CPE Labor Productivity & Rates 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A crew installs 200 linear feet of conduit in 8 hours. What is the crew's unit labor rate in man-hours per linear foot?
- 0.04 MH/LF (Correct answer)
- 0.08 MH/LF
- 25 LF/MH
- 1.6 MH/LF
Correct answer: 0.04 MH/LF
Unit rate = 8 MH ÷ 200 LF = 0.04 MH/LF.
Question 2: Which factor most directly reduces labor productivity on high-rise construction projects compared to ground-level work?
- Lower ambient temperature
- Increased hoist and vertical travel time (Correct answer)
- Reduced crew size
- Lighter material weights
Correct answer: Increased hoist and vertical travel time
Vertical travel time to upper floors significantly reduces the portion of the workday spent on productive installation.
Question 3: When a project labor agreement (PLA) specifies craft jurisdiction, the primary estimating impact is:
- Lower overtime premiums
- Restricted task assignments that may require additional craft labor (Correct answer)
- Elimination of productivity adjustments
- Reduced benefit costs
Correct answer: Restricted task assignments that may require additional craft labor
Jurisdictional work rules under a PLA can prevent multi-tasking, requiring separate craft workers for tasks a single worker might otherwise perform.
Question 4: An estimator applies a 0.85 productivity factor to a baseline labor unit. If the baseline is 1.20 MH/unit, what is the adjusted rate?
- 1.41 MH/unit
- 1.02 MH/unit (Correct answer)
- 0.98 MH/unit
- 1.35 MH/unit
Correct answer: 1.02 MH/unit
Adjusted rate = 1.20 × 0.85 = 1.02 MH/unit.
Question 5: The 'learning curve' effect in construction estimating predicts that:
- Labor costs increase with each repetitive task cycle
- Unit labor hours decrease as workers repeat the same task (Correct answer)
- Productivity declines after the first week
- Learning curves apply only to manufacturing, not construction
Correct answer: Unit labor hours decrease as workers repeat the same task
As workers repeat identical tasks, familiarity reduces unit man-hours through the learning curve effect.
Question 6: A 4-person crew earns a composite wage of $42/hour each. If the crew completes 50 units per day (8 hours), what is the labor cost per unit?
- $26.88/unit (Correct answer)
- $33.60/unit
- $6.72/unit
- $13.44/unit
Correct answer: $26.88/unit
Daily labor cost = 4 workers × $42/hr × 8 hrs = $1,344; cost per unit = $1,344 ÷ 50 units = $26.88/unit.
Question 7: Shift work premiums are typically applied when workers operate on:
- The standard day shift only
- Second or third shift schedules outside normal day hours (Correct answer)
- Overtime beyond 10 hours per day
- Holiday schedules only
Correct answer: Second or third shift schedules outside normal day hours
Evening and night shifts commonly carry premium pay (e.g., 10–15%) to compensate for non-standard hours.
CPE Labor Productivity & Rates 2
A crew installs 200 linear feet of conduit in 8 hours.
What is the crew's unit labor rate in man-hours per linear foot?