Calculation & Estimating Questions

Question 1

1 – A contractor bids a project based on the below figures:

		A Building Contractors cost on this job.

$ 1,000 in equipment
$ 3,000 in labor
$ 6,000 in materials

Owner has offered contractor $ 12,000 to do job. What would be the outcome if contractor takes the $ 12,000 offer?

1 – Project overhead is 20% of direct labor = $ 600.00
2 – Overhead is 10% of direct labor cost and materials = $ 900.00
3 – Profit is 10% on all of the costs = $ 1,150.00

Total cost for this project is $ 12,650.00

Answer 1

A profit of only $ 500.00

Question 2

2 – How many sheets of 4’ x 8’ plywood would it take to form a freestanding concrete wall 8 feet high by 24 feet long 12 inches thick?

Answer 2

Answer: 13

** Remember when forming a concrete wall out of plywood that you have to form the ends also. So each end would take a piece of plywood 1 foot by 8 feet high. Each side would require 6 4’ x 8’ pieces and the end would take 2 1 foot by 8 pieces. The answer is 12 -1/2 pieces so the best answer is 13. It may help to draw a picture.

Question 3

– There is an excavated hole that is 11 feet deep with a flat area on the bottom that is 3 feet wide with Type C soil. What is the width at the top of this excavation?

Answer 3

Answer: 36 feet Note: It may help to draw a picture and look up info in Excavations in the OSHA Book

Question 4

– What is the formula for calculating concrete?

Answer 4

Answer: Divide cubic feet by 27

Question 5

5 – An owner wants the contractor to add a change order for $ 2500 for materials and $ 700 for labor. There is a deduction from the contract of $ 1000 for materials and 280 for labor. The contractor will add 10% to his change order and will also give back the 10% on the deductions. What will be the net change order to add to the contract?

Answer 5

Answer: $2,112.00 to be billed

Question 6

6 – You are excavating an area 245 feet by 350 feet; the equipment can remove 100 cubic yards per hour. If you need 6 inches of grade cut off the whole area, how many hours would it take?

Answer 6

Answer: 15.88 hours probably 16 hours

Formula: 245 x 350 x .50 divided by 27 divided by 100 = 15.88 hours

Question 7

7 – Parking lot is 140 feet wide and slopes 1/8th inch per foot. The highest elevation is 80 feet. What is the lowest elevation?

Answer 7

Answer: 78.54 feet

Formula: 140 divided by 8 = 17. 5 inches 80.00 – 1.46 = 78.54

Question 8

8 – If you have a rise of 88 feet in one mile, what would the rise be?

Answer 8

Answer: 1.7 %

Formula: 88 feet divided by 5,280 = 1.67 %

Question 9

9 – You are building a 48’ x 28’ single story house with a 8:12 straight gable roof and the sides are 96” from sole plate to top plate. How many 4’ x 8’ sheets of wall sheathing are required? Do not deduct for door or window openings or for any waste.

Answer 9

Answer: 47 pieces

Formula: 48 feet plus 28 feet x 2 x 8 feet = 1,216 square feet of sides
14 feet x .67 = 9.38 x 14 feet divided by 2 x 2 = 131.32 x 2 (both ends) = 262.64 square + 1,216 square feet divided by 32 = 46.20 pieces

Question 10

10 – There is a 24’ long, 2” x 4” construction fir wall that has a double top plate, a single bottom plate with (19) 8’ studs. Fir costs $750 per thousand board feet. How much will it cost for the lumber on this wall? Do not allow for waste.

Answer 10

Answer: $112.00 –Formula: 2 x 4 x 224 divided by 12 = 149.33 board feet x $.75 = $ 112.00

Question 11

– What is the percent ofgrade if vertical is 83 feet and horizontal is 277 feet?

Answer 11

Answer: 29.96 % Formula: 83 divided by 277 = 29.96 %

Question 12

12 – What would be the total cost of workman’s compensation insurance for a company if the main office salary was at $ 125,000 at $ 1.20 per hundred and the field salaries were $ 250,000 at $ 8.50 per hundred?

Answer 12

Answer: $ 22,750.00

Formula: $ 125,000 divided by 100 = 1,250 x $ 1.20 = $ 1,500.00
$ 250,000 divided by 100 = 2,500 x $ 8.50 = $ 21,250.00
$ 22,750.00

Question 13

13 – What would be the total cost of workman’s compensation insurance for a company if the main office salary was at $ 125,000 at $ .10 per hundred and the field salaries were $ 250,000 at $ .20 per hundred?

Answer 13

Answer: $ 625.00

Formula: $ 125,000 divided by 100 = 1,250 x $.10 = $ 125.00
$ 250,000 divided by 100 = 2,500 x $.20 = $ 500.00
$ 625.00

Question 14

14 – A company has current assets of $ 250,000 and current liabilities of $ 180,000. Their fixed assets are $ 1,500,000 and long term debt is $ 750,000. Their bonding capacity is 10 times their working capital, what is their bonding capacity?

Answer 14

Answer: $ 700,000.00

Formula: Working capital = Current assets $ 250,000 minus current liabilities $180,000= working capital which is $ 70,000. Bonding is 10 times working capital = $ 70,000

Note: Fixed assets and long term debt mean nothing $ 70,000 x 10 = $ 700,000

Question 15

15 – A contractor uses the accrual method of accounting. He has $ 6,000 billing for May, a $ 10,000 billing for June. He receives $ 6,000 in June payments and he pays his total bills of $ 1,000 in May and total bills of $ 5,000 in June. What is his profit for June?

Answer 15

Answer: $5,000.00

Formula: $ 10,000 billing for June less $ 5,000 bills in June = $ 5,000 profit
The month of May has no bearing on answer, only June accounting.

Question 16

16 – A concrete footing needs to have a load supported on it of 252 kips, with a soil bearing capacity of 6,000 pounds per square foot. How many square feet will this footing have to be?

Answer 16

Answer: 42 square feet

Formula: 252 kips or 252,000 pounds divided by 6,000 pounds = 42 square feet

Question 17

17 – If you have a pier or pier footing that is 7’0” x 7’0” by 1’6” deep using 4,000 psi concrete. The soil that is footing is sitting on has a bearing capacity of 2,000 pounds per square foot. What is the maximum load that soil can bear with this footing in kips?

Answer 17

Answer: 98 kips or 98,000 pounds

Formula: The area of 7 feet x 7 feet x 2,000 pounds per square foot = 98,000 pounds
The depth of the footing and 4,000 psi concrete has no bearing on answer
98,000 pounds or 98 kips

Question 18

18 – A question that said if you have 2 workers working 40 hours in 5 days (which is 8 hours per day)how many____ workers would do the same job in 2 days.The answers given were 2, 3, 4, 5,

Answer 18

Answer: 5 workers in 2 days

Formula: Figure the man hours worked first. 2 workers x 40 hours = 80 man hours
80 man hours divided by 16 (2 – 8 hour days) = 5 workers in 2 days

Question 19

19 – A question dealing with paint coverage. They will give you how much area a gallon of paint will cover for the first coat and the second coat and the cost per gallon. They then want you to figure the area of a wall on the drawings and figure what the cost will be to paint both sides of a wall. I don’t know either of these figures so I am making this one up.

	1 – Gallon of paint is $ 20.00
	2 – A gallon of paint will cover 400 square feet
	3 – The wall measures 40 feet long and 10 feet high

	Each side of the wall is 400 square feet and both sides receive paint

Answer 19

400 x 2 = 800 square feet divided by 400 square feet = 2 x $ 20.00 per gallon = $ 40.00

Question 20

20 – A road is 26’ 6” wide. From the center of the road, the slope drops 2% to the edge. What is the elevation drop at the edge of the road?

Answer 20

Answer: The actual answer is 3 - 3/16 inch. Probably the answer they are looking for is a 4 inch drop.

Formula: Half of the road width to get to center which is 13’3”
13.25 x .02 = .265. This in inches is 3-3/16 inches

Question 21

21 – Contactor agrees to a unit price contract to produce work for $50 per unit A, for $150 per unit B, and $ 375 per unit C. Contractor is to add 30% for overhead and profit. How much should he be paid for productivity for 27 units for A, 56 units for B, and 78 for C?

Answer 21

Answer: More than $50,800.00

Formula: 	$ 50.00 x 27   = $   1,350.00
	$ 150.00 x 56 = $   8,400.00
	$ 375.00 x 78 = $ 29,250.00
			  $ 39,000.00
Overhead/profit 30%	  $ 11,700.00
		Total	  $ 50,700.00

Note: The actual answer is $ 50,700.00 but use answer above as best one.

Question 22

22 – Compressed fill materials for footings does not require specifications for the equipment used for compaction. The excavation is 50 feet x 80 feet x 9 feet, how many cubic yards will be excavated?

Answer 22

Answer: 1000 – 2000 cubic yards

	Formula: 50 feet x 80 feet x 9 feet divided by 27 = 1,333.33 cubic yards

Note: The actual amount is 1,333.33 cubic yards but use answer above.

Question 23

23 – A 50 foot wide road has an elevation in the center of 26’4” with a slope to the edge of 2%, what is the elevation at the edge?

Answer 23

nswer: 25.83

	Formula: The center of the road is 25’0”

		    25. 00 x .02 = .50 or 6 inches
		    26. 33 - .50 = 25.83

Question 24

This question is like question # 23 with different elevation.
24 – There is a 50 foot roadway that has a 2% slope from the center. The center of the road has an elevation of 26.20. What is the elevation of the edge of the road?

Answer 24

Answer: 25.70
Answer: None of the above (all answers were incorrect)

Formula: The center of the road is 25’0”
25.00 x .02 = .50 or 6 inches 26.20 - .50 = 25.70

Question 25

25 – An area is 100 feet long and 60 feet wide that needs to excavated 4 foot deep. How much soil needs to be removed?

Answer 25

Answer: 889 cubic yards

	Formula: 100.00 x 60.00 x 4.00 = 24,000 cubic feet divided by 27 = 888.89 cubic yards

Question 26

26 – How many cubic yards of dirt will be removed from an area 50 feet x 80 feet x 9 feet deep?

Answer 26

Answer: 1,333.33 cubic yards.

Formula: 50.00 x 80.00 x 9.00 = 36,000 cubic feet divided by 27 = 1,333.33 cubic yards

Question 27

27 – How many cubic yards of dirt needs to be removed from a bank that is 9 feet by 9 feet x 6 feet deep that has a 1.5% swell factor?

Answer 27

Answer: 18.27 cubic yards – probably exam answer is 19 or 20 yards

Formula: 9.00 x 9.00 x 6.00 x 1.015 divided by 27 = 18.27 cubic yards

Question 28

28 – A contractor has a cost plus job with labor and materials that total $ 60,000.00 and has a markup of 40%. The owner has stated that if the contractor can keep the construction cost under $ 100,000.00 that he will receive a 10% bonus and also if he can finish the project early he will receive $ 500.00 per each day of finishing early. The project was finished 5 days early, what is the total bill owed to the contractor?

Answer 28

Answer: Over $ 95,000

	Formula: $ 60,000.00 x 1.40 (40% mark-up) = $ 84,000.00
		   $ 84,000.00 + $ 2,500.00 (finishing 5 days early) = $ 86,500.00
		   $ 86,500.00 x 1.10 (10% bonus) = $ 95,150.00

The total cost was $ 95,150.00 if you add your 10% bonus after the $ 2,500.00 saving for finishing early.

Question 29

29 – When estimating concrete, the formula is to multiply length x:

Answer 29

answer: Width x depth divided by 27

Question 30

30 – The insurance company is giving a 10% discount to the contractor for safety coverage.The insurance premium is $300.00 per month with an additional cost of $400.00 for a one time set up fee and $15.00 per month fee to run the coverage. What would be the total insurance premium to the contractor for the next 3 years?

Answer 30

answer: $ 10,566.00

Formula: $ 300.00 x 36 months (3 years) = $ 10,800.00

  		$ 15.00 x 36 months (3 years) =    $ 540.00
  		$ 400 set up fee (one time) =    $ 400.00
                		       $ 11,740.00
  		$ 11,740 x .10 (10% discount) = $ - 1,174.00
                		       $ 10,566.00

Question 31

(This question is worded like # 30 but different equation)
31 – The insurance company is giving a 10% discount to the contractor for safety coverage. The insurance premium is $300.00 per month with an additional cost of $400.00 for a one time set up fee and $15.00 per month fee to run the coverage. What would be the total savings over a 3 year period?

Answer 31

Answer: $ 1,174.00

Formula: $ 300.00 x 36 months (3 years) = $ 10,800.00
$ 15.00 x 36 months (3 years) = $ 540.00
$ 400 set up fee (one time) = $ 400.00

		$ 11,740.00
		$ 11,740 x .10 (10% discount) = 	$   1,174.00

Question 32

32 – What is a firm’s return on total assets if the current assets are $ 80,000, the fixed assets are
$ 112,000 and the inventory included in the fixed assets are $ 12,000. The company’s current liabilities are $ 30,000 and the long term liabilities are $ 86,000. The total net income for the year is $ 57,000.

Answer 32

Answer: 29.7%

Formula: Net profit ($ 57,000) divided by total assets ($ 192,000) =
Return on total assets or 29.7%
Note: Inventory is included in the fixed assets and current and long term liabilities don’t have any bearing.

Question 33

33 – Workers compensation is calculated per $ 100.00. What would be the total cost of workman’s compensation insurance for a company if the main office salary was at $ 25,000 at $ .10 per hundred and the field salaries were $ 125,000 at $ .20 per hundred?

Answer 33

Answer: $ 275.00

Formula: $ 25,000 divided by 100 = 250 x $ .10 = $ 25.00
$ 125,000 divided by 100 = 1250 x $ .20 = $ 250.00
$ 275.00

Question 34

34 – On an architectural plan that shows a loading dock wall that is 4 1/2 inches long with a 1/4 inch scale, what is the actual length of this wall?

Answer 34

Answer: 18 feet

Formula: 4 ½ inches (4.5) divided by ¼ inch (.25) = 18 feet

Question 35

35 – A worker is paid every two weeks at 12.00 per hour. The first week he works 30 hours and the second week he has worked 50 hours. What is his salary?

Answer 35

Actual answer is $ 1,020.00

Answer: Between $ 1,000.00 and $ 1,500.00