cost of excavation
cost of excavation
(OP)
How much should it cost to increase the depth of excavation for a 24 inch RCP (reinforced concrete pipe) originaly planned for 8 feet now scheduled for 8.75 feet? The soil is SM or CL or SC ie 'easy diggin'.' The run is 300 feet and unobstructed. It is in a green area where testing compaction is not required.





RE: cost of excavation
The backhoe needs to reach deeper for both excavting and setting the pipe. So, the added cost involved is not just for the digging, but for the setting of the pipe too.
Here in the midwest, excavation at that depth would be something like $15.00 to $18.00 per cubic yard out and backfilling with on site materials would be $6.00 - $8.50 back in, uncompacted. Here Operating Engineers get $48.00/hr and a large backhoe is about $95.00/hr.
It sounds like you are in a dispute with the contractor. Doesn't your contract have unit prices to go by?
Good luck.
RE: cost of excavation
KRS Services
www.krs-services.com
RE: cost of excavation
OBTW Thank you guys (a gender neutral term) for the input. It has set me in the correct course.
RE: cost of excavation
In my contracts, I usually specify a range of depths for bidding (as a linear meter) as a unit price and reference these depths as the final price, to include all costs incidental to the work. That way, the contractor is bound to the terms of the contract and cost over runs are minimized due to special provisions and clauses intended to deal with additional/unforseen contract changes. It also eliminates the contractor's temptation to really stick it to the owner with outrageous costs. De-watering becomes a confidence item based on the soil logs.
KRS Services
www.krs-services.com
RE: cost of excavation
RE: cost of excavation
KRS Services
www.krs-services.com
RE: cost of excavation
RE: cost of excavation
From what you have stated, it appears that the contractor may be utilizing the weaknesses of a lump sum unit price as a mechanism to perhaps increase his profit margin. If the work has already commenced, as I suspect, I would be taking actions (which I care not to discuss on the internet) which could make the contractor a bit uncomfortable, but that's me. Otherwise, you may have no other recourse than to pay the higher price or reconsider the merit of the deeper excavation. One suggestion that I can make is to scrutinize the contract to ascertain any recourse with scope change, change of work, owner's rights to perform work, contractor's obligation and any special provisions.
KRS Services
www.krs-services.com