What types of Productivity Adjustment Factors are in the book?

The following Adjustment Factors which are in the book are arranged according to the category in which they are primarily dependent upon: Project Type, Contractor, Construction Site, and Workforce.  However, some of the Productivity Adjustment Factors are associated with two or more categories. For example “Workforce Supervision” is associated with the Contractor, Construction Management, and Workforce categories.  Only one category was selected for it for organization purposes. 

The data in the book has been obtained from several sources and were averaged and/or normalized because the experiences of the cost estimators and/or project managers developing such information were different due to the nature of the types of projects they were involved in.   In some cases, data was interpreted or extrapolated using higher and lower values.

The order in which the following adjustment factors are presented do not represent their relative importance.

Project Type Factor Adjustments:

• Fps for the project size
• Fsh for the construction schedule
• Fsr for additional safety requirements
• Fop for work which is needed to be done in operating areas
• Fhe for work above ground level
• Fse for work required to be performed under excessive security requirements

Construction Site Factor Adjustments:

• Fth for the temperature and relative humidity at the site
• Fra for expected precipitation at the site
• Fwc for the Wind Chill effect at the site
• Fwn for expected effect of wind at the site
• Ftv for the workforce’s one way travel time to the site
• Fec for the level of construction activity in the area and local labor market

Contractor Factor Adjustments:

• Fbk for the prime contractor’s backlog
• Fws for the workforce supervision

Construction Management Factor Adjustments:

• Fwk for the workforce’s workweek (hours/day and days/week)
• Fsd for the workforce shifts per day
• Fpb for the workforce pay basis
• Far for the distance from the construction site to the laydown area
• Fca for workforce catering
• Fac for workforce accommodation
• Faw for workforce congestion
• Fcv for crew loading
• Fsu for subcontract labor

Workforce Factor Adjustments:

• Fun for workforce organization (union or non-union)
• Fwx for workforce experience 
• Fcp for the effect of the learning curve for sequentially constructing multiple identical process units (or trains) with one crew
• Fcb for the effect of the learning curve for constructing high-rise buildings with identical floor plans on many contiguous levels using one crew to sequentially construct such floors
• Fwm for workforce morale
• Fwt for Workforce Turnover

Other Factor Adjustments:

Owner/Operators using the methodology presented in the book can also develop their own unique Factor Adjustments such as those relating to specific field labor requirements when constructing certain types of process units. 

Contractor’s can develop special Factor Adjustments to reflect their own construction management style or special requirements needed for certain clients.

Consultants can use the impartial methodology contained in this book as an aid in evaluating alternative construction sites for a proposed project.