CCT Construction Materials & Labor Costs 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which cost index is most commonly used to adjust historical construction material costs to present-day values?
- Consumer Price Index (CPI)
- Engineering News-Record (ENR) Construction Cost Index (Correct answer)
- Producer Price Index (PPI) for finished goods
- GDP Deflator
Correct answer: Engineering News-Record (ENR) Construction Cost Index
The ENR Construction Cost Index tracks changes in material and labor costs specifically for the construction industry.
Question 2: A concrete mix design calls for a water-cement ratio of 0.45. If cement costs $180/ton and water is negligible, how does reducing the w/c ratio to 0.40 primarily affect material cost?
- Decreases cost by reducing cement required
- Increases cost by requiring more cement per unit volume (Correct answer)
- Has no effect on material cost
- Decreases cost by reducing water treatment expenses
Correct answer: Increases cost by requiring more cement per unit volume
Lowering the w/c ratio requires more cement to maintain workability and strength, increasing material cost per unit volume of concrete.
Question 3: In labor cost estimating, what does the term 'crew balance' refer to?
- Equal distribution of overtime among all workers
- Matching crew composition to equipment production rates to minimize idle time (Correct answer)
- The ratio of skilled to unskilled workers on a project
- Balancing labor costs against material costs in a budget
Correct answer: Matching crew composition to equipment production rates to minimize idle time
Crew balance ensures that crew size and skill mix align with equipment output so no resource sits idle waiting on another.
Question 4: Structural steel is typically priced per ton in the US. Which of the following best describes the 'fabricated steel' cost versus 'mill steel' cost?
- Fabricated steel is cheaper because it is ordered in bulk from the mill
- Fabricated steel is more expensive because it includes cutting, drilling, and welding to specification (Correct answer)
- Mill steel costs more due to quality certification requirements
- Both costs are essentially the same as fabrication is included in mill pricing
Correct answer: Fabricated steel is more expensive because it includes cutting, drilling, and welding to specification
Fabricated steel adds shop labor, cutting, drilling, welding, and coating costs on top of the raw mill price.
Question 5: Which labor burden component is typically mandated by US federal law and must be included in all labor cost estimates?
- Health insurance premiums
- FICA (Social Security and Medicare taxes) (Correct answer)
- Pension fund contributions
- Union dues
Correct answer: FICA (Social Security and Medicare taxes)
FICA taxes (Social Security at 6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%) are federally mandated employer contributions included in every labor burden calculation.
Question 6: A cost estimator is pricing 1,000 LF of 8-inch diameter ductile iron pipe. The material unit cost is $42/LF and installation productivity is 80 LF/day with a crew cost of $3,200/day. What is the total installed cost per LF?
- $42.00
- $82.00 (Correct answer)
- $80.00
- $122.00
Correct answer: $82.00
Installation cost per LF = $3,200 ÷ 80 LF/day = $40/LF; total = $42 material + $40 labor = $82/LF.
Question 7: When estimating masonry work, what is the standard unit of measurement for brick in the United States?
- Square foot of wall face
- Thousand brick (M) (Correct answer)
- Cubic yard of masonry
- Linear foot of wall
Correct answer: Thousand brick (M)
Brick is traditionally priced and quantified per thousand units (M) in US construction estimating practice.
CCT Construction Materials & Labor Costs 2
Which cost index is most commonly used to adjust historical construction material costs to present-day values?