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Estimating & Planning Man Hours

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William DwyerMember for 7 years 9 months
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Hi,

I've recently taken a job as an Estimator/Project Planner for a Mechanical & Civil Engineering Contractor. 

I'm developing estimates and project schedules from 1st Principles and I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good 'rule-of-thumb' guidebook for manhours that I can use to cross-check against my own production rates.

Specifically I'm looking for a book that will detail manhours for activities such as pipe welding, pipe fitting, flange fitting, valve fittings etc. I'm also looking for manhour information on general civil activities such as trench excavation, bulk excavation etc.

Appreciate any help you can provide. 

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12 replies

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  1. 0
    Dimitrios Theocharidis ·
    #1

    Hi Look for  SPON’S

    Hi

     

    Look for  SPON’S CONSTRUCTION RESOURCE HANDBOOK by BRYAN SPAIN diificult to fing in hard copy but i bellieve it is available in Amazon Kindle format.

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  2. 0
    Bryc Ali ·
    #2

    Could you give us a link to

    Could you give us a link to download it from the web ?

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  3. 0
    Anoon Iimos ·
    #3

    Too many books and too many

    Too many books and too many options and conditions and maybe different in every specific scenario. Hence, no one can be a master of all disciplines. A bulk excavation is not as simple as it is. First you need to conduct soil analysis, boring tests etc. Which of course have its own production rates as well. After that, you'll need to construct ramps, slope protection, side cave-in protection, and perhaps sheet pilings etc. etc..which of course have their own unique production rates as well. Realistic production rates can only be derived after Engineering and specific method statements have been set or put in place.
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  4. 0
    William Dwyer ·
    #4

    Thanks for your comments

    Thanks for your comments Anoon.

    I understand what you are saying. The only way to get truly accurate manhour figures is to be very specific to the site and the task. I have already carried out this task and I have prepared very detailed manhours specific to the job I'm working on but I would like a general 'rule-of-thumb' just to cross-check what I have prepared to make sure I'm in the ballpark with my calculations. 

     

    Dimitrios,

    Thanks for your suggestion. I have located the book on Amazon. I also tracked down a number of books by John S Page with manhours. The books seem to be a little dated. Do you have any experience with his work and is it relevant?

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  5. 0
    William Dwyer ·
    #5

    Thanks for your comments

    Thanks for your comments Anoon.

    I understand what you are saying. The only way to get truly accurate manhour figures is to be very specific to the site and the task. I have already carried out this task and I have prepared very detailed manhours specific to the job I'm working on but I would like a general 'rule-of-thumb' just to cross-check what I have prepared to make sure I'm in the ballpark with my calculations. 

     

    Dimitrios,

    Thanks for your suggestion. I have located the book on Amazon. I also tracked down a number of books by John S Page with manhours. The books seem to be a little dated. Do you have any experience with his work and is it relevant?

    Report
  6. 0
    William Dwyer ·
    #6

    Thanks for your comments

    Thanks for your comments Anoon.

    I understand what you are saying. The only way to get truly accurate manhour figures is to be very specific to the site and the task. I have already carried out this task and I have prepared very detailed manhours specific to the job I'm working on but I would like a general 'rule-of-thumb' just to cross-check what I have prepared to make sure I'm in the ballpark with my calculations. 

     

    Dimitrios,

    Thanks for your suggestion. I have located the book on Amazon. I also tracked down a number of books by John S Page with manhours. The books seem to be a little dated. Do you have any experience with his work and is it relevant?

    Report
  7. 0
    Anoon Iimos ·
    #7

    Bill, for me, the rule of

    Bill, for me, the rule of thumb is: There Is No Rule Of Thumb. Why? For Example: In Piping Works you may use "Inch-Dia" for calculating fabrication works for piping spools. While during erection and hydrotests, you may use "Inch-Meter". The unit "Inch-Dia" perse only represents the number of joints and diameter of pipes for a certain spool but cannot reveal the thickness and the type of pipes. In other words, these so-called specific units are just tools for "Guesstimates". Welding works depends on how many passes you need to make and you may need to grind before you can make another pass.
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  8. 0
    Zoltan Palffy ·
    #8

    you haveRSMeansCostdataonline

    you have

    RSMeans

    Costdataonline - formerly Richardson

    fast-inc

    mep.trimble.com

    quotesoft 

    mccormicks

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  9. 0
    Bryc Ali ·
    #9

    It's the same thing for

    It's the same thing for piping erection, we use Inch-meter, for exemple a pipe of 6Inch and 3 meters = 18 Inch-meters but for this 18 I.M it's possible to weld a joint of 6 ID but with different thikness. I thing that the best unit is IDC inch dimater corrected is a method to convert each diameter compared to a standard thikness for exemple 6 Inch standard epaisseur is 9.53 mm joint=6IDC but 6 Inch with 14.27mm joint = 6ID  * (14.27mm/9.53mm) = 8.98 ID 

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  10. 0
    Angelito Estrella ·
    #10

    Hi Sir William! whats your

    Hi Sir William! whats your email add??

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  11. 0
    Angelito Estrella ·
    #11

    Hi Sir William! whats your

    Hi Sir William! whats your email add??

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  12. 0
    Siarhei Trubila ·
    #12

    Hi William.I've got some

    Hi William.

    I've got some books (Spon's Civil engineering, MEP and Architects). I can send you these pricebooks in pdf format if it appropriates for you. I can easily find essential activities and compare these rates with your own calculation.

    Sergey.

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