Quoting scale

[kbsparky]

I have just been informed that a project we are about to quote is supposedly a "scale" job.

This job is for the state, and state-funded, so I am not surprised this is part of the contract.

I just got the job-wage list, and the classification of "laborer" has been eliminated. I believe that they want everyone on the job to be classified as their respective trade -- that is someone who is handling electrical conduit is an "electrician" as well as someone excavating a trench for those conduits, etc.

Apparently using "laborers" on such projects have been misused in the past so the classification is no longer available.

Anyone else had this happen on scale jobs?

BTW, "Electrician" is the 2nd highest wage on the list: $54.05/hr. A "laborer" would only be making $34.60. Quite a difference. A further comparison shows plumbers to be worth less than a laborer at $33.25.

Someone running the bulldozer is only worth $25.10
__________________
-KB

 

[stevenje]

BTW, "Electrician" is the 2nd highest wage on the list: $54.05/hr. A "laborer" would only be making $34.60.

What trade was #1 on the wage list?

 

[growler]

BTW, "Electrician" is the 2nd highest wage on the list: $54.05/hr. A "laborer" would only be making $34.60. Quite a difference. A further comparison shows plumbers to be worth less than a laborer at $33.25.

Someone running the bulldozer is only worth $25.10
__________________
-KB

This is just a guess but I would think this is to give the Union shops a crack at the project. The Union shops in many states are the only one's with an approved apprenticeship program that will allow them to have labor on the job making less than $54.05.

I have no idea why the plumbing scale would be so low.

 

[sameguy]

Fitter or Elevator I would think; you will also need to prove your payroll is being paid per contract. Read the ot and holiday parts.

 

[DIRT27]

I don't know where you are, but the company I work for does a fair amount of, federal and state jobs.

You might want to look into the minimum scale for that classification. I don't know where you are but on our fed jobs the scale is around $56 and that is what would would see on our check. The minimum pay is $39 and change. Now my checks are 39 on the check $1 and change for health insurance and the rest into the 401k about 15 an hour.

If you don't have any experience with prevailing wage jobs I would do some research. Certified payroll is a big deal. There seems to be a lot of paper work on those jobs to as far as daily reports and submittals.

good luck

 

[wireguy8169]

Dirt you are so right, lots of paper work and checks and balances. Did a few small jobs and it was definitly worth it but paperwork overload at times. Glad my wife was handling it. As for the wages in PA (this was several years ago) we would get paid or be able to pay for what our guys were doing. On one job for instance we had to list our hours like so.

1hr clean up (16.00 hr) Laborer rate
10 hrs (say running pipe 22.00 hr) Electrical rate
1hr travel time (shop rate)

we did not see the benny part in our check it went right into a 401k, it was all legal and allowed. Not sure about now been awhile since I did any rate work. I know on the once school I did a field house for the rate was like 54.00 I could have paid my guys labor rate for some of the day but chose not to. Again not sure what is legal now.

As for billing that was very scrutinized too, if I billed for 20 fixtures installed and one was hanging there not wired in I did not get paid for that one. But over all it was worth it, just take it slow and don't get over your head, its easy to do.

 

[kbsparky]

Highest on the list was Glazier: $54.20

Lowest was roofer: $16.45

 

[kbsparky]

Follow-up:

Apparently, I was mistaken about the laborer classification. I had received a FAXed copy, where it appeared to be blacked out. I just learned that it was in fact highlighted and still is a valid classification.

But there are specific guidelines that apply to a laborer, which I will be reviewing shortly.

 

[tufts46argled]

Davis-Bacon Act requires prevailling wages or union scale for federally funded work.. That being said if you have an approved appretinceship program you can you a lower scale for your helpers/apprentinces.

 

[shepelec]

In MA, an apprentice must be registered with the state to be paid a laborer rate. If they are not registered then they must be paid Journeyman rate.

 

[K2500]

That being said if you have an approved appretinceship program you can you a lower scale for your helpers/apprentinces.

That is the key, approved apprenticeship program.
If you are an ibew or iec contactor you should set.
Im sure there are more, but those are the only two programs
I can think of.

 

[macmikeman]

Most of the Davis Bacon classification lists I see have helicopter pilot and tower crane operator at the very top of the list. $$$.00/hr

 

[brantmacga]

BTW, "Electrician" is the 2nd highest wage on the list: $54.05/hr. A "laborer" would only be making $34.60. Quite a difference. A further comparison shows plumbers to be worth less than a laborer at $33.25.

Someone running the bulldozer is only worth $25.10

Interesting. Last set of plans I got w/ a wage scale was for an airport here a couple years ago, and electricians were about the lowest paid. Somewhere around $13/hr if I remember correctly. The highest wage on the list was just over $20/hr, and that was for the equipment operators. There was a laborer classification on there and it was less than $10/hr.

 

[wireguy8169]

brantmacga...I got the bid package once on a hud job in Western PA, helpers rate was 10hr and JE was 13.50. And on a few college jobs they did not even have to pay rate for testing of the fiber and cat 5 we got shop rate while guys running conduit were getting 22hr. Seems there is a pretty wide range that the rates cover, I have seen as high as 54hr.