DIG DEEP INTO ECI’S CUT & FILL SERVICE

Cut & Fills (aka takeoffs) are among the topmost critical components of bidding, planning, and executing earthwork projects. For an inexperienced person, it can be a very time-consuming task. Additionally, it is a process that has little room for error. Mistakes in cut & fill analyses result in extra time, resources, and expenses. Whether you’re handling takeoffs in-house or getting them from an external partner, a cut and fill analysis is important to the overall success of earthwork projects.

TAKEOFF TYPES

There are a few different types of cut & fill analyses that our virtual construction engineers (VCEs) have encountered over the years. The most common is what we refer to as a “generic takeoff.” A generic takeoff is when a comparison is made between the original ground and the finished design. In this case, our clients provide us with the original linework and the proposed finished design. We take the supplied files and run them through our process so we can, in turn, provide our clients with accurate quantities for dirt, gravel, concrete, and sub-base. Another common type is when the crew is physically on the job site, and they need a comparison done between the set of plans used to bid the project and the actual signed drawings. Sometimes a project is bid on 90% complete drawings or the design changes after the bidding process is over; if that is the case, it is prudent to check how much your quantities have changed to see if a change order is needed. Less common but still requested occasionally by our clients is when a ledge is found during digging. When it is unknown that ledge exists, the plan sets used for bidding the project are not going to include the information for ledge surfaces which is necessary to calculate the quantities correctly. Finally, the rarest type that our VCEs are asked to work on are comparisons between the design surface and what was done (as built). For simpler takeoffs, a skilled ECI VCE can complete a cut & fill analysis on average between four and ten hours. For complex ones, that bumps up to an average of between ten and twenty hours. 

OUR PROCESS

Intake

Our process begins with clients contacting us via phone, email, text, or our website, letting us know they need our service. Getting in touch with us is simple. Our team is always available and responsive to your requests.

Import

Once a client has sent us the necessary files, our first step is to go through and check all of the sheets to find the information that we need to bring in to one of our various software programs. Our VCEs know many different programs, including Trimble Business Center, Topcon’s Civil 3D, Carlson, and more. The VCE’s next step is organizing all of the linework, which often includes cleaning the files. Our VCEs make the extra effort to ensure that the elevations are correct and re-elevate when necessary. 

Build

From there, the VCE can begin building the surface. They will take the existing ground contours and verify that they are elevated correctly. They will then use these contours to create the existing ground surface. The process is then repeated with the design contours to create a design surface. The VCE will then add break lines into both surfaces to better define ditches, curbs, and other grade breaks on the site that the contours don’t define well. After the surfaces are built, the VCE will create the linework that specifies where each of the site improvements is located on the site and then assigns a sectional thickness to each of the site improvements. These site improvements can be anything from light-duty asphalt to paver walks, basically any surfacing type and their associated base material. The VCE also has to specify any removals and topsoil stripping required and apply that to the original ground surface. Once all this is done, they can generate the report. 

Final Checks

Our Quality Assurance/Quality Control process ensures that everything has been done accurately and is verified. Finally, the report can be run through the software to give you cut & fill quantities. These reports include the volumes and areas for the dirt, asphalt, gravel, and other materials. 

The report also provides a site improvements map and a Cut/ Fill map along with earthwork statistics like max cut, max fill, change in elevation to balance, and other metrics that help in the bidding process.

Mistakes in cut & fill analyses result in extra time, resources, and expenses

QUALITY AND TIMELINESS

ECI understands how vital transparency, communication, attention to detail, and quick turnaround are when choosing a service provider. Not surprisingly, those are also critical to a successful project outcome. We hope that our providing you with a more in-depth overview of our cut & fill process has given you a glimpse into the high standards we maintain with all of our services. Contact us if you’re ready to take the burden off yourself or need a new digital earthwork services provider!