Bid Item Question, Erosion Control Each?

[fensoncont.]

Hey guys,

I'm working on this estimate for this new bypass in Nelsonville, Ohio. One bid item is called Erosion Control and the Quantity is EACH. The quantity is 1,300,000. I have never heard of this and don't know what it involves. Can anyone help me out on this because I have no idea what to charge for this item.

[rino1494]

Might be 1.3 million sq ft of seeding, which could have been converted to acres.

[Squizzy246B]

For erosion control, stabilisation and commercial landscaping all our tenders are listed in surface area.....but I'd be checking that one if I was you. These projects are planned and constructed in stages so "each" probably refers to a stage (area). Always in erosion control look carefully at the drainage plan if there is one...or wether the site needs one. You can do all the good work under the sun but if the surface water control is your job and it doesn't work...look out.

[CM1995]

Erosion control is usually devices to contain/reduce sediment from leaving the site - IE: silt fence, wattles, check dams, sediment ponds, etc. Grassing, hay mats and hydroseeding are usually referred to as soil stabilization. Now that is just my experience with the terms in my neck of the woods. I would definetely check out exactly what they mean by that because 1,300,000 quantity sounds like grassing. I do know from experience that erosion control and site stabilization can eat your lunch if you do not understand what the scope of your responsibility is on the project. Every budget/bid that I do, I add more $$$$ to this line item than the last similiar project.


BTW - I am about to get an expensive education in exactly what the EPA Clean Water Act rules require.:Banghead

If the bid is for erosion control, like silt fencing, the going rate here is around $4 per FT, labor and material installed, DOT CL II wire backed with metal posts. Rock checks and the like need to be priced out at the equipment rate of the piece needed plus the delivered cost of the stone. Grassing and hydroseeding can vary tremendously ($1500-$3000 per acre or more depending on specs) - I would get a quote on that. Also erosion control maintenance needs to be a line item in your bid. When the weather drops 1" of rain in a couple of hours and you need to clean/replace the silt fence, you need some money in there to cover it. Unfortunately this is, at best, an educated guess - who really knows what the weather will do.

[atgreene]

My first thought was erosion control mix mulch. We use it here almost exclusively. 100 yard truck loads are common, are they talking yards? or maybe pounds?

I won't use sitl fence anymore, ecm is so quick and easy it beats fence all to pieces.

Good luck!

[Squizzy246B]

I do know from experience that erosion control and site stabilization can eat your lunch if you do not understand what the scope of your responsibility is on the project.

Egggzzackly:thumbsup

[CM1995]

My first thought was erosion control mix mulch. We use it here almost exclusively. 100 yard truck loads are common, are they talking yards? or maybe pounds?

I won't use sitl fence anymore, ecm is so quick and easy it beats fence all to pieces.

Good luck!

I am not really fond of silt fence either but you have to have it installed per the plans and get an inspection before you can turn a blade.:Banghead

[atgreene]

My point was that silt fence is not necessary in Maine, as long as you use ECM instead. It is easier and does a better job of preventing a blow-out.

[CM1995]

My point was that silt fence is not necessary in Maine, as long as you use ECM instead. It is easier and does a better job of preventing a blow-out.

I hear ya - I used the "you" rhetorically meaning what we have to do - clear as offsite sedimentation?:D In our neck of the woods silt fence is beaten into everyone's head involved with a dirt moving project. Erosion control bonds, silt fence inspections, etc are required by most municipalities before a permit is even issued.:Banghead Unfortunately most of the inspectors are not very open minded to other forms of erosion control - like brush checks, silt socks,etc. They want to see silt fence and alot of it.:rolleyes: So the standard protocol is run the perimeter of the site with silt fence to satisfy the power hungry and then construct what works within the boundarys to control the run off and silt. I am usually dealing with sites 20AC or more, so the power trippers can usually spot our sites with their nifty 2 seater planes they use to scout out potential revenue or they could just go through the active NPDES permits filed with the state - but what's the fun with that when you can spend taxpayers $$$ to fly around.:Pointhead

Please excuse the rambling - :soapbox

[rino1494]

Around here, I can pound in a couple tomato stakes and staple a few garbage bags to them and the inspectors won't know the difference and I still can charge $4/ft. :D

[CM1995]

Guys - regardless of the local or State regulations on erosion/sediment control 'ol big brother EPA trumps all of them through the Clean Water Act and they mean serious business if they inspect your site. $32,500 per day, per occurance can be levied against the ones they deem in noncompliance. An occurance can be a deficient jobsite gravel entrance, mud "stains" (yes stains not clumps of mud) on the highway, onsite sediment movement - even if the mud does not leave your site:beatsme and a host of other items in the rule book.
The :shf when the EPA shows up - take my word for it.

[fensoncont.]

Thanks for all the information guys, I really appreciate it. I was able to locate previous bid tabs with this item on them and each contractor put $1.00 each, so on this job the total was $1,300,000.00.

[JimBruce42]

My point was that silt fence is not necessary in Maine, as long as you use ECM instead. It is easier and does a better job of preventing a blow-out.

I must admit I've never heard of ECM (or maybe I have and it's just called something different). SO this might be a stupid question (even if Squizzy doesn't think there is one;) ), but what are ECM's?:beatsme

[digger242j]

In post #5 atgreene refers to "erosion control mix mulch". I've never heard of it either. :beatsme

[Big Iron]

Hey guys,

I'm working on this estimate for this new bypass in Nelsonville, Ohio. One bid item is called Erosion Control and the Quantity is EACH. The quantity is 1,300,000. I have never heard of this and don't know what it involves. Can anyone help me out on this because I have no idea what to charge for this item.

you might want to write an RFI (request for information) to the client and get a written clairification. Since that line item is going to be 1.3 mil, myself I would want it in writing.

[dayexco]

why not just read the spec item in the spec book and find out what "each" is?

[DirtHauler]

I am not really fond of silt fence either but you have to have it installed per the plans and get an inspection before you can turn a blade.:Banghead

Here in WA you have to even put silt fence on the uphill side of the project, I guess its to prevent silty water from running uphill to the stream? :beatsme :Pointhead