Road Construction

International Infrastructure Project Cost Estimating Work Breakdown Paul Hewitt, International Project Estimating Limited Introduction Construction Cost Estimating Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) The term WBS has become a common term in all fields related to Cost Engineering including Construction Cost Estimating, Scheduling and Project Cost Control. A well defined WBS is the backbone of good Construction Estimating Software and can take several forms including the breakdown of items within an estimate, the layout of groups within a schedule or the rollup of accounts within a cost report. It usually starts with a client’s desire to breakdown a tender into definable pay items, followed by the project manager’s wish to schedule activities of work in a logically and efficient manner and the contract cost control engineer’s goal to track and forecast costs. In each case a properly organized WBS is required. The Phases of a Civil & Infrastructure Project The cycle of developing, designing, constructing and maintaining Civil & Infrastructure projects includes many phases and participants. The projects usually originate with a developer or government body who formulate a concept design and budget. If the project is approved it then moves on to preliminary design and a more detailed budget is estimated. Depending on the financing options available, the project may go out as a traditional Detailed Design and Bid Build project or proposals may be solicited for Design Build or Design Build and Finance options. Participants within the Project Cycle The life of a major international infrastructure project can involve many participants and span across many years. These projects involve developers, government agencies, engineers, contractors, operators, environmentalists and community stake holders. It is essential for the success of a project that all participants within the project cycle communicate and transfer data efficiently and consistently. Lack of a Standard Industry Wide

References: 1. MasterFormat ™ 2004 Edition Numbers & Titles Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) 99 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA USA 22314