Electrical Connection Spring 2015

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3 1

and above the physical installation

of materials.

There are several items that contribute

to ‘running the labour up’. If you want

the expended hours to be somewhere

near the estimated hours, all these

additional factors need to be taken

into consideration when making a final

assessment of the tender.

This area marks the difference between

a competent estimator and a count-and-

measure clerk.

The labour unit, from a labour unit

manual or calculated by the estimator,

is a cost data figure, indicating the cost

(in hours) for installing a given item of

material or performing a given labour

operation. The distribution of time on any

particular job may be divided into two

general categories:

productive labour used in the actual

installation or fabrication of material or

equipment, or in performing a labour

operation not associated with materials,

eg: cutting holes, trenching, marking up

drawings, etc; and

non-productive labour, such as

supervision, handling and ordering

materials, making out time sheets,

relocation of work, walking to the

workface, material storage, lifting and

access times.

Some non-productive labour is inherent

in most jobs, but more will be evident in

certain job conditions. The extent of it will

vary, and this has been historically termed

the ‘job factor’. In the next issue we will

examine the job factor and techniques for

improving profitability.

GAIL

BRIGSY

DELIVERED DIRECT

TO YOUR DOOR

PHONE 1800 623 214 or visit

WWW.TRADESTUFF.COM.AU

Electrical Estimator’s Labour Unit Manual

14th Edition

CODE 583 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $120.00 (inc. postage)

This updated labour unit manual has been produced to assist contractors

to allow a realistic labour allocation to their jobs. These units have

been developed over a number of years using actual time studies. This

publication also includes a USB estimating spreadsheet and templates for

calculating hourly charge out rates and minor installation quotations.

Any dumbkopf can win a job

‘at any cost’, the skill is to win the

job and make a profit.