CIV 420: CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATING
AND CONTROL
Final Examination Questions & Answers 2026/2027
Course: CIV 420 — Construction Estimating and Control
Total Questions: 65 Multiple-Choice Questions
Instructions: Select the single best answer for each question. Correct answers and
detailed rationales are highlighted in green for review.
1. Which type of estimate is performed during the initial conceptual stage of a project
when detailed drawing plans are not yet available?
A. Detailed unit rate estimate
B. Preliminary or order-of-magnitude estimate
C. Definite quantity takeoff estimate
D. Subcontractor bid compilation estimate
Rationale: Preliminary estimates rely on macro-level historical cost indicators (such as cost per square
meter or cost per bed) to assess project feasibility before full design work begins.
2. In construction quantity takeoff, what is the standard mathematical formula for
calculating the total earthwork volume of cut or fill using the End-Area Method?
A. V = (A1 + A2) * L
B. V = L * (A1 + A2) / 2
C. V = L * (A1 * A2)^0.5
D. V = (A1 + 4M + A2) * L / 2
Rationale: The average end-area method calculates volume by taking the average area of two adjacent
cross-sections and multiplying by the distance between them.
3. Direct costs in a construction estimate are strictly defined as costs that:
A. Cover home office executive salaries and legal retainers
, B. Can be attributed directly to specific physical work items or project activities
C. Vary exclusively with corporate annual turnover
D. Include building permits and site trailer utility connections
Rationale: Direct costs tie directly to a specific work task, including field labor, materials installed,
equipment operational expenses, and subcontractor fees.
4. Which of the following expenses represents an indirect jobsite overhead cost?
A. Structural steel beams delivered to the site
B. Hourly wages paid to concrete rebar placers
C. Jobsite trailer rental, safety officer salary, and temporary power utilities
D. Ready-mix concrete delivery invoices
Rationale: Jobsite overhead includes general conditions expenses required to support the entire project
site rather than a single physical component.
5. What does the term "Swell Factor" account for when estimating earthwork excavation
volumes?
A. Reduction in soil volume after compaction on site
B. Percentage increase in soil volume when removed from its natural bank state to a
loose state
C. Settlement of structural footings under loading
D. Moisture loss during transportation in dump trucks
Rationale: Excavating soil creates voids between particles, expanding its volume from bank measure to
loose measure, which dictates hauling equipment requirements.
6. When calculating equipment ownership costs using the straight-line depreciation
method, what is the annual depreciation expense for a machine bought for $200,000 with
a $20,000 salvage value over 5 years?
A. $36,000 per year
B. $40,000 per year
C. $44,000 per year
D. $32,000 per year
Rationale: Straight-line depreciation is (Initial Cost - Salvage Value) / Service Life = ($200,000 -
$20,000) / 5 = $36,000 per year.
, 7. In Earned Value Management (EVM), if a project has a Schedule Variance (SV) of -
$15,000, it indicates that the project is:
A. Under budget by $15,000
B. Behind schedule relative to the planned baseline
C. Ahead of schedule by $15,000
D. Over budget by $15,000
Rationale: Schedule Variance is calculated as Earned Value minus Planned Value (SV = EV - PV). A
negative variance means less work was completed than planned.
8. A Cost Performance Index (CPI) value of 1.15 in Earned Value Management signifies
that:
A. The project is performing efficiently, earning $1.15 of value for every $1.00 spent
B. The project is 15% over budget
C. Actual costs exceed planned budget allocations
D. The project completion date will be delayed by 15%
Rationale: CPI = EV / AC. A CPI greater than 1.0 means the project is executing under budget and
generating work value efficiently.
9. What is the primary purpose of creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in
construction cost management?
A. To establish legal liability between subcontractor tiers
B. To decompose the project scope into manageable, trackable work packages for
estimating and control
C. To schedule daily equipment maintenance runs
D. To calculate concrete curing duration curves
Rationale: The WBS provides a hierarchical breakdown of the full scope of work, forming the structural
foundation for cost estimating, budgeting, and progress tracking.
10. In a unit-price contract, who bears the primary financial risk of cost overruns caused
by accurate increases in work quantities?
A. The general contractor exclusively
B. The project owner
C. The structural engineering consultant
AND CONTROL
Final Examination Questions & Answers 2026/2027
Course: CIV 420 — Construction Estimating and Control
Total Questions: 65 Multiple-Choice Questions
Instructions: Select the single best answer for each question. Correct answers and
detailed rationales are highlighted in green for review.
1. Which type of estimate is performed during the initial conceptual stage of a project
when detailed drawing plans are not yet available?
A. Detailed unit rate estimate
B. Preliminary or order-of-magnitude estimate
C. Definite quantity takeoff estimate
D. Subcontractor bid compilation estimate
Rationale: Preliminary estimates rely on macro-level historical cost indicators (such as cost per square
meter or cost per bed) to assess project feasibility before full design work begins.
2. In construction quantity takeoff, what is the standard mathematical formula for
calculating the total earthwork volume of cut or fill using the End-Area Method?
A. V = (A1 + A2) * L
B. V = L * (A1 + A2) / 2
C. V = L * (A1 * A2)^0.5
D. V = (A1 + 4M + A2) * L / 2
Rationale: The average end-area method calculates volume by taking the average area of two adjacent
cross-sections and multiplying by the distance between them.
3. Direct costs in a construction estimate are strictly defined as costs that:
A. Cover home office executive salaries and legal retainers
, B. Can be attributed directly to specific physical work items or project activities
C. Vary exclusively with corporate annual turnover
D. Include building permits and site trailer utility connections
Rationale: Direct costs tie directly to a specific work task, including field labor, materials installed,
equipment operational expenses, and subcontractor fees.
4. Which of the following expenses represents an indirect jobsite overhead cost?
A. Structural steel beams delivered to the site
B. Hourly wages paid to concrete rebar placers
C. Jobsite trailer rental, safety officer salary, and temporary power utilities
D. Ready-mix concrete delivery invoices
Rationale: Jobsite overhead includes general conditions expenses required to support the entire project
site rather than a single physical component.
5. What does the term "Swell Factor" account for when estimating earthwork excavation
volumes?
A. Reduction in soil volume after compaction on site
B. Percentage increase in soil volume when removed from its natural bank state to a
loose state
C. Settlement of structural footings under loading
D. Moisture loss during transportation in dump trucks
Rationale: Excavating soil creates voids between particles, expanding its volume from bank measure to
loose measure, which dictates hauling equipment requirements.
6. When calculating equipment ownership costs using the straight-line depreciation
method, what is the annual depreciation expense for a machine bought for $200,000 with
a $20,000 salvage value over 5 years?
A. $36,000 per year
B. $40,000 per year
C. $44,000 per year
D. $32,000 per year
Rationale: Straight-line depreciation is (Initial Cost - Salvage Value) / Service Life = ($200,000 -
$20,000) / 5 = $36,000 per year.
, 7. In Earned Value Management (EVM), if a project has a Schedule Variance (SV) of -
$15,000, it indicates that the project is:
A. Under budget by $15,000
B. Behind schedule relative to the planned baseline
C. Ahead of schedule by $15,000
D. Over budget by $15,000
Rationale: Schedule Variance is calculated as Earned Value minus Planned Value (SV = EV - PV). A
negative variance means less work was completed than planned.
8. A Cost Performance Index (CPI) value of 1.15 in Earned Value Management signifies
that:
A. The project is performing efficiently, earning $1.15 of value for every $1.00 spent
B. The project is 15% over budget
C. Actual costs exceed planned budget allocations
D. The project completion date will be delayed by 15%
Rationale: CPI = EV / AC. A CPI greater than 1.0 means the project is executing under budget and
generating work value efficiently.
9. What is the primary purpose of creating a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in
construction cost management?
A. To establish legal liability between subcontractor tiers
B. To decompose the project scope into manageable, trackable work packages for
estimating and control
C. To schedule daily equipment maintenance runs
D. To calculate concrete curing duration curves
Rationale: The WBS provides a hierarchical breakdown of the full scope of work, forming the structural
foundation for cost estimating, budgeting, and progress tracking.
10. In a unit-price contract, who bears the primary financial risk of cost overruns caused
by accurate increases in work quantities?
A. The general contractor exclusively
B. The project owner
C. The structural engineering consultant
