bars. This approach minimizes the weight of
bent bar required, and therefore the quoted price of the
material, without adding extra splices. A far better and
more economical solution would be for the designer to
show separate corner bars 2 feet 2 inches on a side (Figure 2). The estimator would then figure the inside and
outside horizontal bars in an identical manner, as
straight bars. The only bars that would require the heavy
bending extra would be the bent corner bars, thereby reducing the overall cost of the horizontal wall reinforcement. The inside face bars would probably be figured as
a run of four bars, each approximately 30 feet long, with
three splices. It is important to recognize that the standard industry method of pricing bending is on a hundredweight basis. Placing a bend at the end of a longer
bar causes the bending extra to be applied to the entire
weight of the bar.
Fabrication, transportation and construction limitations should have been considered by the designer when
determining permissible splice locations (or prohibition
of splices). The estimator is not in a position to make
these decisions.

Length of lap
Once the estimator has determined where the splice
is, he must determine its length. If the splice lengths are
specified as a certain number of bar diameters for all
splices (33 percent of jobs in survey) or clearly dimensioned on the plans and sections (16 percent) there is
no problem. If the splice is specified as Class A, B or C according to ACI 318 (17 percent) the estimator must calculate this length or have look-up tables such as those
in the ACI Detailing Manual1980. Even then there are
questions, as spacing and edge cover are variable, and a
reduction can be made when spirals are involved. An
estimator would normally apply the top bar factor required by the code* to all splices with more than 12 inches of concrete under the bars. Howe ve r, he may have a

problem if the contract documents do not indicate

whether horizontal wall bars are top bars or not. The designer should state explicitly if he has provided for top
bar effect and which splices are affected, including horizontal wall bars. If the contract documents are silent on
this, the estimator would usually assume that no top bar
effect is required for walls, and splices would be figured
as other.
Probably the most frustrating experience for an estimator or a detailer is to have the contract documents
spell out splices in accordance with ACI 318 and be
otherwise silent. This is of absolutely no help to the estimator; he is in no position to determine conditions of
tension or compression, class of splice, top bar effect,
confinement, and the like. He must then contact the architect or engineer to determine what is required. All too
often the response is You fellows are the experts; work
out the solution yourself, or What do you recommend?

BUTT SPLICES
Butt splices, which are less frequently encountered,
may be either mechanical or arc welded. The majority
of butt splices used today are mechanical. There are numerous proprietary types, including the following:
metal filled sleeve
hot forged sleeve
cold forged sleeve
forged sleeve with threaded stud
taper threaded sleeve
thread deformed rebar with matching sleeve
cement mortar filled sleeve
end bearing sleeve
Detailed descriptions are given in the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institutes publication, Reinforcement Anchorages and Splices.
It is the job of the architect-engineer to indicate where
butt splices are required and to further define whether
they are to be end bearing (compression only), metal
filled sleeves (compression only), or tension splices. For
* Building Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete (ACI 318-77) is specific regarding top reinforcement requiring a multiplier of 1.4 and defining
top reinforcement as horizontal reinforcement so placed that more than 12
inches of concrete is cast in the member below the reinforcement. However,
the commentary to the code states that Recent research studying other matters has seemed to reflect a lessening of this effect when the horizontal top
bar is in a wall or wall-like beam with multiple runs of other horizontal bars
plus vertical bars and/or ties and stirrups. This suggests that some water and
air may be entrapped by other reinforcement and not be free to reach the
top bars. However, judgment regarding interpretation of these provisions
should be made by the designer, not the estimator.

tension splices, the engineer decides whether they must

develop 125 percent of minimum specified yield
strength (per ACI 318) or the minimum ultimate tensile
strength (per ACI 359 and others). If splices must be staggered, the designer must also indicate this as well as the
amount of stagger.
The estimator must know which kinds of splices are
permitted as this affects his estimate. The firm for which
he is doing the estimating may include the splice sleeve

Figure 4. Extra column ties may be required at the location

of bends in column steel which is offset bent, as shown in
this detail reproduced from the ACI Detailing Manual.
Figure 3. Anchorage for dowels in Drawing A would probably
be estimated exactly as shown, whereas for the deep
footing (B) a check of the required anchorage length might
be made by the estimator.

itself in the bid or may only include special end preparation of the bars, if required. If the sleeve is included,
the estimator obviously must figure the quantity of
splices required for each bar size and must follow reasoning similar to that for lapped splices. Even if others
are furnishing the splice sleeve, the estimator must determine any end preparation necessary and the quantity of ends involved for each bar size.

ANCHORAGES
Anchorages are usually not a problem for the estimator since he generally is able to follow the contract documents. When hooked anchorages are specified they
probably would be estimated without regard to whether
the minimum code anchorage lengths have been provided. Usually the hooks are on beam or slab bars shown
anchored fully into the support. Column dowels are
sometimes a problem. Figure 3A shows a dowel apparently extending down to the footing mat reinforcement,
with a standard 90-degree hook. In this case, the estimator would probably figure it just that way, regardless
of whether the anchorage length exceeded or even met
code requirements. However, if the footing or mat depth,
as illustrated in Figure 3B is very large, the estimator
might check the required anchorage length per CRSI Reinforcement Anchorages and Splices or the ACI Design
Handbook (SP 17) to determine if he should use it. Incidentally, these two documents are not in agreement.

This makes it all the more important that the designer

should indicate his wants clearly and concisely.
If a straight bar length of anchorage or embedment is
shown and the contract drawings are not specific as to
amount, the estimator figures either all the way to the
bottom of the footing (the usual way) or assumes tension bar anchorage. He is never in a position to assume
compression anchorage.

COLUMN TIES
The estimator must determine the size, length and
quantity of column ties. Where the contract documents
are complete with schedules and typical column details,
this is fairly straightforward. Howe ve r, where no typical
sections are shown, the estimator does have decisions to
make. He either must contact the architect-engineer for
clarification or assume an arrangement such as shown
in Figure 4 for multiple story heights, which has been
taken from the ACI Detailing Manual. These details assume that at least some of the vertical column bars are
offset bent and that extra ties are required at the bend location. This is true of the majority of building designs. If
butt splices are involved, the estimator has to make another decision: whether to add extra column ties adjacent to the butt splice, as shown in Figure 5. The extra
ties are presumably required to replace ties eliminated at
the splice. This is a judgment call and depends on the
tie spacing and the length of the splice sleeve. Ne ve rt h eless, it is possible that tie spacing is large enough so that
no ties would be eliminated by the splice. This becomes

Figure 5. Extra ties may also

be required in the region of
butt splices in column bars,
presumably to replace ties
which may have been
displaced by the splice
location.

more complicated if the splices are staggered. It is especially important that the estimator be accurate with ties,
as all ties (and stirrups) are subject to the light bending
extra and affect the quoted price out of proportion to
their weight.

BAR SUPPORTS
Suppliers of reinforcing bars frequently include as part
of their service a quantity survey for bar supports. Bar
supports may consist of concrete, metal or other approved materials. Standard specifications for wire bar
supports are included in the CRSI Manual of Standard
Practice, which is revised periodically to reflect latest
practice. The contract documents should indicate types
of bar supports permitted and for wire supports, the
class of protection. Most widely used are standard i ze d
factory-made wire bar supports and reinforcing bars.
After identifying the types of bar supports permitted
and the class of protection required, the estimator must
make a quantity survey. He will base his quantities on requirements shown in the contract documents or as covered in the CRSI Manual of Standard Practice. This involves first determining the number of rows of supports
required. In continuous elements such as slab bolsters
or rebar support bars the number of rows must be converted into lineal feet. For individual elements such as
high chairs or rebar standees, the number of pieces per
row must also be determined.
Unless otherwise shown in the contract documents,
the estimator would figure bar supports for slabs on
grade for support of top bars only. For foundation mats
more than 4 feet thick, supports are not normally
provided for top bars. The estimator would usually take
off individual standees spaced at 4 feet in each direction
and assume that bars in the top mat in one direction
(approximately every 4 feet) would be lowered two
bar diameters to be used as a continuous horizontal
bar support.
The estimator has a choice, when making a quantity

Figure 6. Supports for bars in foundation mats and slabs on

ground include individual high chairs with sand plates for
soil bearing (HCP) and continuous high chairs for upper bar
support (CHCU). Standeesreinforcing bars fabricated to
order with bent legs resting on lower mat of barsare also
used. Dowel blocks are common in western areas of the
United States. Drawing from CRSI Manual of Standard
Practice.

survey for one-way supported slabs, if not otherwise defined in the contract documents. When estimating the
bar supports for the top reinforcement, he could figure
continuous high chairs or individual high chairs with #4
support bars. Economy usually determines his decision.
Where it is feasible to use a temperature bar as a support bar, individual high chairs will almost always be
more economical for building slabs. In certain areas of
the country continuous high chairs, with runners, are
specified for bridge decks to support the top mat from
the bottom mat of rebars, where an all-straight-bar design is involved. The estimator would figure on the continuous chairs in this instance as a contract requirement.
Furnishing of spacers against vertical or sloping forms
to maintain prescribed side cover and cross position of
reinforcing bars has not been standardized within the
reinforcement industry. Estimating or detailing such
spacers with the reinforcement is not a normal industry
practice, and the CRSI manual indicates that they are to
be furnished by the general contractor (see related article on page 825).

SUMMARY
An attempt has been made to give some insight into
the business of making a quantity survey (estimating) of
reinforcing bars. Only a few of the many variables have

been briefly touched on. It has been said many times

that an estimators quantity survey may determine (1)
whether the rebar fabricator is successful in securing a
certain contract and (2) whether it turns out to be a profitable contract or not. In other words, the rebar estimator is a very important cog in the reinforced concrete
construction wheel.

Editors note:
Publications of the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute cited
in this article are for sale by CRSI. Address all inquiries to

their office at 180 North LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois

60601.
ACI Detailing Manual1980 is available from Concrete Construction Publications, 426 S. Westgate, Addison, Illinois
60101 for $39.95 postpaid; check should accompany order.
ACI members may wish to order directly from ACI to obtain
member discount.

PUBLICATION#C810793
Copyright 1981, The Aberdeen Group
All rights reserved