Practice Test Geeks(CCS) Certified Construction Specifier Practice Test
← All CCS Flashcard Decks

Cost Estimation Flashcards

7 cards from real CCS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Cost Estimation flashcards as text

  1. Which specification section division under MasterFormat 2016 covers facility construction subgroups most directly related to cost estimating of building envelope work?

    Answer: Division 07 — Thermal and Moisture Protection

    Division 07 covers roofing, waterproofing, insulation, and exterior wall systems that are commonly high-cost envelope elements requiring detailed cost analysis.

  2. A cost estimator calculates a 'labor burden rate' of 42%. This rate accounts for:

    Answer: Payroll taxes, workers' compensation, health insurance, and other employer-paid fringe benefits beyond base wages

    Labor burden includes all employer costs above base wages — FICA, FUTA, workers' comp, health, retirement, and similar fringes — and is expressed as a percentage of base pay.

  3. Which type of estimate is prepared using elemental cost breakdowns such as 'substructure,' 'superstructure,' and 'enclosure' as defined by ASTM E1557 (UNIFORMAT II)?

    Answer: Systems or assemblies estimate

    A systems (assemblies) estimate uses UNIFORMAT II functional elements to price complete building subsystems before individual specification sections are written.

  4. A project contingency of 10% is included in an early design estimate. As design development progresses and scope becomes better defined, the contingency should:

    Answer: Decrease as design uncertainty is resolved

    Contingency is inversely related to design completeness — as unknowns are resolved through further design, the contingency percentage appropriately decreases.

  5. Which condition would MOST likely cause a bid to be declared non-responsive?

    Answer: The bidder failed to acknowledge a material addendum issued before bid opening

    Failure to acknowledge a material addendum means the bid is not based on the complete, current scope, making it non-responsive and ineligible for award.

  6. In value engineering (VE), the primary objective is to:

    Answer: Achieve required functions at the lowest life-cycle cost without sacrificing quality or performance

    VE seeks the best value by analyzing function versus cost across the entire project life cycle, not simply cutting first-cost items.

  7. A specifier includes a 'cash allowance' of $25,000 for decorative lighting fixtures. This means the contract sum:

    Answer: Includes $25,000 for fixtures; the contractor adjusts the sum upward or downward when actual fixture costs are known

    A cash allowance is included in the contract sum and is reconciled to actual costs through a change order once the owner selects specific fixtures and prices are confirmed.