Project Scope

Reconstruction of the Harper Street Asphalt Plant, covering complete building and site construction works. The scope included all architectural, structural, and civil components, excluding MEP systems and primary asphalt plant equipment.

Key Challenges

• The project involved multiple standalone buildings, each required to be estimated and documented under separate filings, increasing coordination effort and the risk of scope gaps or duplication across packages. Strict segregation of quantities and CSI divisions was necessary to maintain clarity between filings.
• Additionally, structural steel detailing was limited, with insufficient information provided for beam‑to‑beam and beam‑to‑column connections, including connection angles, plates, and hardware. This lack of detail introduced uncertainty in steel tonnage, fabrication effort, and installation allowances, requiring engineering judgment during take‑off.
• The industrial nature of the asphalt plant further increased complexity, as reconstruction works needed to align with heavy‑duty usage requirements while excluding plant process equipment and MEP systems. Accurate interpretation of drawings and disciplined scope control were critical to delivering a reliable estimate.
• The material take-off for long steel piles was impacted by variable pile lengths and limited detailing in the contract drawings. The number of timber piles required to support the sewerage structures and drainage piping was not accurately indicated on the drawings. 5-Manhole details were missing from the issued drawings. The utility plans did not clearly indicate the invert levels and rim levels for telecom handholes, electrical manholes, and other utility structures.

Approach & Resolution

Each standalone building was treated as an independent filing. Quantities and CSI divisions were strictly segregated, and assumptions for overlaps were documented to avoid duplication or omissions. Coordination meetings ensured consistency across packages. Standard industry connection assumptions were applied for beam-to-beam and beam-to-column connections, including angles, plates, and hardware. All assumptions were clearly noted in the estimate to maintain transparency and auditability. Careful review of heavy-duty usage requirements was conducted. Scope boundaries were explicitly defined to exclude MEP systems and plant equipment, reducing risk of misinterpretation. Reasonable assumptions for pile lengths, splicing, and timber pile quantities were made based on available drawings and typical construction standards (only at lack of information provided cases). Standard precast manholes and handholes were assumed per municipal/DOT specifications. Rim and invert levels were estimated conservatively, with clarifications included in the documentation for client review.

Final Outcomes

Material take-offs following the scope were accurately quantified according to different building locations. All the missing information and necessary detailed sections were properly documented. Coordination across multiple standalone buildings and CSI divisions was successfully managed, ensuring clarity and consistency in reporting and filing.