# prevailing wage clarification



## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

I'm bidding a job that requires prevailing wage. I've done a couple of these in the past, and normally I just walk away from these, but this is a pretty simple job that will only require myself and two workers to complete. Since the last prevailing wage job I did was maybe 8 years ago, I just wanted a little clarification on the calculation of the prevailing wage rate...

Cook County Prevailing Wage for September 2011
Trade Name RG TYP C Base FRMAN *M-F>8 OSA OSH H/W Pensn Vac Trng 
==================== == === = ====== ====== ===== === === ===== ===== ===== ===== 
ROOFER BLD 37.650 40.650 1.5 1.5 2.0 7.750 6.570 0.000 0.430 
SHEETMETAL WORKER BLD 40.460 43.700 1.5 1.5 2.0 9.830 16.25 0.000 0.630

Legend: M-F>8 (Overtime is required for any hour greater than 8 worked
each day, Monday through Friday.
OSA (Overtime is required for every hour worked on Saturday)
OSH (Overtime is required for every hour worked on Sunday and Holidays)
H/W (Health & Welfare Insurance)
Pensn (Pension)
Vac (Vacation)
Trng (Training)


So the class will actually be sheet metal. You can see 40.46 is the base. Previously I add on the variables (hw + pen + vac + trng) which in this case would bring the $40.46 up to $67.17. Would you concur?


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## eastend (Jan 24, 2006)

not sure if you have to include training, unless you are actually training for the position. last P/W project we did (in NYS) I learned that I didn't have to include vacation, if the employees already get paid vacation as part of their wage package.


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## BDB (Sep 26, 2008)

All PW jobs I have done (I do about 95% of my work as PW work) the specs show what the scale is and then it will list seperatley any adders (annuity, vacation, H&W etc) that are to be added to the hourly rate. If it states sheetmetal $40.00 and nothing else listed then it is straight 40 if it has $40.00 wage then $2.20 annuity, $4.00 vacation then you would have to figure $46.20 an hour scale. then have to add all your WC, state tax etc. to that.


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

BDB, The spec on this job is very basic. Nothing an architect or engineer has come up with. There is nothing except "pay prevailing wage sheetmetal rate". I'm figuring $67.17 plus taxes and WC/GL = $104 per hour to cover burdens plus overhead and profit. 

Eastend, To my understanding, you are correct about the vacation and health insurance but I offer none of that, so have to pay it. To add further, I have to pay my apprentice as a jorneyman unless I have a nationally recognized apprenticeship program, which I do not. I hope he at least buys me a beer.


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## Durn210 (Jan 2, 2009)

In Illinois you do have to pay training unless you are part of a group that has an accredited training program that your company participates in. You have included everything that you need to to come up with for base pay. You might want to marry the time card and paycheck in a photocopy if you have any concerns about the Labor dept. getting notified.

You can qualify for reduced health and welfare rates if you pay health premiums, there is a formula you use on the Labor dept. website , it isn't much but it could add up. I don't usually mess with it since we may only work prevailing wage jobs a few times a year, but I should.

Document your own time while on the job, the Labor dept. counts owners and officers of corp. as employees and can require the documentation that you paid yourself prevailing wage.

Remember it is not about what is right or fair, it is about not placing yourself at risk.


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

I actually plan to work on the job and pay myself by the hour.  I don't normally work on the jobs, but for $67 an hour... Now we're talkin'! 

Thanks for the info.


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## BDB (Sep 26, 2008)

Grumpy said:


> I actually plan to work on the job and pay myself by the hour.  I don't normally work on the jobs, but for $67 an hour... Now we're talkin'!
> 
> Thanks for the info.


If you are the owner, you can pay yourself what ever you want to. You do not fall under the PW laws.


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## Chris Johnson (Apr 19, 2007)

I use to quote the project and then in my quote I would specify that my bid is based on a Prevailing Wage rate of $ xx.xx per man hour. This way the estimator could have his people check and confirm you are using the right rate. It worked for me.


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

Chris Johnson said:


> I use to quote the project and then in my quote I would specify that my bid is based on a Prevailing Wage rate of $ xx.xx per man hour. This way the estimator could have his people check and confirm you are using the right rate. It worked for me.


 Interesting. In my quote I wrote very similiar but didn't write the rate. I wrote "Pricing based on Prevailing Wage rate for Sheetmetal workers published September 2011."


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## Chris Johnson (Apr 19, 2007)

Grumpy said:


> Interesting. In my quote I wrote very similiar but didn't write the rate. I wrote "Pricing based on Prevailing Wage rate for Sheetmetal workers published September 2011."


But now you are assuming all responsibility, not that my way alleviates responsibility, but it let's them be aware that as confusing as PW work can be I used this figure, and by stating that they would always check and confirm how I did, it benefits the GC you are bidding to to ensure they are receiving your best bid based on the correct pay scale.


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## Grumpy (Oct 8, 2003)

Bid is not to GC, I don't bid to GC's. Eff GC's. I work for the customer or I sit at home. In this case I am dealing direct with the Village. 


But I don't disagree, your way seems better.


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