Synthetic Field Turf Installation Report

HTETCO a Synthetic Field Turf Installation
Candidate Number: 0711025 Date Written: 12/12/11

1. INTRODUCTION Synthetic field turf systems have become very popular over the last decade. They offer the look and feel of natural sod with the advantage of minimal repair needs and maintenance costs. This paper will teach an estimator how to correctly measure Labor, Material and Equipment needed to carry out a synthetic field turf installation as well as how to cost and price the work. A) Main CSI Division B) Specific Sub‐Division C) Brief Description of Subject Matter

32‐00‐00 32‐18‐13

Exterior Improvements Synthetic Grass Surfacing

Artificial turf is now a viable alternative to natural sod. It can be used on residential lawns,
apartment complexes, retirement homes or anywhere else natural sod is usually found. For the sake of this paper we will assume a fairly large application, a soccer field. Natural turf had been the only option up to a decade or so ago. It proved to be difficult and extremely expensive to maintain and impossible to prevent signs of wear and tear etc. Synthetic surfacing is extremely durable lessening the need for extensive maintenance associated with natural sod. Many Life Cycle Cost analysis have come to the same conclusion that though initially artificial systems cost about 2 ½ times more to install than natural sod, the facility will realize the benefits/savings through a substantial decrease in maintenance costs over the first 3 years. There are 3 main components in a typical artificial turf system ‐ The detention, subsurface drainage and the Synthetic Surface itself. There are lots of variables that must be considered when costing these items also. These will also be discussed. This paper is written from the viewpoint of a General Contractor. Even though GC will be subcontracting all of the work, the estimate includes the breakdown of all work, not just lump sums from the subcontractors. This will show how all items are measured and priced. 2. TYPES AND METHODS OF MEASURMENT There will be several types of measurement involved and should follow the sequence of work. Excavation Excavation quantities related to the installation of the detention stone will be measured in cubic feet (taking the surface area and multiplying by the respective depth or depths) and will then be converted to cubic yards by dividing by 27. This measure would first get the volume of the material in the ground (compacted yardage) for the digging costs. There will then be factor applied to this measurement after it is taken out of the ground to convert it to a ‘loose’ material to figure for loading and hauling/disposal

costs. The estimator must understand that there is a stark difference between ‘loose’ cubic yards and ‘compacted’ cubic yards. For this project we shall assume that loose = compacted soil x 1.3. Utility Trenches must be created for drainage pipes and the likes should be measured separately stating the starting level and the average depth. Details of type and size of service pipe/cable and earthwork support, backfilling (whether with excavated material or imported fill), compaction and disposal of surplus soil should be given in the description of such trenches. All of these descriptions should be included in trenching line items and given as a linear footage. Filter Fabric This measured in square feet and also allowing over quantification for lapping between seams, at edges of embankments, pipe trenches and any other such locations indicated on plans/details. Detention/Imported fill This will be measured in cubic yards and the unit cost/data should be normalized to cover material price, trucking, tipping spreading and compacting to achieve grades shown on civil drawings. Again, the estimator must understand that there is a stark difference between ‘loose’ cubic yards and ‘compacted’ cubic yards. Reinforced Concrete Barrier Curb This curb is located at the perimeter of the field and the line item may include the following information; type of concrete, cast in place, reinforcing bars, dimensions. There is usually a wood nailer fixed to the inside face of the concrete curb where the surfacing meets the concrete. These items should be described fully and measured in linear feet. Synthetic Surface This is measured in square feet. These applications can be converted into square yards by dividing the square footage by 9 if Square Yards (SY) is the unit of measurement being used, for this project we will stick to square feet (SF). The manufacturer name and product type should be included in description. The installers are usually fully trained, licensed, bonded, and certified. The synthetic turf is delivered to the site in rolls, usually 600 SF per roll (15’‐0” x 30’‐0”). The rolls of turf are laid and secured. Care must be taken to keep the seams in line. All seams are glued and stapled to avoid them coming apart. Lastly, the turf is in‐filled with a rubber and sand composite. Site Utilities Utilities such as storm drains, under‐drains and flat drains will be described and measured in Linear feet. Other items such as utility poles (if applicable), catch basins, Clean outs, capping existing lines, etc should be measured as an Each (EA). Items such as tapping to existing pipes, line flushing should be described and covered by Lump Sums (LS). Bedding material like sand or well rounded gravel is provided under pipes to make it easier to install at proper slopes. It also provides protection for the utilities. Pipe bedding and fill is measured in cubic yards, or described with the pipe line item and included with that.

3. FACTORS AFFECTING TAKE‐OFF AND PRICING Small Quantities vs. Large Quantities Generally, when estimating, this is one of the most important factors to take into account. Large quantities of a particular item can generally be priced at a lower value than smaller quantities. For example, hauling thousands of cubic yards of spoils would be cheaper than say 5 cubic yards on a cost per cubic yard basis. The same will go for the curbing, imported fill, surfacing etc. Geographic Location The location of where the work is to be carried out can have a huge influence on the items to be included and the costs of those items. The following are items that would affect cost from a geographical point of view and should be taken into consideration: A) Distance from Site to Landfill: An estimator needs to calculate hauling costs based on the distance from the site where the spoils are being extracted from and the location of the landfill. The potential cost elements include trucking and gasoline costs. B) Site Access: Is the site easily accessible? The estimator needs to carry out an analysis on any potential constraints related to restricted access problems. How far away is the location from where the work crews are residing, how far from the suppliers/installers of the materials being used for the works? Is the site in a built up/urban environment? What sort of restrictions will this mean for the work with regards to permits, street access, street closures, areas where the contractors can mobilize and areas for storage of equipment, materials, etc.? Seasonal Affects on Work Too many contractors, estimators, and project controls professionals see weather as an insignificant factor in the “big picture” of a project, and consideration is too often excluded in planning and budgeting of projects. This mindset can be a significant error as adverse weather could cause major disruptions. Inclement weather such as heavy rain, snow, extreme hot and cold temperatures can all have large effects on this type of work. Rain will cause the soil to become saturated and can prove to be too wet to haul or to be used as backfill. On the other hand, soil can also become too dry to use for backfill in extremely hot weather. Adverse weather conditions will also affect any cast in place concrete being installed on the project. Care should be taken when reading contract clauses pertaining to adverse weather. Usually the contract will be pretty specific in what the contractor is responsible for, but some contracts can be extremely vague and require further clarification from the Architect of Record (AOR) before the estimator goes any further. Here are two examples: the first being a clause allowing for 5 additional days to the contract duration in the event of inclement weather with the contractor being responsible for any delays over the allowed 5 additional days, and the 2nd clause states that the contractor is responsible for all acceleration related to adverse weather delays.  Contractor shall be allowed 5 lost days for inclement weather, any additional acceleration for schedule will be at the contractor’s cost. Cost for this acceleration of the schedule must be included in the contractor’s base bid

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Contractor shall anticipate lost days for inclement weather, and accelerate schedule accordingly at contractor’s cost. All cost for this acceleration of the schedule must be included in the contractor’s base bid

The estimator should review historical weather data and apply the suitable allowances and contingencies if adverse weather conditions will likely be a problem, and adjust in accordance with the contract clauses. 4. OVERVIEW OF LABOR, MATERIAL, EQUIPMENT, INDIRECT COSTS, APPROACH AND MARKUPS Labor The attached estimate is for the installation of a 10,165 SF synthetic turf field, a large application. There can be multiple crews made available to expedite work in accordance with the schedule. The labor will include machine operators for excavators, compactors, tractors and truck operators. There will also be carpenters, general laborers and plumbers as well as supervision labor such as a Foreman and a Project Manager. The 1st thing that needs to be determined is whether prevailing or union wages will be used on the job ‐ union generally being more expensive than prevailing wage. When we determine what rates are to be applied to which labor and the quantity of labor required for the described works, we could now build total labor costs. Past/similar projects and estimating guides can be referred to in order to establish productivity rates to determine crew make up and sizes. All items on this project will be sub contracted except project coordination and management. The trades will be properly sequenced to achieve their work with accordance to Project Schedule that would be made available by the Project manager. A) Project Manager: For this job we can assume there will need to be 1 Project Manager. He or she would designate only part of his or her time to this job. For the sake of this project we shall assume that the manager spends 1/3 of his or her time on this job. The job duration will be 2 months and the Project Manager receives an annual salary of $60,000 per year. (1 PM x 2 months)/3 ($60,000 x ((1/12) x 2))/3 = Roundup to $3,500 B) General Foreman: For this job we can assume there will need to be 1 General Forman. He or she will present 100% of the time on site coordinating daily activities between different trades. The General Foreman receives an annual salary of $56,000 per year. 1 GF x 2 months $56,000 x ((1/12) x 2)) Roundup to $9,500

C) Excavators: We can assume that there will be a 6 man crew made up of machine operators, laborers and truck drivers.
They are allocated 3 weeks on the schedule for their work to be carried out. (6 Man Excavation Crew x 8 Hrs/Day x 5 days/week x 3 weeks) x $85/Hrs = Round to $62,000 D) Carpenters: We can assume that there will be a 2 man crew. They will be present for 2 days to construct any concrete forms, install sight railings, and installation of wood nailer at perimeter curb. (2 CAR x 8 hrs/day x 2 days) x $85/hr = Roundup to $3,000 E) Plumbers: We can assume that there will be a 3 man crew present on site 6 days per week for 2 weeks to install all plumbing/drainage works shown on the contract documents. (3 PLU x 8 hrs/day x 6 days/week x 2 weeks) x $85/hr = Roundup to $25,000 F) Concrete/Pavement Installers: We can assume that there will be a 3 man crew present on site for 9 hrs per day for 1 week to install all concrete work shown on the contract documents. (3 CONC x 9 hrs/day x 5 days/week x 1 week) x $85/hr = Round to $11,000 G) Synthetic Turf Installers (Surface Carpet): We can assume that there will be a 5 man crew present on site for 2 weeks to install all synthetic turf work shown on the contract documents. (5 ST x 8 hrs/day x 5 days/week x 2 weeks)) x $95/hr = Roundup to $38,000 H) Landscaper: We can assume that there will be a 4 man crew present on site for 1 week to install all Landscaping work shown on the contract
documents. (4 ST x 8 hrs/day x 5 days/week x 1 week) x $80/hr = Roundup to $13,000

I)

Field Engineering: Before proceeding to lay out the work, the contractor needs to establish benchmarks and control points to set lines and levels as needed to locate each element of the Project. The cost of a 3 person surveying crew should be allowed for 3 days. (2 SUR x 8 hrs/day x 3 days) x $90/hr = Round up to $4,500

Material There are several components being installed here: the synthetic turf surface, stone detention system, under‐drains/related sewer tapping, concrete perimeter curb surrounding the field, adjacent pavement, fencing and landscaping replacement. Most components such as the concrete and stone are usually readily available. The synthetic grass surface system is probably the most specialized item here. Specifications should be examined for any potential long lead items such as certain types of fencing, specialized plantings, type of synthetic surfacing, any special soil treatments required. The costs of these materials can be obtained from local suppliers. Care should be taken by the estimator when obtaining this pricing. He or she should pay attention to what exactly is included in the price and the parameters assumed by the person giving the pricing. For instance, the supplier should be aware of the quantities or the ball park quantities if giving a price per SF/SY/CY/LF price. Is he or she factoring in Installation charges, freight charges, tax charges, profit, or is it just a straight material price? Are they factoring in extra for waste? These are the questions that need to be asked when obtaining pricing from vendors so that the estimator when using the information can make suitable adjustments. Equipment Equipment costs should be split out into equipment owned and equipment rented. All maintenance and repair costs on the owned equipment for the duration they are on the project should be charged to the project and of course any rental costs for other equipment that the company has to acquire externally should also be charged to the job. Other charges related to equipment would include insurance, fuel, pick‐up, and delivery to job site. Equipment for this particular job would include concrete saws, excavators, diggers, bob‐cats, bulldozers, dump‐trucks and small tools such as shovels, spades, etc. Other Indirect Costs Construction indirect costs include field staff, temporary facilities, temporary services, construction equipment, tools and consumables. Approach to Mark‐ups The markup will be applied at the end of the estimating process. This acts as an allowance for profit plus other items such as general overhead and contingency. The mark‐up can vary from 5% to over 20% depending on size and complexity of the job, probability of being the lowest bidder, and chances of making a profit. Percentages can also be added to cover other unknowns or potential problems such as potential labor shortages, price fluctuations, or other economic factors which may not be captured in

the body of the estimate. Escalation is another factor to consider if the Job does not start for a long time. Escalation is usually calculated at 2% to 3% per annum. 5. SPECIAL RISK CONSIDERATIONS Differing soil conditions All information about unstable ground, adjacent structures, for example Roadways or buildings, should be fully described and costed appropriately. Review soil reports for existing conditions. Earthwork Support The extent of Earthwork Support is dependent on the depth of the pipes and the classification/types of soil encountered. Definitions and examples from the American Society for Testing Materials include Cemented soil, Cohesive soil, Dry soil, Granular soil, Moist soil, Saturated soil, just to name a few. There may or may not be a geotechnical report available at the time of the estimate which would provide the estimator with a basis of what/how to measure for example how much cut back needs to be accounted for. The cost of the survey/report itself may or may not have to be included in the estimate (in this case, it is not). Earthwork support for these trenches should be minimal, if any, as these would be fairly shallow ‐ about 3’‐6’ deep. Deeper excavations should be braced or sloped in compliance to the latest Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Potential Underpinning/Frost Protection Allowances may be made for any Potential Underpinning of Adjacent Structures which may be damaged by excavation work, including service utilities and pipe chases. Allowances may need to be included for frost protection at the soil adjacent to and beneath foundations from frost. This would depend on what part of the year the work will be performed and climate. Trench Perimeter Grade Consideration should be made to Grade Excavation at Tip of Perimeter to prevent surface water runoff into excavation receipt. Location of Existing Utilities The locations of any existing utilities should be known and any constraints relating to them should be reflected in the estimate. If utilities are to remain in place, there should be provisions made in the estimate for adequate means of protection and work around during earthwork operations. A civil drawing from prior work usually outlines existing conditions; this should be part of the contract documents. Environmental Factors Soil disposal can affect costs dependent on where exactly the soil is going. The specifications should be examined for the type of disposal required. A lot of state and city agencies require removal of non‐ hazardous soil for offsite disposal at a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle D

disposal facility.
The subtitle D disposal is significantly more expensive than a regular clean soil disposal facility. 6. RATIOS AND ANALYSIS The 80/20 Rule This test states that 80 percent of the cost will lie in 20 percent of the line items. Different estimates will have different cost drivers. Those items that will have the most significant cost impact should be examined in detail to confirm they are being correctly estimated. Validating by Benchmarking There should be historical data available from past projects from which to compare back and ‘sniff test’ against. Quick high level conceptual estimating techniques may be used to ‘sanity check’ the costs such as, “we have done 3 similar projects which were at $14/SF all in at the end of the day”. If large deltas are discovered, then a more thorough inspection of the detail would need to be carried out. This can be a quick and fairly efficient way to check. 7. MISCELLANEOUS PERTINENT INFORMATION:  Cubic yards may be converted to cubic meters by multiplying the cubic yards by 0.7646.  Rain makes the soil unsuitable for backfill and may require water to be pumped.  Soils report for soil conditions will dictate method of excavation that must be used.  Deep excavation will require shoring, trench box or over excavation.  Is there an adequate area to store excavated material if needed?  Water table should be known and addressed if high enough to cause problems.  Overhead power lines should be identified and
protected.  Is there need for a construction road?  When estimating backfill and disposal of soils, swell factors need to be taken into account. Variations run from 11% for sand to 60% for rock.  All subcontractor markups are contained in unit pricing.

References 1. Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, “SMM 7”, London, England. 2. RS Means, “Building Construction Cost Data 2012”, Norwell, MA. 3. Richard H. Clough and Glenn A. Sears “Construction Contracting”, New York, NY. 4. www.polyturf.com 5. Steven J. Peterson, “Estimating Trench Excavation”, Estimating Today, October 2004. 6. Steven J. Peterson, “Pipe Bedding”, Estimating Today, March 2006.