Davis Bacon wages / ratios

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Greg Swartz

Greg Swartz

Senior Member
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
ElectronDance said:
Further, if you don't know your own states laws, up to and including any state prevailing rules, then you are not doing your due diligance...
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I'm sorry, due dilligence?
I'm a Licensed Journeyman Electrician, a Licensed Master Electrician, a Licensed Electrical Contractor, and an Electrical Engineer, Cum Laude...

Top that... and I'm sure some can... but telling me that I am not doing my due dilligence is quite aggravating.

It is the reason I came to this forum. I have asked several people in key positions for help... no one was able to do so.
 
Greg Swartz

Greg Swartz

Senior Member
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
ElectronDance said:
Db is relatively simple in usage. For starters, there is no calculation to be done, as they have broken out residential wiremen into a seperate catagory. Check book on it and go with that. You also have exactly two classes of employee to deal with. Jw's are one rate, apprentices are another (50% I believe.) To classify as an apprentice, the employee must be in a recognized apprenticeship program, otherwise you have to treat them as a JW wage wise. The DB system does not recognize helpers, IJ's, CW's or CE's. there is also no designation for telcom/systems techs. You can pay loborer rates in some cases. But if an employee picks up anything more complicated than a broom, paying laborer rates will get you in trouble.
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Arizona does not have a licensed journeyman electrician, so does that mean it is different in handling the situation?

In Colorado, I have licensed JW, and apprentices, from 1st to 4th year.
Do all apprentices fall under the 50% rule, or do they adjust per year.

For example:
I plan to pay my 1st year at 50%, my 2nd year at 65%, my 3rd year at 75%, and my 4th year at 85%.
While, I will pay JW for JW, my Lead-journeyman will be at 105%, and my Foreman at 110%. (And try to keep his tools off as much as possible!)

Does that sound right?
 
Greg Swartz

Greg Swartz

Senior Member
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
celtic said:
Due Diligence has nothing to do with any of that...
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Obviously not. I must be missing the point.
I started the business. I must be doing some due diligence.
I'm providing jobs for this economy... is that the diligence I am missing?
I asked for help and am told I am not doing my due diligence...

So, what am I missing?

(due diligence... obviously)
 
Greg Swartz

Greg Swartz

Senior Member
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
emahler said:
however, you will probably need to provide certified payroll and make sure that any apprentices (if paid apprentice wages) are in a state registered apprenticeship program. Additionally, make sure that if you pay benefits (medical, 401k, etc) that they are approved..if they are, you can credit them towards the benefits portion. If they aren't, you have to pay the benefits portion in the check as well as the benefits you offer.

one last neat thing, if your guys work OT, just multiply the wage, not the benefits....
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Certified payroll: No problem there.
Apprentices registered with the state: Had a few difficulties, but got the other contractors to finally release the apprentice. Here, only 1 company can have the apprentice registered at any given time.
Benefits: cash. The boys want cash... no problem there. Although the Prevaling wage adversity article was interesting on that issue.
Overtime: Good point. I need to start doing that. So, even if the benefits are paid in cash, I still do not count that as 1 1/2 time?

Thanks,
Greg
 
e57

e57

Senior Member
Location
San Francisco, CA
charlie

charlie

Senior Member
Location
Indianapolis
Sorry to be a bit heavy handed (this is as close as you will get to an apology) but I found that with the strong feelings concerning merit shops versus union shops, it was necessary to perhaps cut a little of the meat to keep the thread on the straight and narrow. Because of my background, I have a '----------' leaning but I leave it at the door and try my best to treat both sides the same.

I will cut or delete as is necessary or even lock for the thread to remain non-volatile. :)
 
S

splinetto

Senior Member
Location
Missouri
Greg Swartz said:
We just got in on a Davis Bacon job at one of the local bases. This is my first time as a business owner, in such an industry.

Right now, the DB wage for a J-man is $40.55 (I think...)
My question is: How do I calculate residential wages from that?
Am I required to have a certain wage for each level?

Everyone I am asking has no clue.

Also, In Colorado, the J-man / Apprentice ration is 1:3 unless you are on a federal / state job. Then it is 1:1.

Would this apply to a job on the base?

We do not need a permit, and the Army Corps of Engineers is the inspector.
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If your employees are apart of a union I would look at the collective bargaing agreement, in ours it states that the prevailing wage to be paid will be the prev rate used to bid the job.....So if they bid the job and there is a pay increase you can pay at the bidded rate...However I dont know if that caqn apply to a non union shop....
 
M

mkgrady

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
On any federal construction project their is a "Wage Decision". It determines what the minimum wages are on the contract until it is complete. It should be in the job specifications or added as an ammendment (prior to the bid date).

If the contracting officer did a good job the WD will list all the trades and the type of construction (building, Heavy, Highway).

The apprentice ratios should be listed in the WD. It usually follows the custom from the local union as do the wages. The apprentices need to be in a state registered program.

Every worker must be paid the minimum for the trade class they work. Even if their job changes throughout the day. If you let a laborer help you pull cable he is entitled to pay as an electrician or lineman if it is outside work
 
Greg Swartz

Greg Swartz

Senior Member
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
So, I've got a licensed residential wireman who wants to go commercial.
He's smart, and a quick learner. He is currently going full time to college to become an electrical engineer.

Since he is not commercial, he now becomes a 3rd year apprentice, no matter how many hours acquired (because J-man needs 8k hours, a minimum 4k of which are commercial).

So, do you think that he would need to drop out of college to attend apprenticeship schooling?

Or, if he does not, then he needs to be paid as a Journeyman?

Thanks,
Greg
 
M

mkgrady

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Greg Swartz said:
So, I've got a licensed residential wireman who wants to go commercial.
He's smart, and a quick learner. He is currently going full time to college to become an electrical engineer.

Since he is not commercial, he now becomes a 3rd year apprentice, no matter how many hours acquired (because J-man needs 8k hours, a minimum 4k of which are commercial).

So, do you think that he would need to drop out of college to attend apprenticeship schooling?

Or, if he does not, then he needs to be paid as a Journeyman?

Thanks,
Greg
Click to expand...

He could go to college days and go to apprentice training after normal working hours. But then how would he be able to work on the construction site?

The only exception to paying the j-man rate is if he is in a state registered apprentice program. I never heard of a j-man becoming an apprentice but each state program is different.
 
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