Estimating with privilege wage rates

[otto]

I'm new in the estimating field and I'm having problems with the labor rates bidding federal projects. Does anybody knows how to work with percents in this case? Were can I find the rates for Electrician, Helpers and Trainees in this kind of projects?

 

[jusme123]

the department of labor in your state should have them listed online. google your state and prevailing wage rates

 

[macmikeman]

I'm new in the estimating field and I'm having problems with the labor rates bidding federal projects. Does anybody knows how to work with percents in this case? Were can I find the rates for Electrician, Helpers and Trainees in this kind of projects?

You pull wire, bend conduit, strap conduit, make connections, etc etc, you are a genuine journeyman electrician by the federal base rules unless you are in an official union apprenticeship program. Therefore all on site hands doing electrical work are paid the journeymans wage. The contracting officer of the project should be listed by name and telephone number in the spec book, they have the exact rates for each project on file.

 

[SpiderMT]

If you are bidding federal projects you may need to pay Davis-Bacon wages which are usually even higher than state prevailing wage (in my experience). All wage determinations for the project should be provided with the bid documents in either case. Contact the agency that issued the original RFQ or the GC's you are bidding to for this information. I would imagine they should be required to give it to you, I have not seen specs without them, and would probably want you to have it. If certified payrolls are not submitted correctly getting paid can turn into a nightmare real quick.

 

[otto]

The thing is David-Bacon docs specify wage for electricians but not for helpers or trainees. I'm assuming maybe the trainee's program specify the salary but I'm not sure. What do you think?

 

[growler]

The thing is David-Bacon docs specify wage for electricians but not for helpers or trainees. I'm assuming maybe the trainee's program specify the salary but I'm not sure. What do you think?

For them not to be considered electricians they would need to be part of an approved and recognized apprenticeship program.

If they are not part of a recognized apprenticeship then they rate either as electricans ( doing electrical work) or as laborers ( not allowed to do electrical work, only labor ).

If a laborer is found to be doing electrical work then he is required to be paid as an electrician even if it's the first time in his life he has ever seen an electrical job. People don't like it but that's how it is.