METHOD -RELATED CHARGES Where significant variations have occurred in projects, contractors usually claim that the measured quantities of permanent work priced at billed rates do not represent the true value of constructional work. Many of the costs arising from Civil Engineering operations are not proportional to the quantity of the resulting permanent work. To recover the cost of bringing a tower crane onto the site and its hire, operation and subsequent removal cannot just be slotted in hidden costs in the “preliminaries”. T of a better way of representing the contactor’s site operation costs, such as the provision of site is why method-related charges is quite necessary, since it is tailored towards the provision accomodation and temporary works, sometimes described as ‘site mobilisation’. It is therefore imperative that the contractor should be able to decide the method of carrying out the works. The contractor to list, describe and price these items in a blank section in the BEME. TYPES However, there are basically two types of method-related charges: 1. Time-related charges: deals with the cost that are time dependent during the execute the work. 2. Fixed charges: these are not time related, such as the cost of bringing an item of plant on to a site and its subseqent removal. The fixed costs are not related to quantity or time. During the tendering process, tenderers are requested to distinguish between these charges and should fully describe them to enable a positive identification of items with detailed coverage. ‘The concept of the relationship between fixed and time related costs versus unit rate-related costs is illustrated graphically. ‘Traditional bill rate cost [roca Gil cos ‘Total Method related charges Money Increased Quantity Billed Quantity Il Reduced Quantity IZ Measured Quantity 10The straight -line graph of the traditional bill rate cost, the related billed quantity and the total bill cost are shown in broken lines, The total method-related charges (shown as full lines) are made up of two components: Firstly, the fixed costs which could represent the costs of transporting, setting up and ultimate removal of a piece of plant or a piece of temporary work. Secondly, the time-related costs which could represent the running costs, hire charges, fuel cost etc, which are directly associated with the time spent on site. Lastly, the possible reduced or increased quantities which might result on site and be confirmed by remeasurement are shown as bold lines. By and large, under the traditional quantity/unit rate system, should the quantity decrease in the remeasurement of the actual work executed, then the contractor may not gain a full recovery of the costs. On the otherhand, the contractor may recover more than is due in costs incurred, should the quantities increase. The contractor should always be paid an appropriate and fair reimbursement for the work, should the quantities vary significantly from those estimated in the bill considering the method-related charge system. Advantages 1. It remove substantial sums of construction costs, which do not vary in proportion to the volume of permanent works executed. 2. It enables the contractor to recover in monthly valuations the cost of items other than permanent work on an equitable basis. 3. The employer should have the benefit of a more accurate valuation of variations with improved monitoring of the financial position of the contract, Disadvantages 1. Could be used by contractors to build in high early payments into the contract to improve their cash flow at the beginning of the works. Although, this is not a sustainable argument as the method-related charge should only become payable when it is actually required on site. 2. These can still be different approaches to the pricing of bills, by introducing method-related charges. ulPRODUCTION OF BILL OF QUANTITIES/BEME, Some important terminologies 1. Taking-off: This involves the reading or scaling of dimensions from detailed drawings and entering such dimensions in a recognized manner in a ruled sheet called a dimension paper. A typical dimension paper is illustrated below. ‘The column marked 1 is called the ‘TIMESING? column because all multiplying factors applied in measured quantities are entered into this column, ‘The column marked 2 is called the ‘DIMENSION? column because all dimensions read or scaled are entered into this column. ‘The column marked 3 is called the ‘SQUARING? column because all dimensions column when squared are entered into this column. The column marked 4 is called the ‘DESCRIPTON? column because all descriptions relating to ‘measured quantities in terms of quantity, size ete are entered therein, 2. Abstracting: This is a collection of all measured items of like-manner together and all deductions made. In this stage, all the abstracted items are arranged in the billing order. 3. Timesing: Some items may occur several times during taking-off and in order to avoid re- writing the items, the appropriate measurements may be multiplied or TIMSED. The timesing figure is written in the timesing column and separated from the measurement by a agonal stroke. Any item previously timesed may be timesed, again, each timesing multiplying everything to the right of the diagonal stroke. 2Multiplied by 2 Multiplied by 6 not always practicable, but 4. Dotting on: Timesing a previously timesed measurement where additional items occur, the timesing factor may be increased by “Dotting on”(Adding) the additional value. Brackets: A bracket is used whenever more than one measurement relates to a description or group of descriptions. The total quantity indicated by the measurement within the bracket is set against each related description on the abstract. 12.00 8.60 10.50 6.00 11.70 7.00 6. Alterations in Dimensions: Dimensions should never be erased or altered. In correct dimension should be cancelled by writing “NIL” in the squaring column alongside the incorrect figure and the extent of the cancellation indicated by brackets or arrow heads. The correct dimensions may then be written clearly in the dimension column, B12.00 | t NIL 800 | | 12.00 8.60 11.70| f 7.00 | NIL Y 11.00 7.00 7. Waste calculations: ‘The preliminary (waste) calculations involved in determining the dimension and any related explanatory comment should be written clearly on the right hand side of the description column. The risk of error will then be reduced since these calculations may be checked during working up and in addition the process by which the dimension were determined will be made clear for later reference. Waste calculations are written to three (3) decimal places and the results reduced to the nearest 10mm before transfer to the dimension column, 12.00 R 8.60 3.000 1.500 10.50 3.500 6.50 8.000 11.00 7.00 11.00 7.00 4GENERAL APPROACH TO TAKING - OFF ‘Taking off is a very practical technique which involves four principal factors: 1. A methodical and consistent approach ‘A sound knowledge of construction technology in order to interprete the drawing Application of the rules of measurement laid down in the SMM. Sufficient knowledge of mensuration to calculate the measurement, However, the most important techniques of production of bills of quantities in current use are as follows: 2). Group Traditional system: this system provides the “taker — off” with a logical system of measurement designed to promote accurate and efficient taking — off. ‘The work is measured in series of groups, each representing a particular section of the building without regard to the order in which items will finally appear in the bill. Since the sequence of measurement is not related to the order of the bill, the “working up” process most involve the preparation of an abstract to collect and arrange the items in the order necessary for writing the draft. The group system is the most appropriate for use in examinations and will be used for measurement of examples we shall adopt. b), Trade by trade system: This involves taking- off bills of quantities by trades, in order of billing without the necessity for an abstract. Each item is taken off as a separate entity in the order in which it will eventually be billed including all relevant deductions. ¢). Cut and shuffle system: The group system of taking off is adopted using specially ruled dimension sheets. Each sheet is ruled into four separate slips and one item only entered on each slip. A copy is made of each completed dimension sheet and the taker-off retains the original, while the copies are cut into slips collected and sorted into bill sequence ‘without necessity for abstracting or billing. 4), Computers: There are two basic approaches to the use of computers in the preparation of bills of quantities. i) To use the computer to do all the calculations and sort the items into bill order, the draft bill of quantities being prepared in the normal manner by the quantity surveyor. ii) For the computer to do all the calculations, sorting and printing of the bill on the basis of 15MEASUREMENT OF EARTH WORKS Earthworks form a major part of most Civil Engineering contracts. The pricing of this Work is made difficult by its relatively uncertain nature and extent and the effects of weather and water. According to the CESMMB3, excavation, filling and landscaping are classfied under class E (Earth Works). The three divisions of basic rules in class E are accompanied by extensive measurement, definition, coverage and additional description rules, all of which must be considered when itemising earth works measurements, However, various methods can be used to calculate the volume of excavation and/or filling required as part of Civil Engineering works, The method used is often largely determined by the type of work involved. Accuracy and speed of operation are the main factors to consider when selecting the method of approach. Nowadays, with the almost universal use of computers, there are several packages available for calculating the volume of earth works. Although, some background knowledge of the manual methods of calculation is still of value to compilers of bills of quantities. For the manual computation of the volumes of cuttings and embankments, there are ‘wo inter-related formulae commonly used, both of which required to use the areas of cross- sections through the construction. The prismoidal formula may be used for simpler cases involving three cross sections only ie. Volume = $ x Total Length x [Area of 1* section + 4x Area of middle section + Area of last section} The Simpson’s rule assumed that most transportation schemes will be much longer than three cross-sections. This formula is in effect many prismoidal formulae combined end to end. Using the Simpson’s rule, the areas at intermediate even cross-sections (nrs. 2, 4, 6 etc) are each multiplied by 4, the areas at intermediate uneven or odd cross-sectons (nrs. 3, 5, 7 etc) are each multiplied by 2 and the end cross-sections are taken once only. The sum of these areas is multiplied by one-third of the distance between the cross sections to give the total volume. EXAMPLE Take off quantities for a road 30 metres wide and 450 metres long to an even gradient, with mean depths calculated at 50 metres intervals as indicated below and side slopes 2 to 1. Assuming that stripping of top soil has already been taken. 16Cross “Section 1 ama) 4 5 6 7 8 19 ‘Mean depth(m) 6 2 [18/22 [20 |14 {8 6 |4 SOLUTION ‘The width at the top of the cutting can be found by taking the width at the base i.e. 30m and adding 2 the depth to give the horizontal spread of the banks (the width of each bank being twice the depth with a side slope of 2:1). _—— 30 metres Width at the top: 30 + 2(s) d where S=slope d= depth 30+ 4h Weighing | Cross-Section | Depth(m) | Width at top of cutting | Mean width 1 1 6 30+(4x6)= 54 4 2 12 30H(412)=78 2 3 18 30H(4x18)=102 a 4 22 304(4*22)=118 2 3 20 30+(4%20)=110 4 6 14 30+(4%14)=86 2 7 8 30+(4x8)= 62 4 8 6 B0HAO)= 54 7 9 4 30Haay= 46 uv42.00 EARTH WORKS 6.00 Exen, for cutting, materials for re-use other than topsoil, 252 rock or artificial hard material. 540 Cube « 14 50m 12.00 £220 2592 66.00 18.00 2376 4 74.00) 22.00) 6512 2 70.00 20.00 2800 58.00 14.00 3248 2) 46.00 8.00 736 4 42.00 6.00 1008 38.00 4.00 152 18SLOPING SITE EXCAVATION 3.40 3.80 4.00 3.00m 3.00m | | 4.00 4.25 4.40 4.40 4.80 5.00 5.00m 5.00m To calculate the volume of excavation required on a sloping site shown above, assume that it is required to excavate down to the level of 2m. Solution Weighing the depth at each point on the grid of levels, according to the areas that each level affects, we can get the average depth of excavation as 3.400 4.00 5.00 440 213.80 214.40 214,80 214,00 4/4.25, 67.80 ‘The average of the sum of the weighted depths could be obtained as: 67.80 +16 = 4.24 10.00 6.00 424 2544 19MEASUREMENT OF EXCAVATION AND FILLING In order to calculate the volume of excavation and filling of an area shown 30m x 30m. It is necessary to stripped of 150mm top soil. 197.200 198.100 99.050 10.010 30.00m] | 197.800 198.560 21.010 (G3) () 198.340 199.060 00.000 21.400 198.240 199.38 00.520 201.900 5 30.00m, + Filling ~ Excavation or cutting AVERAGE DEPTH OF EXCAVATION GROUND LEVEL | DEPTH OF EXCV. | WEIGHTING | WEIGHTED COMMENT DEPTH OF EXCY. / 200.010 0.150 1 0.150 150mm top soil 201.010 1.010 1 fo10 Excessively high exev be avoided 200.000 0.150 3 0.450 3 sides are affected 201.400 1.400 2 2.800 200.520 0.520 1 0.520 Weighing twice will | give excessive exev. [201.900 1.900 1 1.900 9 6.830 -. Average depth of excavation 6.830 = 0.758 9 20FILLING WEIGHTED DEPTH | COMMENT GROUND LEVEL | DEPTH OF FILLING | WEIGHTING OF FILLING 197.200 2.800 1 2.800 | 198.100 1.900 2 3.800 199.050 0.950 2 1.900 200.010 - i 5 197.800 2.200 2 4400 198.560 1.440 4 3.760 199,300 0.700 3 2.100 198.340 1.660 2 3.320 199.060 0.940 4 3.760 [200.000 - 3 - 198.240 1.760 1 1.760 199.380 0.620 2 1.240 2 30.840 :. Average depth of filling = oe = 1,142 EXCAVATION MAIN AREA 4}30.00 To calculate the exact distance between 199.38 and 200.0520 15.44 about the cutting of the contour line. Interpolate the values: 0.758 200.250 - 199.380 = 1.14 30.00 22.28 1.142 763.31 175.55 200.00 -199.380 =0.62 0.62+1.14 x10 = 5.44, but 5.44 + 10 = 15.44 Filling to main area 10-5.44=4.56 4.56 + 10= 14.56 £.(14,56 + 30)+2 = 22.28 2