14.Steel fabricators need to reinforce that they are not providing any special finishes to the steel.
15.This category clarifies the provision of fasteners, which are a standard exclusion.
16.Catch basins, manholes and manhole ladders, and trench drains are typically shown in civil drawings. The mistake is often made, however, that because the items are steel, the fabricator would have them. In most cases, these are buyout items that the general contractor provides.
17.Downspouts and gutters are in the roofing section, although on occasion either they are designed with special attachments or the downspouts themselves are made from pipe that would be designated in Division 5. The mistaken assumption could be made that the steel fabricator will provide them. Thus, it is best to exclude them.
18.Stainless steel, aluminum, and brass are all nonferrous materials. These items are considered metal by the designers and are included in Division 5 of the specifications. Not all steel fabricators get involved with providing the items that are not carbon steel. If steel fabricators are not providing these items, then this exclusion must be clearly stated.
19.Rebar is an item that is included with the contractors providing the concrete and will be found in Contract Specifications Division 3, as explained in Chapter 4. This exclusion is standard, provided for clarity.
20.Roof penetration framing is sometimes shown as a typical detail in the contract drawings. Typical details force assumptions to be made by the estimator. This exclusion then notifies the customer to look to the inclusions for advice on this provision.
21.There are specialty companies that supply steel stud framing. There is a separate section at the project specifications that allows for provision of these items. This listing has been provided as a standard exclusion to be clear that the framing is not the fabricator’s/estimator’s responsibility.
22.Insulated panels are provided by specialty companies that bid directly to the contractors. This is a standard exclusion that is provided for clarity
23.Bridge cranes and supports are sometimes included in the building framing drawings. The provision of them is listed in the Division 5 specifications. Bridge cranes and their supports need to be specifically designed and engineered for their specific use and location. Due to the complex nature of this provision, bridge cranes are often purchased directly from the vendor by the contractor.
24.Templates for anchors are extra work. Anchor bolt placement is shown at the shop fabrication drawings. If templates are included in the steel fabricator’s price this does not help you come in with a low bid. If the customer decides they want them, a separate price may be offered.
Note: Additional exclusions that need to be listed will be determined by the actual bid documents of the job being quoted.
As steel estimators create the bid letter, it is easiest to list the items as they are found on the drawings during the initial review. Starting the letter while going through the drawings will lead to a more thorough guide for take off and prevent duplication.
Creating the bid letter first is an activity that will also prevent double listing items between the architectural and structural drawings. By listing the individual details that apply to locating specific items, the estimators can more quickly understand the project. Additionally, the estimators may become aware of missing or unclear information early on in the estimating process, providing time to send out an inquiry to the architect or engineer for clarification prior to bid time.
This chapter has reviewed the significance of providing complete and accurate bid letters to the customer. A copy of a standard bid letter was presented, followed by a detailed description of each item with the explanation of why each one was being used. The bid letter is an important part of the estimating process; it should be utilized for every job quoted.
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What are bid documents? Also referred to as contract documents, bid documents are the set of plans and specifications, as well as any addendums, that are released to the public for bid or quoting by the building owner’s representative. The plans are all the drawings that show how the building is built; they are intended to contain all the information necessary for each trade to bid its portion of the work. The specification manual that accompanies these drawings describes all the requirements by which the contract is to be executed as well as the scope of work for all the trades that are to be involved.
The owner’s representatives for building projects are the design team hired (by the owner) to create the building. This team generally consists of the project architect, structural engineer, civil engineer, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer, with the architect as the head of the group. With the expertise of this team, all building codes and requirements are met. In addition, all the information necessary to convey those requirements is compiled to create a complete set of plans and specifications for the project.
The project specifications, generally assembled by the architect, are the guidebook for executing the work. This document is intended to govern the general contractor as well as the sub-trades bidding the job. The project specifications contain the instructions for all the trades involved in creating the building. They include all the necessary information from contract issuance through contract close out.
Reading the information in a book of specifications is as exciting as watching paint dry. Yet it is very important that you proceed slowly, making a concentrated effort to understand all the information and the way it is presented. Be especially careful at interpretation. Language and how it is used is everything here. Interpretations can and do vary according to need (for example, the steel fabricator versus the customer and document writer). If you have questions about items to be supplied, get the correct information in writing from the architect or engineer instead of making your own assumptions.
The General Conditions section will specify the contract and delivery expectations. The supply of steel or metals will be covered in what is called Division 5—the chapter of the specifications that will contain subchapters (or Sections) for everything considered metal by the designers. Structural steel, miscellaneous steel, and ornamental metals are examples of some of the titles for these sections. The Paint and Painting provisions are in Section 09900, which is a subchapter of Division 9, Painting. This section will be found near the middle of the general conditions, and will provide the complete information regarding the exterior finish of the steel items to be fabricated.
Read through these bid documents before you start developing the list of materials. There may be items that either do not apply or have a specific impact on the items that steel fabricators are required to supply.
It is important to list both the items that do apply and those that do not apply to a specific project. The reason is that all too often information is just copied from one job to the next without much thought to the specific conditions of the newer job. You must refer specifically to what exist in the contract drawings. It is best to find out for certain what applies and what does not; otherwise the job could be overbid or underbid.
After you have been through a few specification manuals for various jobs, you will begin to understand the difference between typical information and project specific information. Often both will