CE 3372 WATER SYSTEMS DESIGN Lecture 09: Report writing and cost estimating.

Report writing and cost estimating

CE 3372 Water Systems designLecture 09: Report writing and cost estimatingOverviewReport WritingCost EstimatingReport WritingFundamentalsKnow your audience Professional!Explain the problemDiscuss solving methodDescribe findings/results

Example: Car Service RepairLets say your car has been having problems and you bring it to the shop.What are you more likely to respond to?If the service man, Bob, says I know whats wrong, give me 10,000$If Bob says, explains the problem transmission is broken, sucks, give me 10kIf Bob explains the problem concisely without commentary, how he thinks hell fix it and the labor costs/parts thatll add up to 10k

A huge part of report wr4Project report (1 of 2)Transmittal LetterCover PageTable of ContentsList of Tables and FiguresExecutive SummaryGoogle it5Project report (2 of 2)Section 4 Cost EstimateSection 5 Conclusions and RecommendationsSection 1 IntroductionSection 2 Existing ConditionsSection 3 Hydraulics

Google it6Transmittal letterFormal business letter to person that commissioned the reportBrief. Includes:Salutation (Dear Mr. _____)Purpose of letter Describe what is being sentMain findings of report End transmittal letters with a one-sentence paragraph that establishes goodwill by thanking or complimenting the recipient.Signature from all members with credentialsCan find examples online7CoverInclude Team name and membersTitle of the ProjectDate

Example of an Exhibit.

11Executive SummaryInforms reader precisely of:research problemanalysis method results

Transmittal Letter and Executive SummaryReader shouldnt have to read whole report to get main pointsSummary!! Limit to one (1) page

This is the TL;DR. This determines if I should keep reading or if this report sucks.12Section 1 Introduction Project Name and Purpose Project Limits Project Objectives Assumptions and Constraints PriorStudies (if appropriate)

1.1 Project Name and Purpose 1.2 Project Limits 1.3 Project Objectives 1.4 Assumptions and Constraints 1.5 PriorStudies

13Section 1 Introduction Explains the study problem and its context brieflyImportance of problemReasons and goals for studyLimitationsYou want your audience to understand WHY the report is importantWHY its being writtenWHY reader should read itPresent Tense1.1 Project Name and Purpose 1.2 Project Limits 1.3 Project Objectives 1.4 Assumptions and Constraints 1.5 PriorStudies

14Section 2 Existing Conditions Location and Topography Land Use Right-of-Way (if appropriate)Pipelines and Utilities (if appropriate)Other

Section 3 HydraulicsAnalysis Objective Hydraulic Methodology Pre-Project Conditions

Weve edited this to be more concise.This is just the method16Section 3 HydraulicsMethodology Explains how:Data was gathered/generatedData was analyzedAssumes reader understands materialIs in past tense and passive voice The research has been carried out

Usually does not include explanatory details.But for the project, write as if we are your client and also your professors.Be professional and explanatory. We should be able to read Section 3 and redo all of your work and produce your results.17Section 3 HydraulicsActive vs. Passive

Active: I observed the angle to be...Passive: The angle was observed to be...

Active: The authors suggest...Passive: It is suggested..

Active: We used EPANET to..Passive: The hydraulic model EPANET was used to ..

Usually does not include explanatory details.But for the project, write as if we are your client and also your professors.Be professional and explanatory. We should be able to read Section 3 and redo all of your work and produce your results.18Section 3 HydraulicsHedging wordsIt would appear that These results suggestIt would seemA cause of this may beA possible explanation for this is

Usually does not include explanatory details.But for the project, write as if we are your client and also your professors.Be professional and explanatory. We should be able to read Section 3 and redo all of your work and produce your results.19Section 4 cost estimateDescription of proposed plan Itemized estimate/cost analysis

Results and Discussion

20Section 5 conclusionsResults Visually and textually represents findingsVisually:Graphs, tables, diagrams, charts, screen capturesPlease describe Figures and Tables correctly Explanatory text:Points out most significant portions of research findings Highlights expected and/or unexpected findings

This is the part where youre trying to state all of the problems in a nice way21Section 5 conclusionsDiscussion Assesses and comments on research resultsExplanation for ResultsRecommendationsSummary Similar to the Exec Summary Focuses more of results, cost, etc.

Please DO NOT list all the ways you went wrong.A client does NOT want to hear that. You all should be able to get an answer, there should NOT be an explanation for wrong results22Other expectationsLabel Figures and Tables correctlyHeadings and sub-headingsProper grammarFlowNo contractions (wont, cant)No rhetorical questionsFlow different writers. Should read the same23

Cost EstimatingPrivate project cost estimatesFeasibility Determines no/go decisionPrepared prior to developmentBased on general scope of project (items/work hours/etc)Includes significant contingency (30%)PreliminaryPrepared after plan has evolved but before any construction drawingsUsed by developer to secure funding/ assist in developing alternatives before final decision on product detailsAccuracy +/- 10-15%Contingency (15-20%)Construction/DetailedPrepared after plans have been approvedAccuracy +/- 5%Car sales man. 10k ok I have 10k.If you explain why its 10k, Im more willing to give you money.

Feasibility ball park26FeasibilityEstimate

Ball parkFor ex: all different depts make a feasibility cost and all of that gets put together and sent to developer. 27Preliminary estimateDeveloped from plans that have not yet reached sufficient detailPurpose is to:Acquire approvals from permitting jurisdictionDetermine problems that will affect project Determine cost to constructHelp developer to obtain developer loan applicationsWater SupplyPipes - dollars per linear footValves, hydrants, fire lines, pumpsSemi detailed/ conceptual28Construction estimateGenerally developed after construction plans have been approved Quantity takeoffs to be determinedDouble check estimates with a PE (more experience)