Pre-Design Estimates in Civil Engineering Projects

Preliminary cost estimating data were developed for: (1) Sewage treatment plants, (2) steam-electric generating plants, (3) school construction, and (4) public housing projects. All costs were converted to an ENGINEERING NEWS-RECORD building or construction cost index of 100, and were presented in graphical form. Median and extreme values were given in each case. Costs of complete sewage treatment plants varied from $14,500 for a flow of 0.2 mgd of waste having a BOD of 300 ppm, to $83,000 for 2.0 mgd of the same waste. A plant to treat 2.0 mgd of an 1800 ppm waste would cost approximately $160,000. Median steam-electric generating plant costs ranged from $45 per kw of capacity for a 20 mw plant, to $22 per kw for a 500 mw plant. School construction costs averaged $255 per student for schools allowing 80 sq ft per pupil, with unit costs increasing as the area per student increases. Unit construction costs of public housing ranged from $700 per room for a 300-room development, to $400 per room for a 6,000-room project.