Overview
One of the most important, if not the most important, aspects of operating a profitable business is knowing what to charge. Many factors go into properly estimating a project such as: Labor Costs, Material Costs, Equipment Costs, Trucking Costs, and more. In this article we will discuss how to properly calculate how much material will be needed for your asphalt jobs.
Calculation Overview
There are two ways of calculating material needed:
- Pounds per Cubic Foot Factor – 145 pounds per cubic foot is an average weight for asphalt materials. This is a common factor used in many calculators. To use this method follow this example:
- Square foot of Job * Application Depth of Material / 12 * 145 / 2,000 pounds in a ton
- Example : Job Size = 25,000 Square Feet * 3 Inch Application Depth = 25,000 * (3/12) = 6,250 Cubic Feet for the Job
- 6,250 * 145 = 906,250
- 906,250 / 2000 = 453.125 Tons Needed
- Weight Conversion Factor – This is a weight factor accounting for the application depth that is multiplied by the square footage of the job.
- Example: For a 3 inch depth the weight factor is .019
- 25,000 * .019 = 475 Tons Needed
- This is the factor Bitumio uses to calculate material needed. We have factors for all possible application depths.
- To change your Pounds per Cubic Foot Factor to a Weight Conversion Factor you can follow this:
- 12 * 12 * Application Depth (i.e. 3) = Cubic Inches per square foot at defined depth
- Cubic Inches per square foot at defined depth / 1728 (Cubic inches per square foot i.e. 12*12*12) * 145 (Pounds per Cubic Foot) / 2000 (Pounds in a Ton)
- Example at 3 Inch Depth:
- 12*12*3 = 432
- 432 / 1728 * 145 = 36.25
- 36.25 / 2000 = .018125
- You can then input .018125 into the Weight Conversion Factor and we will calculate your material needs for you.
Conclusion
Calculating material is actually a really easy process so do not let the numbers above intimidate you. As easy as it is, it is vital to making sure your estimates are accurate, your trucking costs are accurate, and jobs run smoothly without crews waiting on material. Once you know how much material is needed, it is simple to accurately calculate material costs.
