×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

No idea of Civil engineering

No idea of Civil engineering

No idea of Civil engineering

(OP)
I am a mechanical engineer, doing a take off of some strcutural steel drawings and concrete, forms. Are there any manuals, websites or books on how to do a take off or at least how to get an idea on civil stuffs for non-civil guys.

Thanks. Will

RE: No idea of Civil engineering

ACI, AND ASD CODES WILL DO IT,

RE: No idea of Civil engineering

The best way to do takeoff is to do it the way that the person who will be pricing the work wants it done.  Ask.

However you do it today, make sure that you can understand (and even duplicate) what you did next week, next month, next year.  Reference plan sheet numbers and detail numbers.  Label all dimensions on you takeoff sheets.  Be organized.  Be able to explain your take off to others.

RE: No idea of Civil engineering

PEinc is giving good advice.

As you go through the plans, you may find it helpful to check or mark things with a color pencil as you add things up. That way, you can keep track of items you have tallied.

RE: No idea of Civil engineering

BelspringKen,

I agree.  I was going to suggest that but thought others would think it was childish.  I always colored or marked off what I had already taken-off so that I wouldn't count it twice (and so I could feel like I was making progress).  I also used different colors for different types of work.

RE: No idea of Civil engineering

If this is something you will be doing regularly, consider taking a course in civil engineering construction estimating/cost engineering/quantity surveying.

RE: No idea of Civil engineering

I had estimating classes in college.  Somewhere along the way I learned to make a mark with a color pencil on items I had added up in my takeoff.  
Different colors for different categories of items could be useful.

You may find the Means estimating books useful in your cost estimates.

RE: No idea of Civil engineering

Hi Will!

The best advice I can give is, let shoes to be done by shoemakers!
Hire civil guy, it may save you a lot of money at the end.
I am civil engineer, I will never try to the work of mechanical unless I do not have choise!

Tal

RE: No idea of Civil engineering

Since the original post was "No idea of Civil Engineering" , I am surprised no one has replied "become a project manager in civilengineering"

RE: No idea of Civil engineering

Get hold of one of the many cost planning or restimating books at your local college bookstore.

Geoffrey D Stone FIMechE C.Eng;FIEust CP Eng
www.waterhammer.bigblog.com.au

RE: No idea of Civil engineering

Flow Calculations

What is the necessary formula for determining the flow rate in a pipe flowing less than full while taking into account the slope of the pipe.

Engcom

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources