BOQ & Costing
Labor Rates

Labor Rates

BuildVision includes industry-standard labor rates for accurate cost estimation. Rates vary by trade, skill level, and region.

Rate Structure

Each trade has three skill tiers:

TierDescriptionTypical Rate
JourneymanLicensed/certified tradesperson$45-85/hr
HelperExperienced assistant$30-55/hr
ApprenticeIn training$22-42/hr

Default Rates by Trade

MEP Trades (Higher Rates)

TradeJourneymanHelperApprentice
Electrical$85/hr$55/hr$42.50/hr
Plumbing$85/hr$55/hr$42.50/hr
HVAC$80/hr$52/hr$40/hr
Fire Protection$80/hr$52/hr$40/hr

Structural Trades

TradeJourneymanHelperApprentice
Concrete$65/hr$42.50/hr$32.50/hr
Masonry$65/hr$42.50/hr$32.50/hr
Structural Steel$75/hr$48.75/hr$37.50/hr
Framing$60/hr$39/hr$30/hr

Finishes

TradeJourneymanHelperApprentice
Drywall$55/hr$35.75/hr$27.50/hr
Painting$45/hr$30/hr$22.50/hr
Flooring$60/hr$39/hr$30/hr

Specialty

TradeJourneymanHelperApprentice
Demolition$60/hr$40/hr$30/hr
Roofing$65/hr$42.50/hr$32.50/hr
Insulation$50/hr$32.50/hr$25/hr

Regional Adjustments

Labor costs vary by region. BuildVision applies multipliers:

RegionAdjustment
National (baseline)1.0x
West Coast (CA, OR, WA)1.25x
Northeast (NY, NJ, MA)1.2x
Mountain (CO, UT, NV)1.05x
Southwest (TX, AZ)1.0x
Midwest (OH, MI, IL)0.95x
Southeast (FL, GA, NC)0.9x
AustraliaCustom
UKCustom
EuropeCustom

Crew Compositions

Default crew sizes for productivity calculations:

TradeTypical Crew
Electrical1 journeyman + 1 apprentice
Plumbing1 journeyman + 1 helper
Concrete2 journeymen + 2 helpers
Demolition1 lead + 3 laborers
Framing2 journeymen + 1 helper
Painting1 journeyman

Customizing Rates

To set custom rates for your company:

  1. Go to Settings > BOQ > Labor Rates
  2. Select your Labor Region
  3. Override individual trade rates as needed
  4. Save changes

Custom rates apply to all new estimates. Existing quotes retain their original rates.

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