Faculty of Engineering

School of Civil Engineering

CIVE2660
Integrated Design Project
Rates for Costing
The following figures are the approximate costs of carrying out various construction activities (not
all the rates will be relevant to your particular project). They include an allowance for contractor’s
profits and overhead costs.

These figures (or “rates” as they are usually known) are to be used for the Initial Cost Estimate
exercise for your selected steel or concrete solution. You are to use the Bill of Quantities form for
this exercise.

Earthworks (excavation, disposal of excavated material, backfilling)

Item Measured Rate
unit [£]
Excavation by machine of soil, maximum depth not exceeding 4m (for foundations, m3 10
ground beams, etc.)
Excavation by machine of existing concrete (and similar materials), maximum depth m3 50
not exceeding 4m (for foundations, ground beams, etc.)
Vertical support to excavated faces (using sheet piles or similar) up to 4m depth of m2 14
retained earth (cost based on area of earth face supported)
Disposal of excavated material to a stockpile (for future use) on site m3 4
Disposal of excavated material off site including Landfill Tax, tipping charge and m3 40
haulage to approved tip
Backfilling around foundations by machine using excavated material from site m3 4
Backfilling around foundations by machine using imported fill material m3 25
Backfilling by hand (using imported granular fill e.g. beneath ground floor slabs) m3 45

Formwork

Item Measured Rate

unit [£]
Sides of foundations (including sides of ground beams) m2 25
Undersides (soffits) of plain finish suspended floor slabs (height to soffit not m2 30
exceeding 6m)
Undersides (soffits) of coffered or trough profile suspended floor slabs (height to m2 50
soffit not exceeding 6m)
Sides of suspended floor slabs m2 15
Sides and soffits of beams (height to soffit not exceeding 6m) m2 40
Columns (square or rectangular cross section, up to 4m high) m2 40
Columns (circular cross-section, up to 4m high) m2 60
Soffits of slabs for landings m2 35
Formwork for 1.8m wide in-situ cast reinforced concrete staircases (rate given per m 200
linear metre of staircase based on sloping length)
Composite flooring consisting of unpropped permanent profiled steel sheet m2 55
formwork (up to 1.2mm gauge thickness) inclusive of steel stud shear connectors
and mesh reinforcement (but excluding insitu cast concrete)
Walls (up to 6m high) m2 40
Openings in walls or slabs (rate is for the face or plan area of the opening) m2 35
In-situ Cast Concrete and Grouting

1. All the items shown below include batching the concrete or grout, mixing, transport to site,
placing, compaction, finishing and curing.

2. Unless stated otherwise, the following rates are for in-situ cast concrete grade C30/37 and
C35/45 (cylinder strength/cube strength) with 20mm maximum aggregate size, 100% CEMI
(i.e. 100% Portland Cement) with no admixtures.

Item Measured Rate

unit [£]
Foundations and ground beams m3 90
Slabs and walls m3 100
Beams and columns m3 110
Stairs m3 120
Blinding concrete (grade C16/20) m3 65
Compacted fill (under ground slab) m3 15
Extra over (i.e. additional cost above that quoted for C30/37 and C35/45 concrete) m3 10
for grade C40/50 concrete
Grouting beneath the baseplates of structural steelwork columns with cementitious Number 15
grout (grout bedding up to 25mm thick)
Grouting beneath the baseplates of structural steelwork columns with epoxy resin Number 35
based grout (grout bedding up to 25mm thick)

Precast Concrete

Unless stated otherwise, the following rates are per m 2 (plan area) of precast prestressed
concrete floor units including delivery to site, fixing in place and the provision of a surface
screeding and ceiling finishes.

Item Measured Rate

unit [£]
1.2m wide precast units, spanning up to 3m m2 32
1.2m wide precast units, spanning between 3m and 6m m2 35
1.2m wide precast units, spanning between 6m and 12m m2 43
m2
Single storey height, 1.8m wide, precast reinforced concrete staircases (including Number 1700
delivery to site and fixing)

Steel Reinforcement
1. All the items shown below include cutting and bending the reinforcement, delivering the
reinforcement to site; fixing the reinforcement including the provision and use of tie wire.

2. Unless stated otherwise, the following rates are for grade 460/500 high yield carbon steel
reinforcement (similar rates may be used for grade 250 carbon steel. For stainless steel
reinforcement, the rates shown below x 4 may be used.

Item Measured Rate

unit [£]
Steel reinforcement in columns and beams: (approximate mass of steel tonnes 670
reinforcement in tonnes = volume of concrete column or beam in metres x 0.09)
Steel reinforcement in slabs and walls: (approximate mass of steel reinforcement in tonnes 580
tonnes = volume of concrete slab or wall in metres x 0.06)
Structural Steelwork
(Reminder: 1 tonne = 1000kg)
The following rates include fabrication costs and painting but not site erection costs

Item Measured Rate

unit [£]
Beams and Columns
Circular hollow sections tonne 1600
Square or rectangular hollow sections tonne 1400
Hot rolled sections (UB, UC, channels, angles) tonne 900

Bracings, purlins and cladding rails

Circular hollow sections tonne 1800
Square or rectangular hollow sections tonne 1600
Hot rolled sections (UB, UC, channels, angles) tonne 1100

Additions
Site erection costs (to be added on to the above costs) tonne 200

Roof and Wall Cladding

Item Measured Rate
unit [£]
Insulated brick or stone wall cladding m2 200
PVC coated profiled steel sheet wall cladding (inc. insulation) m2 20

Aluminium roof cladding (inc. insulation) m2 40

PVC coated profiled steel sheet roof cladding (inc. insulation) m2 35
Tiled roof coverings including ridge tiles m2 75

The basic cost = the sum of all the calculated costs using the rates quoted above.

The basic cost is to be increased by the following amounts to give the total project cost:

a). Ground Investigation costs: add 1.5% of the basic cost

b). CDM co-ordinator costs: add 2% of the basic cost

c). Design Costs: add 8% of the basic cost (this allows for architect’s, building services
engineer’s and structural engineer’s fees)

d). Contingency Sum (This sum provides a reasonable amount of money in the
contract between the Client and the Contractor to cater for the cost of unforeseen
variations in construction that occur on site. In practice the actual amount paid to
the contractor will depend on the extent of the variations on site): allow for 10% of
the basic cost.

The total project cost does not include the cost of the land and all the costs associated
with the planning process and legal fees. These may be ignored for the purposes of this
exercise.