Rate Analysis

Rate Analysis is the process of fixing cost per unit of measurement for the different item of
works. Cost due to construction (contractor’s cost) is given special attention here.
Total cost per unit of work (TC) may be grouped into two components; direct cost and indirect
cost. The direct cost (DC) includes cost due to material, cost due to labor, cost due to equipment,
whereas the indirect(IC) cost covers overhead costs, and contractor’s profit. Overhead costs are
expenses for general office facility, rents, taxes, electrical light, water, and other miscellaneous
items.
In order to facilitate estimation of cost due to material, it is important to know the quantities of
various materials involved in construction of various parts of the building or construction work
i.e. material break down is essential.
Material Breakdown
1. Quantity of materials required for brick masonry laid in 1:4 cement mortar
Qty of brick masonry =1m3 (4m2 for 25cm thick brick wall)
Size of one brick =24x12x6 cm (common in Ethiopia)
Size of one mortared brick= 25x13x7 cm;
Volume of each mortared brick = 0.25x0.13x.07 = 2.275x10-3m3
Number of bricks required =1/ 2.275x10-3m3 = 440 mortared bricks per m3
Add 2% for breakage =9
Take 450 bricks per m3 or 450/4 = 112.5 bricks/ m2; take 115 bricks/ m2
Volume of one nominal (un-mortared) brick = 0.24x0.12x0.06 = 1.728x10-3m3
Volume of 440 un-mortared bricks = 440x1.728x10-3m3 = 0.76032m3
Volume of wet mortar in 1m3 of wet masonry = 1 - 0.76032 = 0.23968m3
Percentage of wet masonry in 1m3 masonry work = (0.23968/1)*100 = 23.96%
(can be taken as 25%)
Factor of conversion of wet mortar into dry mortar (quantity for dry base analysis)
Volume of wet mortar in 1m3 of wet masonry = 0.23968m3
Add 10% for wastage = 0.023968m3
Sum Total = 0.263648 m3
Assume 20% voids in sand (Note that cement fills the voids b/n sand particles)
Volume of dry base analysis = wet mortar volume + increment because of voids in sand
 = 0.263648 m3 + 20/100* 0.263648 m3
= 0.31638m3 ; nearly 30% of the volume of construction
Factor of conversion = volume of material required on dry base/ volume of wet mortar
= 0.31638m3 / 0.263648 m3 =1.2
Cement mortar of 1:4 mix by volume (1+4 =5)
Qty of cement required = 1/5 * 0.316 = 0.0632m3/m3 of construction
Number of bags of cement = 0.0632m3/ 0.035 m3per bag =1.81 bags per m3 of construction;
1.81/4 = 0.45 bags per m2
Qty of sand required = 4/5 * 0.316 = 0.253m3 per m3 of construction = 0.063m3/m2
Exercise: define qty of materials required to construct 1m2 HCB wall laid in 1: 4 cement mortar;
Take nominal size of blocks as 40x20x20 cm, 40x20x15cm, or 40x20x10 cm.
2. Quantity of materials required for C -25 cement concrete (1:2:3)
Cement concrete is a heterogeneous mixture of cement, fine, and coarse aggregates; cement fills
the voids in sands also while sand fills the voids in the coarse aggregate. Water acts as an agent
so that the paste of cement can coat all the particles of the aggregate. The hydration of cement
results in solidification of entire mass and thus binds the different particles together. Because of
the voids in aggregates and wastage, 1.4 to 1.6 times dry volume of the materials are required to
get 1m3 of compact dense fresh concrete mix.
Materials required for 1:2:3 cement concrete mix – a commonly used grade of concrete for
structural works.
Wet (fresh) concrete mix …………= 1m3
Quantity for dry base analysis…….= 1.5*1.0m3 = 1.5m3
Volume of cement……………= 1/6*1.5 = 0.25m3 = 0.25m3/0.035m3 per bag
= 7.1 bags of cement
Sands ………………………..= 2/6* 1.5 = 0.5m3 of sand
Coarse aggregate…………….= 3/6 *1.5 = 0.75m3 of coarse aggregate
3. Quantity of Materials required for stone masonry laid in 1:3 cement mortar
Quantity of stone masonry work ….= 1m3
Quantity of undressed stone ………= 1.1m3 (taken 110%)
Quantity of mortar required……….= 0.35m3 (taken 35%)
Quantity of cement ………………. = 1/4 *0.35 = 0.0875m3 = 0.0875/0.035 = 2.5 bags
Quantity of sand required …………= 3/4 * 0.35 = 0.263m3
4. Materials required for 12mm thick cement plaster in 1: 4 cement mortar
30% more mortar is required to fill up joints and uneven surfaces. This total wet mortar is
increased by 20% to convert to dry mortar (for the effect of voids). Thus, wet mortar is
multiplied by 1.55 to define quantity of material required on dry base.
Area to be plastered = 1m2
Thickness of plaster = 12mm
Volume of the mortar = 1*0.012 = 0.012m3
Volume for dry quantity = 1.55 * 0.012 = 0.019m3
Cement required = 1/5 * 0.019 = 0.0038m3 = 0.11 bags of cement
Sand required = 4/5 * 0.019 = 0.015 m3
5. Materials required for pointing in cement mortar of 1:2
Area to be pointed = 1m2 [total wall area]
In 1m2 wall area, number of mortared bricks of 25x13x7cm size (assuming 25cm thick double
brick wall) = 1/(0.25*0.07) = 57
Face area of the 57 nominal bricks = 57*0.24*0.07 = 0.82m2
Area covered by joints (pointed) = 1 – 0.82 = 0.18m2
Average thickness of pointing = 20mm
Volume of wet mortar = 0.02*0.18 = 0.0036m3
Volume for dry quantity = 1.55* 0.0036 = 0.006m3
Cement required = 1/3 *0.006 = 0.002m3 = 0.05 bags
Sand required = 2/3 * 0.006 = 0.004m3
Calculation of Unit Price (rate)
I. Cost per m2 of 25cm thick brick masonry wall, laid in 1:4 cement mortar
Total cost (TC) = Direct cost (DC) + Indirect cost(IC)
IC = 25% to 35% of DC; Equipment cost (EC) = 5% to 10% of TC
1. Material cost
Brick: Purchasing Cost + loading Cost + unloading Cost
= 115 pc*0.85Br/pc + 115(50Br/1000pc) + 115(350Br/3000pc) + 115(80Br/1000pc)
= 126.12Br/m2
Cement: Purchasing Cost + loading Cost + unloading Cost
(Provide 10% allowance for wastage by wind, = (1.81/4)*1.1= 0.5 bag/m2)
= 0.5 bag/m2*55Br/bag + 1Br/bag* 0.5bag + 2Br/bag* 0.5bag + 1Br/bag* 0.5bag
= 29.5 Br/m2
Sand: Purchasing Cost + loading Cost + unloading Cost
= 0.063m3/m2 *120Br/m3 = 7.56 Br/m2
Total material cost = cost of (brick +cement +sand)
= 126.12 + 29.5 + 7.56 = 163.18 Br/m2
2. Labor cost (LC)
Crew = a group which is directly involved in a similar job
A crew for brick masonry work consists of a mason, an assistant mason and two labors
Utilization Factor (UF) = 1/ the # of crew or people under supervision
Forman, to guide/control masonry work, UF = ¼, when controlling four crews
Site Engineer/Manager, UF = 1/10 (assumed to control 10 formen)
Indexed hourly wages
Site Engineer/Manager 4000Br/month = 4000Br/(22days*8hrs/day) = 22.70Br/hr
For a utilization factor of 1/10 (for 10 formen under him)
= 22.70*1/10 = 2.27Br/hr
Forman daily wage = 40Br/day = 40/8*(1/4) = 1.25 Br/hr, for 4 crews
Mason daily wage = 30Br/day = 3.75Br/hr , UF = 1
Assistant mason daily wage = 20Br/day = 2.5 Br/hr, UF = 1
Daily laborers, daily wage = 10Br/day =1.25Br/hr, UF = 1
Labor output (productivity) for the work = 4m2/day = 0.5m2/hr
Labor cost (LC) = Cost per unit time/ productivity
= [2.27 + 1.25 + 3.75 + 2.5 +2*1.25] Br per hr / [0.5 m2per hr]
= 24.54Br/m2
DC = MC + LC +EC; take EC = 0.05TC
DC = 163.18 + 24.54 +0.05TC; but TC = DC + IC, take IC = 0.25DC; thus
TC = (187.72 + 0.05TC) + 0.25DC
TC = (187.72 + 0.05TC) + 0.25(187.72 + 0.05TC
TC = 234.65+ 0.063TC
TC = 250.30Br per m2
Thus, the unit price for 25cm thick brick masonry wall laid in 1:4 cement mortar is estimated to
be 250.30Br/m2
Exercise: Similarly fix unit price for HCB masonry walls laid in 1:4 cement mortar making use
of most recent market prices.
II. Unit price for C -25 concrete per m3 of work (formwork and reinforcement m/s)
Material cost
Cement = 7.1bags/m3* 50Br/bag = 355Br
Sand = 0.5m3*120Br/m3 = 60 Br
Coarse Aggregate = 0.75m3*120Br/m3 = 90 Br
MC = 505 Br/m3
Labor cost
The crew consists of a mason, two assistants, and four daily laborers at the wage rates given
above for brick masonry work.
Site Engineer/Manager 4000Br/month = 4000Br/(22days*8hrs/day) = 22.70Br/hr
For a utilization factor of 1/10 (for 10 foremen under him)
= 22.70*1/10 = 2.27Br/hr
Forman daily wage = 40Br/day = 40/8*(1/4) = 1.25 Br/hr, for 4 crews
Mason daily wage = 30Br/day = 3.75Br/hr , UF = 1
Assistant mason daily wage = 20Br/day = 2.5 Br/hr, UF = 1
Daily laborers, daily wage = 10Br/day =1.25Br/hr, UF = 1
Labor output (productivity) for the work = 2m3/day = 0.25m3/hr
Labor cost (LC) = Cost per unit time/ productivity
= [2.27 + 1.25 + 3.75 + 2*2.5 +4*1.25] Br per hr / [0.25 m3per hr]
= 69.08Br/m3
DC = MC + LC +EC; take EC = 0.05TC
DC = 505+ 69.08 +0.05TC; but TC = DC + IC, take IC = 0.25DC; thus
TC = (574.08 + 0.05TC) + 0.25DC
TC = (574.08 + 0.05TC) + 0.25(574.08 + 0.05TC)
TC = 717.6+ 0.063TC
TC = 765.8Br per m3
Cost estimation (Rough and Detail)
Plinth area method
Example 3.1: Prepare an approximate estimate of building project with total plinth area of all
building is 800 sqm. and from following data. Determine the total cost of building project.

 Plinth area rate Rs. 4500 per sqm

 Cost of water supply @7½%of cost of building.
 Cost of Sanitary andElectrical installations each @ 7½% of cost of building.
 Cost of architectural features @1% of building cost.
 Cost of roads and lawns @5% of building cost.
 Cost of P.S. and contingencies @4% of building cost.

Solution:

Example: The plinth area of an apartment is 500 sqm. Determine the total cost of building from
the following data:

 Rate of construction = Rs.1230/--per m3.

 The height of apartment = 16.25 m
 Water Supply, Sanitary and Electrical installations each at 6% of building cost.
  Architectural appearance @ 1% of building cost.
 Unforeseen item @2% of Building cost.
 P.S. and contingencies @4% of building.

Solution:

Cubical content Method:

Example Prepare the rough estimate for a proposed commercial complex for a municipal
corporation for the following data.

 Plinth Area = 500m2/floor

 Ht of each storey = 3.5m
 No. of storey’s = G+2
 Cubical content rate = Rs. 1000/m3

Provided for a following as a percentage of structured cost

 Water supply & Sanitary arrangement -8%

 Electrification -6%
 Fluctuation of rates - 5%
 Contractors profit - 10%
 Petty supervision & contingencies - 3%
Unit Base Method:

Example: Prepare an approximate estimate or rough cost estimate of a hospital building for 50
beds. The cost of construction altogether for each bed is 60,000 birr-. Determine the total cost of
hospital building.

Solution:

No. of beds = 50

Cost of construction = 60,000

Total Cost of Hospital building = 50x 60,000= 30,00,000

Example: To prepare the rough cost estimate of a hostel building which accommodate 150
students. The cost of construction including all provisions is 15,000/- per student. Determine
total cost of building.

Solution :

No.of students= 150

Cost of construction including all L.S. provisions = 15,000

Total Cost of hostel building =150 x 15000 = 22,50,000 ETB

Detail and abstract estimate

Example :- From the given figure below calculate the details and abstract estimate for the single
Storeyed residential building with no of rooms (Load bearing type structure) by Centre Line
Method.
Total centre line length = (3.3+3.8)3+3.8×3+4.3×2=41.3m

No of T Junctions = 4
Example - From the given figure below calculate the details estimate for the Compound Wall

Note: 1) Brick Pillars of size 230x 230 size are built every 3 meters 2) The expansion joints are
provided for every 6m length
EARTH WORK CALCULATIONS
Introduction:-
Generally all the Civil Engineering projects like roads, railways, earth dams, canal bunds,
buildings etc. involves the earth work. This earth work may be either earth excavation or earth
filling or sometimes both will get according to the desired shape and level. Basically the volume
of earthwork is computed from length, breadth, and depth of excavation or filling.

Lead: It is the average horizontal distance between the centres of excavation to the centre of
deposition. The unit of lead is 50m.

Lift: It is the average height through which the earth has to be lifted from source to the place of
spreading or heaping. The unit of lift is 2.00m for first lift and one extra lift for every 1.0m. For
example when earth is to be lifted for 4.5m, four lifts are to be paid to the contractor.

Calculation of earth work for Roads:

Case 1) volume of earth work in banking or in cutting having "no longitudinal slope

V = (bd+2x1/2x ndx d)L

V = (bd+nd2)L

Case 2: When the ground is in longitudinal slope or the formation has uniform gradient for a
length the earth work may be calculated by the following methods.

1. By Mid Section or mid ordinate method.

Example: Find the volume of earth work in embankment of length 12m. Top width is 5.5m and
depth is 2.5m the side slopes 1½:1

Sol : Top width b=5.5m

Depth d= 2.5m

side slopes =1½:1 i.e. n=1.5

length L=12m

Volume of earth work V = (bd+nd2)L = (5.5 ×2.5+1.5×2.52)12 = 77.5m3

Example: The depths at two ends of an embankment of road of length 70m are 2m and 2.5m.
The formation width and side slopes are 8m and 2:1 respectively. Estimate the Quantity of earth
work by

a) Mid Sectional Area (ii) Mean sectional Area method.

Sol: a) b=8m, d1=2m, d2=2.5m, l=70m, n=2

Mean depth dm =

Mid sectional Area = Am = bdm+ndm2 = (8x2.25+2x2.252)2=28.125m2

Volume of earth work (V)= AmxL = 28.125x70=1968.75m3.

b) Area of c/s at one end A1 = bd1 +nd12 = 8x2+2x22=24m2

Area of C/s at other end A2=bd2+nd22 =8×2.5+2×2.52 =32.5m2

Mean Sectional Area (Am) =

Volume of earth work (V) = AmxL=28.25x70=1977.5m3.

Example: The following width of road embankment is 10m. The side slopes are 2:1 The depth
along the centre line road at 50m intervals are 1.25, 1.10, 1.50, 1.20, 1.0,1.10, 1.15m calculate
the Quantity of earth work by

a) Mid sectional rule

b) Trapezoidal rule
c) Prismoidal rule
a) Mid Sectional rule : b=10m, n=2.
Example :- Estimate the Quantity of earth work for a portion of road from the following data

The formation level at Chainage 0 is 8.0 and having falling gradient of 1 in 100. The top width is
12m and side slopes 1½ horizontal to 1 vertical assuming the transverse direction is in level
calculate the quantity of earth work Take 1 chain = 20m by using trepezoidol & Prismoidol
formula.
Grid survey

Virgin sites will almost certainly be covered with a layer of vegetation that has to be removed
prior to excavation and stored separately or removed from site. Top soil cannot be used for
backfilling as it would, over time, cause damage to the substructure. The usual default depth for
topsoil is 150 mm although it could be more than this and a test pit may be dug to accurately
determine the actual depth. Figure below shows a 5 m grid of a survey of levels taken on a
proposed site.

Fig: Grid survey of the proposed site

The site is required to be reduced to a level of 35.62 and in order to calculate the volume of
excavation required the average level of the site must be determined. This can be quite easily
done by calculating the average level:

Average site level = (35.90 ×5 +35.86 ×3 + 35.89 × 2 +35.92 +35.84 × 2 + 35.88 ×2 +35.85
+35.87 ×2) / 18 = 35.87 m

Reduced site level = 35.62 m Average excavation depth = 0.25 m

Total excavation volume = 0.25 ×25 ×10 = 62.5 m3

Exercises

1. Consider the following figure, it is required to prepare a quantity take-off for the following
types of work to be included on the bill of quantities:

a. Excavation.

b. Backfilling

c. Plain concrete footing

d. Reinforced concrete footings and smells and column necks till the ground level.

e. Insulation.
2. Consider the following figure; find the same requirements as above.