installed cost of non-residential wall systems comparative

Installed Cost of Non-Residential Wall Systems – Comparative Study

PREPARED FOR BRICK INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (BIA)

September 30, 2021

Submitted by:

RSMeans/Gordian

30 Patewood Dr., Suite 350

Greenville, SC 29615

1-800-334-3509

www.RSMeans.com

http://www.rsmeans.com/

Copyright © 2021

RSMeans / The Gordian Group

Construction Publishers & Consultants

30 Patewood Dr., Suite 350

Greenville, SC 29615

1-800-334-3509

RSMeans makes no express or implied representation or guarantee in connection with the

content of the information contained herein, including accuracy, correctness, value, sufficiency,

or completeness of the data, methods and other information contained herein.

Installation Comparisons – Non-Residential Wall Systems

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Brick Industry Association (BIA) is the national trade association representing distributors, manufacturers and suppliers of clay brick and related products and services. Since its founding in 1934, the association has been the nationally recognized authority on clay brick construction and represents the industry in all model building code forums and national standards committees.

BIA wants to provide the marketplace, and its members, with the trustworthy installation cost information that RSMeans can provide as an independent, third- party source.

RSMeans has been engaged to use its industry-leading cost data and perform analysis on the installed costs of various wall systems compared to brick. The results will be used to show the incremental difference in installed costs, as well as provide detailed comparisons of material and labor cost of each system.

The focus of the project is as follows:

Markets – entire U.S. market.

Wall Systems – seven (7) wall system listed below:

• Glass curtain wall

• Metal panel curtain wall

• Brick veneer/CMU cavity

• EIFS system

• Brick veneer/steel stud

• Precast Concrete Panel

• Manufactured Stone

Non-Residential Models – RSMeans Square Foot Cost Data building models will be used to determine the comparative cost of brick to other wall systems across two (2) building story height ranges and four building types in each range:

• Up To 60’o Office Building, 2-4 Storieso Hospital Building, 2-3 Storieso High School Building, 2-3

Storieso Apartment Building, 1-3 Stories

• Over 60’o Office Building, 5-10 Storieso Hospital Building, 4-8 Storieso College Dormitory Building, 4-8

Storieso Apartment Building, 4-7 Stories


METHODOLOGY

RSMeans is using as a base wall system a Brick Veneer on CMU backup wall system which is illustrated below in Figure #1.

Figure #1 – Typical Brick / CMU Wall Construction System

Wall System Cost Comparisons

RSMeans evaluated the cost for installing different wall systems used on non-residential buildings including: 1) Office Building; 2) Health Care; 3) Education (K-12); 4) Education (University); and 5) Apartment Building. The cost study will be broken into two parts using four (4) non-residential buildings with story heights up to 60’ and four (4) buildings above 60 feet.The RSMeans Square Foot Building Cost Data cost publication will be used since it estimatesnon-residential building costs on a square foot basis using major building components and byunit costs.

Figure #2 – RSMeans 2021 Square Foot Cost Data book


1. Used four (4) non-residential building models up to 60’ to estimate the cost to enclosethe building envelope with seven (7) different wall system types:

Source: RSMeans Square Foot Cost Publication – Up To 60’ Models Used

2. All wall system costs are based upon U.S. National Average pricing for material, labor andequipment. The RSMeans location factors can be used to adjust costs to any U.S. location usinga 3-digit zip code.

3. All wall system costs were developed using commercially available, standard cost data.Commercial face brick costs were used in the development of the brick wall systems.

4. Staging and scaffolding costs were excluded from the wall system used in this study.


WALL SYSTEM COST ANALYSIS

The brick veneer, CMU backup wall system is based on 24' wide bay, story height 14’ first floor, 12’ second floor, and 3’ parapet. RSMeans standard commercial union labor rates are used to calculate installation cost for the wall systems (see Appendix – RSMeans Labor Rates Used).

Brick Veneer / CMU Wall Framing System

Figure #3 – Brick Veneer / CMU Backup Wall System Costs

Methodology for calculating square footage of wall area for the wall system (e.g., Figure #3 above) is as follows:

1. Calculate the wall system total square footage of wall area:

Formula: 24’ Wide x (14’ High Wall + 12’ High Wall + 3’ Parapet) = 696 S.F. of Wall Area

2. Divide the Material, Installation and Total Cost by the S.F. of Wall Area calculated in step 1:

Formula: Material Installation Total

Total Cost: $7,453.10 $15,346.61 $22,799.73

S.F. Wall Area: 696 696 696

Cost per S.F/Wall Area: $10.71 $22.05 $32.76

Qty Description UnitMat. Cost

w/ O&P

Install Cost

w/ O&P

Total w/

O&P

188.00 Grout, concrete masonry unit (CMU) cores, 8" thick, 0.258 C.F./S.F., pumped, excludes

blockwork

S.F. $295.72 $652.29 948.01

165.00 Masonry reinforcing bars, #3 and #4 reinforcing steel bars, placed vertically, ASTM A615 Lb. $112.53 $304.83 $417.36

0.40 Masonry anchors, adjustable wall ties, anchor and tie, rectangular, mill galvanized, 4-1/8" wide,

3/16" wire, 2-3/4" eye, 4-3/4" tie

M $228.80 $251.25 $480.05

30.00 Control joint, PVC, for double wythe 8" minimum wall (Brick/CMU) L.F. $54.12 $48.47 $102.59

472.00 Concrete block, back-up, normal weight, tooled joint one side, 2000 psi, 8" x 8" x 16", includes

mortar and horizontal joint reinforcing every other course, excludes scaffolding, vertical

reinforcing and grout

S.F. $1,531.64 $3,909.10 $5,440.74

144.00 Concrete block, bond beam, normal weight, 2000 psi, 8" x 8" x 16", includes mortar, excludes

scaffolding, horizontal reinforcing, vertical reinforcing and grout

L.F. $464.11 $766.91 $1,231.02

105.00 Masonry reinforcing bars, #3 and #4 reinforcing steel bars, placed horizontally, ASTM A615 Lb. $71.61 $151.02 $222.63

570.00 Brick walls, alternate method of estimating by square foot, common brick, 6.75 brick per

square foot, 4" thick wall, incl mortar, 3% brick waste and 25% mortar waste, excl scaffolding,

horizontal reinforcing, vertical reinforcing and grout

S.F. $3,053.49 $7,120.16 $10,173.65

570.00 Washing brick, smooth brick, acid wash S.F. $37.62 $657.91 $695.53

3.20 Lintel angle, structural, unpainted, 5"x3-1/2"x5/16" T, 10'-0" long, shop fabricated Ea. $323.84 $273.92 597.76

500.00 Lintel angle, structural, unpainted, under 500 lb., shop fabricated, for galvanizing, add Lb. $214.50 $214.50

16.00 Sheet metal flashing, stainless steel, flexible sheets, .010" thick, 32 gauge, including up to 4

bends

S.F. $62.48 $64.70 $127.18

96.00 Self-adhering sheet or roll flashing, cross laminated, HDPE, 25 Mil, 12" L.F. $78.14 $77.38 $155.52

1.50 Pre-formed joint seals, backer rod, polyethylene, 3/4" dia C.L.F. $12.71 $210.80 $223.50

150.00 Joint sealants, caulking and sealants, silicone, bulk, in place, 1/2" x 1/2" L.F. $140.58 $352.40 $493.00

570.00 Extruded polystyrene insulation, rigid, for walls, 25 PSI compressive strength, 2" thick, R10 S.F. $771.21 $505.48 $1,276.69

Total Cost $7,453.10 $15,346.61 $22,799.73

Cost Per S.F. of Wall Area (696 S.F.) $10.71 $22.05 $32.76


Total Cost Comparison – Non-Residential Wall Systems

The total installed cost of each typical wall system is presented in the chart below (e.g. Figure #4). This total is the sum of material cost plus installation cost.

Figure #4 – Total Installed Cost Comparison – per S.F. of Wall Area

Wall System Installation Cost Comparison Figure 5 below indicates the installation labor and equipment cost for each of the systems.

Figure #5 – Installation Cost Comparison – per S.F. of Wall Area


Wall System Material Cost Comparison

The chart below (Figure #6) gives the bare material cost of each system with a 10% markup applied.

Figure #6 – Material Cost Comparison – per S.F. of Wall Area

Find in the table below the wall system cost comparison.

Material

Cost per S.F. of

Wall Area

Installation

Cost per S.F. of

Wall Area

Total Installed

Cost per S.F. of

Wall Area

1 EIFS System $5.55 $13.55 $19.11

2 Brick Veneer/Steel Stud $9.86 $17.62 $27.47

3 Brick Veneer/CMU Cavity $10.71 $22.05 $32.76

4 Manufactured Stone $10.60 $23.22 $33.82

5 Precast Concrete Wall Panel $32.24 $12.61 $44.85

6 Metal Panel Curtain Wall $39.54 $26.60 $66.14

7 Glass Curtain Wall $42.58 $27.51 $70.09

Wall Systems


FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

RSMeans analyzed the installed costs to apply seven (7) different wall systems to eight (8) RSMeans building models. The wall system cost were estimated for four (4) building models up to 60 feet and 4 building models over 60 feet.

We found the installed wall system costs were directionally similar in all eight (8) building types evaluated. EIFS and Brick Veneer on Steel Stud wall systems were at the low end of the range while the two curtain wall systems types were the most expensive.

Find below in Figure #17 the building costs for a three (3)-story, 20,000 S.F. Office Building where each of the seven (7) wall system were modeled.

Figure #17 –Wall Systems Cost Comparisons for 3-Story, Office Building, 20.000 S.F..

The Brick/CMU wall system is estimated to cost 11-12% less than the two curtain wall systems. Additionally, the Brick/CMU system total installation cost is within +/(-) 3% of the installed cost of manufactured stone or a precast concrete panel wall system. The brick veneer on a metal stud wall system is approximately 3% less than the brick/CMU wall system.

RSMeans has attached to this cost study a customized MS Excel cost calculator allowing BIA to estimate wall system costs for the eight (8) non-residential buildings included in the study for any zip code in the U.S.


APPENDIX B: RSMeans Labor Rates Used

RSMeans Labor Cost Used

Union Labor

Labor costs are based on the average of wage rates from 30 major U.S. cities. Rates are determined from labor union agreements or prevailing wages for construction trades for the current year. Rates include employer paid fringe benefits.

Open Shop Labor

Labor costs are based on the average of open shop wage rates from 30 major U.S. cities for construction trades for the current year. Rates include employer paid fringe benefits.


APPENDIX C: City Cost Indexes

RSMeans City Cost Indexes (CCI) are an extremely useful tool to use when you want to compare costs from city to city and region to region.

This publication contains average construction cost indexes for 731 U.S. cities covering over 910 three-digit zip code locations, as listed directly under each city. The following cost summaries use the RSMeans national cost average. To obtain cost estimates for a specific location, please send the three-digit zip code requested to [email protected].

Keep in mind that a City Cost Index number is a percentage ratio of a specific city’s cost to the national average cost of the same item at a stated time period.

In other words, these index figures represent relative construction factors (or, if you prefer, multipliers) for Material and Installation costs, as well as the weighted average for Total In Place costs for each CSI MasterFormat division. Installation costs include both labor and equipment rental costs.

The 30 City Average Index is the average of 30 major U.S. cities and serves as a National Average. Index figures for both material and installation are based on the 30 major city average of 100 and represent the cost relationship as of July 1, 2014. The index for each division is computed from representative material and labor quantities for that division. The weighted average for each city is a weighted total of the components listed above it, but does not include relative productivity between trades or cities.

As changes occur in local material prices, labor rates, and equipment rental rates (including fuel costs), the impact of these changes should be accurately measured by the change in the City Cost Index for each particular city (as compared to the 30 City Average).

Therefore, if you know (or have estimated) building costs in one city today, you can easily convert those costs to expected building costs in another city.

What the CCI does not indicate

The weighted average for each city is a total of the divisional components weighted to reflect typical usage, but it does not include the productivity variations between trades or cities.

In addition, the CCI does not take into consideration factors such as the following: • managerial efficiency• competitive conditions• automation• restrictive union practices

• unique local requirements• regional variations due to specific building

codes


RSMeans | The Gordian Group 30 Patewood Dr., Suite 350

Greenville, SC 29615 1-800-334-3509

10/27/2021 10:54 AM

RS Means Cost Estimate: 20,000 Square Foot Office Building

Three Story 20,000 Square Foot Office BuildingEIFS with

Metal Studs

Brick with

Steel Studs

Manufactured

Stone with

Metal Studs

Brick with

CMUPrecast Concrete

Metal Panel

Curtain Wall

Glass Curtain

Wall

Installed Cost of Cladding per Square Foot of Floor Area $9.90 $14.24 $17.54 $16.98 $23.25 $34.29 $36.33

Total Cost of Installed Cladding Material $198,000 $284,800 $350,800 $339,600 $465,000 $685,800 $726,600

Total Cost of Construction per Square Foot $180.14 $185.67 $189.98 $194.69 $203.44 $213.71 $214.47

Total Building Construction Cost $3,602,800 $3,713,400 $3,799,600 $3,893,800 $4,068,800 $4,274,200 $4,289,400

Cost is Higher or (Lower) than Clay Brick with Steel Studs -3.0% N/A 2.3% N/A 9.6% 15.1% 15.5%

Cost is Higher or (Lower) than Clay Brick with CMU -7.5% N/A -2.4% N/A 4.5% 9.8% 10.2%

National Average

Source: RSMeans/Gordian, Installed Cost of Non-Residential Siding, Comparative Study: September 30, 2021

Brick Industry Association

12007 Sunrise Valley Drive

Suite 430

Reston VA 20191

(703) 620-0010 www.gobrick.com

10/27/2021 10:54 AM

RS Means Cost Estimate: 25,000 Square Foot Apartment Building

Three Story 25,000 Square Foot Apartment BuildingEIFS with

Metal Studs

Brick with

Steel Studs

Manufactured

Stone with

Metal Studs

Brick with

CMUPrecast Concrete

Metal Panel

Curtain Wall

Glass Curtain

Wall


Total Cost of Installed Cladding Material $238,250 $342,750 $421,750 $408,500 $559,250 $824,750 $874,000



Cost is Higher or (Lower) than Clay Brick with Steel Studs -1.5% N/A 1.9% N/A 6.3% 14.5% 14.9%Cost is Higher or (Lower) than Clay Brick with CMU -4.4% N/A -1.2% N/A 3.1% 11.0% 11.5%

National Average




Suite 430

Reston VA 20191


10/27/2021 10:54 AM

RS Means Cost Estimate: 150,000 Square Foot High School

Two Story150,000 Square Foot High School BuildingEIFS with

Metal Studs

Brick with

Steel Studs

Manufactured

Stone with Metal

Studs

Brick with

CMUPrecast Concrete

Metal Panel

Curtain Wall

Glass Curtain

Wall


Total Cost of Installed Cladding Material $835,500 $1,203,000 $1,480,500 $1,435,500 $1,963,500 $2,895,000 $3,069,000



Cost is Higher or (Lower) than Clay Brick with Steel Studs -3.7% N/A 11.3% N/A 14.7% 15.4% 15.6%Cost is Higher or (Lower) than Clay Brick with CMU -9.9% N/A 4.1% N/A 7.4% 8.0% 8.2%

National Average




Suite 430

Reston VA 20191


10/27/2021 10:54 AM

RS Means Cost Estimate: 100,000 Square Foot Hospital Building

Two Story 100,000 Square Foot Hospital BuildingEIFS with

Metal Studs

Brick with

Steel Studs

Manufactured

Stone with

Metal Studs

Brick with

CMUPrecast Concrete

Metal Panel

Curtain Wall

Glass Curtain

Wall


Total Cost of Installed Cladding Material $317,000 $457,000 $562,000 $545,000 $746,000 $1,099,000 $1,165,000



Cost is Higher or (Lower) than Clay Brick with Steel Studs -0.4% N/A -0.5% N/A 0.5% 0.7% -1.5%Cost is Higher or (Lower) than Clay Brick with CMU -0.7% N/A -0.7% N/A 0.3% 0.5% -1.7%

National Average




Suite 430

Reston VA 20191


10/27/2021 10:54 AM

RS Means Cost Estimate: 80,000 Square Foot Office Building

Eight Story 80,000 Square Foot Office BuildingEIFS with

Metal Studs

Brick with

Steel Studs

Manufactured

Stone with

Metal Studs

Brick with

CMUPrecast Concrete

Metal Panel

Curtain Wall

Glass Curtain

Wall


Total Cost of Installed Cladding Material $616,000 $886,400 $1,090,400 $1,056,800 $1,446,400 $2,133,600 $2,260,800




National Average




Suite 430

Reston VA 20191


10/27/2021 10:54 AM

RS Means Cost Estimate: 60,000 Square Foot Apartment Building

Six Story 60,000 Square Foot Apartment BuildingEIFS with

Metal Studs

Brick with

Steel Studs

Manufactured

Stone with

Metal Studs

Brick with

CMUPrecast Concrete

Metal Panel

Curtain Wall

Glass Curtain

Wall


Total Cost of Installed Cladding Material $549,600 $791,400 $974,400 $943,200 $1,291,800 $1,905,000 $2,018,400




National Average




Suite 430

Reston VA 20191


10/27/2021 10:54 AM

RS Means Cost Estimate: 85,000 Square Foot College Dormitory

Six Story 85,000 Square Foot College DormitoryEIFS with

Metal Studs

Brick with

Steel Studs

Manufactured

Stone with

Metal Studs

Brick with

CMUPrecast Concrete

Metal Panel

Curtain Wall

Glass Curtain

Wall


Total Cost of Installed Cladding Material $549,950 $791,350 $974,100 $943,500 $1,291,150 $1,904,850 $2,018,750




National Average




Suite 430

Reston VA 20191


10/27/2021 10:54 AM

RS Means Cost Estimate: 200,000 Square Foot Hospital Building

Six Story 200,000 Square Foot Hospital BuildingEIFS with

Metal Studs

Brick with

Steel Studs

Manufactured

Stone with

Metal Studs

Brick with

CMUPrecast Concrete

Metal Panel

Curtain Wall

Glass Curtain

Wall


Total Cost of Installed Cladding Material $952,000 $1,370,000 $1,686,000 $1,634,000 $2,238,000 $3,298,000 $3,496,000



Cost is Higher or (Lower) than Clay Brick with Steel Studs -1.0% N/A 1.0% N/A 3.8% 4.7% 4.3%

Cost is Higher or (Lower) than Clay Brick with CMU -1.9% N/A 0.0% N/A 2.8% 3.7% 3.3%

National Average




Suite 430

Reston VA 20191


installed cost of non-residential wall systems comparative

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