Concrete Module

The Concrete Module is ForgeX's most powerful estimation tool, specifically designed for Precision Site Services' specialty: concrete and rebar work. This module handles all concrete elements with automatic calculations for cubic yardage, square footage, and rebar pounds.

note

PSS Specialty: ForgeX's concrete module includes advanced rebar shop calculations specifically for prefabricated rebar cages (grade beams, footings, piers).

Concrete Shapes Supported

ForgeX supports four primary concrete shapes:

Shape	Best For	Measurements Calculated
Prism	Slabs, footings, walls	SF, CY
Cylinder	Piers, columns, piles	LF, Pieces, CY
Custom	Irregular shapes	Manual CY entry
Rebar Cage	Prefab cages (shop work)	LBS of rebar

Creating a Concrete Item

Step 1: Navigate to Scope

Open your bid from the dashboard
Click on the scope where you want to add concrete
Click the "Concrete" tab

Step 2: Add Concrete Item

Click "Add Concrete Item" button to open the form.

note

Input units

The Add Item dialog asks for each dimension in the unit estimators actually use:

Prism (slab / footing / wall): Length and Width in feet, Depth in inches
Cylinder (pier / column): Diameter in inches, Depth in feet
Mat footing: Width in feet

Switching the shape or calculation mode clears the affected dimension, so a value is never silently reinterpreted in the wrong unit (e.g., 12× off).

Prism (Slabs, Footings, Walls)

Prisms are rectangular concrete elements. Use for:

Slabs on grade
Elevated slabs
Footings (strip or spread)
Walls (foundation or retaining)

Required Fields

namestringrequired

Description of the item (e.g., "Foundation Slab", "East Wall")

shapeenumrequired

Select "Prism"

lengthnumberrequired

Length in feet (always the longest dimension)

widthnumberrequired

Width in feet

depthInnumberrequired

Depth/thickness in inches (will convert to feet for CY calculation)

Optional Fields

rebarSizestring

Rebar size: #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8

Standard Weights per LF:

#3 = 0.376 lbs/ft
#4 = 0.668 lbs/ft
#5 = 1.043 lbs/ft
#6 = 1.502 lbs/ft
#7 = 2.044 lbs/ft

rebarOCstring

On-center spacing for rebar grid (e.g., "12", "18", "24")

Common spacings: 6", 8", 12", 16", 18", 24"

rebarOrientationenum

BOTH_WAYS: Grid pattern (typical for slabs)
ONE_WAY: Parallel bars only (typical for walls)
NONE: No rebar

mixDesignIdstring

Select from pricing catalog:

Slab on Grade (3000 PSI, 4000 PSI, etc.)
Footing Mix
Structural Mix
Custom mixes

How Calculations Work

Cubic Yards:

CY = (Length × Width × (Depth_in_inches ÷ 12)) ÷ 27

Example:

Length: 100 ft
Width: 65 ft
Depth: 6 in (0.5 ft)
CY = (100 × 65 × 0.5) ÷ 27 = 120.37 CY

Square Feet:

SF = Length × Width

Rebar Pounds (Slab / Both Ways):

ForgeX uses a pounds-per-square-foot density model (not a bar-by-bar grid count):

# Pounds per SF for one direction, from bar weight and spacing
Rate_per_SF = Weight_per_LF × 12 ÷ OC_spacing_in

# Add both directions for a both-ways slab
Total_Rate = Main_Rate_per_SF + Transverse_Rate_per_SF

# Base pounds, then waste applied separately (see Waste Factors)
Rebar_Pounds = Slab_SF × Total_Rate

Example (100' × 65' slab = 6,500 SF, #4 @ 12" OC both ways):

Rate per direction: 0.668 × 12 ÷ 12 = 0.668 lbs/SF
Both ways: 0.668 + 0.668 = 1.336 lbs/SF
Base pounds: 6,500 × 1.336 = 8,684 lbs
With 10% waste: ~9,552 lbs

Cost Breakdown

When you save a prism item, ForgeX calculates:

Concrete Cost = CY × Mix Price per CY
- Plus tax (if not tax-exempt)
Rebar Cost = Pounds × Rebar Price per LB
- Plus waste factor (typically 10%)
- Plus tax (if not tax-exempt)
Total Item Cost = Concrete Cost + Rebar Cost

tip

Pro Tip: For slabs, always use "BOTH_WAYS" rebar orientation. For walls, use "ONE_WAY" oriented perpendicular to the wall length.

Cylinder (Piers, Columns, Piles)

Cylinders are round concrete elements. Use for:

Drilled piers (caissons)
Round columns
Piles
Bollards

Required Fields

namestringrequired

Description (e.g., "Pier #1", "Column Grid A-1")

shapeenumrequired

Select "Cylinder"

diameternumberrequired

Diameter in inches

Common sizes: 12", 18", 24", 30", 36", 48"

lengthnumberrequired

Length/height in feet

For drilled piers: depth below grade

quantitynumber

Number of identical cylinders (default: 1)

Use for multiple identical piers

Cylinder Calculations

Cubic Yards (per cylinder):

Radius_ft = (Diameter_inches ÷ 12) ÷ 2
CY_each = (π × Radius² × Length) ÷ 27
Total_CY = CY_each × Quantity

Example (24" diameter, 15' deep pier, quantity 4):

Radius: (24 ÷ 12) ÷ 2 = 1 ft
CY each: (π × 1² × 15) ÷ 27 = 1.745 CY
Total: 1.745 × 4 = 6.98 CY

Linear Feet:

LF = Length × Quantity

Pieces:

Pieces = Quantity

Spiral Rebar for Cylinders

note

For drilled piers, rebar is typically a cage with vertical bars and spiral ties. This is more complex than flat rebar grids.

Vertical Bars:

Specify number of bars (e.g., 6 bars around perimeter)
Specify bar size (#5, #6, #7, #8)
Outer-pier vertical bars run 3 ft longer than the pier depth to form the L-dowels that hook into adjacent structure. The center bar and any prism bars are not extended.

Spiral / Perimeter Ties:

Specify tie size (typically #3 or #4)
Specify pitch (spacing vertically, e.g., 4" or 6")
Tie count along the pier depth is floor(depth × 12 ÷ pitch) + 1 (the division rounded down, plus one for the tie at the far end), then +4 ties are added for extra reinforcement at the top and bottom
Circumference per tie: π × (Diameter − 2 × cover)

warning

Prefab Rebar Cages: If your piers use prefabricated rebar cages from the shop, use the Rebar Cage shape instead. See below for shop calculations.

Rebar Cage (Prefab Shop Work)

note

PSS SPECIALTY: This is where ForgeX shines! Grade beams, footings, and piers are often sent to the rebar shop for prefabrication. ForgeX calculates shop costs by the pound.

When to Use Rebar Cage Shape

Use this shape when:

Grade beams are being prefabbed
Pier cages are prefabbed
Column cages are prefabbed
You're billing the shop by the pound

Rebar Cage Calculations

ForgeX uses PSS's proprietary grade beam formula:

Core Formula:

# Installed linear feet (in-place steel before waste), accounting for lap splices
Sticks_Needed = 1 + ceil((GB_Length − Stick_Length) ÷ (Stick_Length − Lap))   # if GB_Length > Stick_Length
Installed_LF  = GB_Length + (Sticks_Needed − 1) × Lap

Lap Splice Calculation:

Lap = 30 × Bar_Diameter_inches ÷ 12

Examples:
- #4 bar: 30 × 0.5 = 15" = 1.25 ft
- #5 bar: 30 × 0.625 = 18.75" = 1.56 ft
- #6 bar: 30 × 0.75 = 22.5" = 1.88 ft

Stirrup Calculation:

# Stirrup perimeter (assumes 2" cover per side)
Stirrup_Width = GB_Width - 4"
Stirrup_Height = GB_Height - 4"
Stirrup_Perimeter = 2 × (Stirrup_Width + Stirrup_Height)

# Number of stirrups
Stirrups_Count = floor(GB_Length × 12 ÷ Stirrup_Spacing_in) + 1   # +1 for the end stirrup

# Total stirrup length
Stirrup_LF = (Stirrup_Perimeter ÷ 12) × Stirrups_Count

Total Weight:

Total_Weight = (Longitudinal_LF × Long_Bar_Weight) + (Stirrup_LF × Stirrup_Weight)

Example: Grade Beam

Given:

Length: 100 ft
Width: 18"
Height: 24"
Longitudinal bars: 4× #6
Stirrups: #4 @ 12" OC
Stick length: 20 ft (standard rebar length)

Calculations:

Lap splice for #6: 30 × 0.75 = 22.5" = 1.875 ft
Installed LF per bar: Sticks_Needed = 1 + ceil((100 − 20) ÷ (20 − 1.875)) = 6; Installed_LF = 100 + (6 − 1) × 1.875 = 109.38 LF
Total longitudinal: 109.38 × 4 bars = 437.5 LF
Weight longitudinal: 437.5 × 1.502 (#6 weight) = 657 lbs
Stirrup perimeter: 2 × ((18-4) + (24-4)) = 68" = 5.67 ft
Stirrups count: floor(100 × 12 ÷ 12) + 1 = 101 stirrups
Stirrup LF: 5.67 × 101 = 572.33 LF
Weight stirrups: 572.33 × 0.668 (#4 weight) = 382 lbs
TOTAL WEIGHT: 657 + 382 = 1,039 lbs
Shop charges: 1,039 lbs × $1.20/lb = $1,246.80

tip

Important: Stirrup clearance is 2" per side, which equals 8" total off the perimeter (4" from width + 4" from height). NOT 3" per side!

3D Concrete Viewer

ForgeX includes a powerful 3D viewer for visualizing concrete items in space.

Opening the 3D Viewer

Navigate to your scope
Scroll to the "3D Concrete Viewer" section
The viewer loads automatically showing all concrete items

3D Viewer Features

Visualization
Positioning
Camera Controls
Statistics

What You See:

Concrete items in semi-transparent gray (60% opacity)
Selected item in yellow (90% opacity)
Rebar grid in red lines
Formwork in brown (prisms only, 2" thick boards)
Dimension lines showing L/W/H
Ground plane (toggleable: Grid, Solid, Wireframe, Off)

Using the 3D Viewer for Estimating

Scenario 1: Multi-Level Parking Garage

Create scope "Level 1 Slab"
Add slab: 200' × 100' × 6"
Set elevation: 0" (grade level)
Create scope "Level 2 Slab"
Add slab: 200' × 100' × 6"
Set elevation: 144" (12 ft above grade)
View in 3D to verify stacking

Scenario 2: Pier Layout

Create scope "Foundation Piers"
Add pier: 24" diameter × 20' deep
Set quantity: 1 (will create single pier first)
Toggle Position Mode
Right-click drag to position pier #1
Add more piers and position each
View in 3D to verify spacing meets plans

Mix Designs

ForgeX includes a pricing catalog of concrete mix designs.

Common Mix Designs

Mix Type	PSI	Typical Use	Price Range
Slab on Grade	3000	Residential slabs, sidewalks	$135-145/CY
Slab on Grade	4000	Commercial slabs, light traffic	$145-155/CY
Footing Mix	3000	Spread footings, grade beams	$140-150/CY
Structural	4000	Walls, columns, elevated slabs	$150-165/CY
Structural	5000	High-strength applications	$165-180/CY
Fiber-Reinforced	4000	Crack control, flatwork	$160-175/CY

note

Prices shown are approximate and include delivery within 20 miles. Actual prices come from the ForgeX pricing catalog, which is updated by admins.

Selecting the Right Mix

◻️Slabs on Grade

Light duty (residential): 3000 PSI
Heavy duty (commercial): 4000 PSI
Fiber option: Consider for crack control
Thickness: 4-6" typical

🧱Footings & Grade Beams

Standard: 3000 PSI
Heavy loads: 4000 PSI
Depth: 12-36" typical
Width: 16-24" for strip footings

📚Elevated Slabs

Minimum: 4000 PSI
High-rise: 5000+ PSI
Thickness: 6-8" typical (varies by span)
Always structural mix

🏢Walls & Columns

Standard walls: 4000 PSI
High-strength: 5000+ PSI
Thickness: 8-12" for walls
Column diameter: 12-36" typical

⭕Piers & Piles

Standard drilled piers: 4000 PSI
High-strength: 5000+ PSI
Diameter: 18-48" typical
Depth: 10-40 ft typical

Rebar Pricing

Rebar is priced by the pound in ForgeX, with different rates by size.

Current Rebar Rates (Example)

Size	Weight (lbs/ft)	Price ($/lb)	Common Use
#3	0.376	$0.85	Stirrups, ties, light mesh
#4	0.668	$0.80	Slab mesh, light beams
#5	1.043	$0.75	Slab mesh, beams, footings
#6	1.502	$0.72	Beams, footings, columns
#7	2.044	$0.70	Heavy beams, piers
#8	2.670	$0.68	Heavy piers, columns

note

Larger bars have lower $/lb prices due to less fabrication labor per pound. Actual prices are managed in the ForgeX admin pricing catalog.

Waste Factors

ForgeX automatically applies waste factors to rebar:

Standard waste: 10% (for field measurements, cutting)
Complex shapes: 15% (for heavily congested areas)
Prefab cages: 5-8% (shop work is more precise)

tip

Waste factors are configurable in Bid Settings if you need to adjust for a specific job.

"Each" (EA) Items

When an item's area type is set to Each (EA), ForgeX prices it by the unit price you enter (unit price × quantity) instead of running it through the cubic-yard volumetric formula. Use this for items billed as a flat each — for example a precast piece or a vendor-priced assembly — where the cubic-yard math would otherwise mis-price it.

For Each items:

Depth is hidden (it isn't used in the price)
Cubic yards are optional — any CY you enter still rolls into the project's total yardage and appears on exports; leave it blank to add nothing
The ready-mix small-load surcharge is suppressed (your unit price is treated as all-in)
No Rebar is auto-selected (see below)

No Rebar Option

A global No Rebar option (zero reinforcing steel) is available for any concrete item. It auto-defaults when an area type is set to Each, shows a warning in the Add Item dialog, and marks the item with an amber badge on the worksheet so a missing rebar line is obvious at a glance.

Tax Exemption

Many government and institutional clients are tax-exempt.

How Tax Exemption Works

When creating the bid, check "Tax Exempt" if applicable
ForgeX removes sales tax from consumable materials only:
- Concrete (material cost)
- Rebar (material cost)
- Installed materials (lumber, plywood, nails, vapor barrier, grout, etc.)
Tax is NOT removed from:
- Equipment rentals — always taxed, even on an exempt bid
- Blades, PPE, Safety, Small Tools, and Sprayer materials — always taxed
- Labor (never taxed)
- Subcontractor services (subs handle their own tax)

See Tax Management for the full rule and worked examples.

Verifying Tax Exemption

warning

Always verify tax-exempt status before bidding! Check:

Client provides tax-exempt certificate
Certificate is current (not expired)
Certificate covers the project location
Job type is eligible (government, non-profit, etc.)

If you create a bid as tax-exempt by mistake:

Go to Bid Settings
Change "Tax Exempt" to No
All costs recalculate with tax included

Advanced Concrete Features

Scope Multiplier

If you have repeated identical concrete pours:

Example: 4 Identical Stairwells

Create scope "Stairwell"
Set multiplier: 4
Add all concrete items for ONE stairwell
ForgeX multiplies costs × 4 automatically

Result:

Scope shows: "Stairwell (×4)"
Cubic yards: Calculated CY × 4
Cost: Total cost × 4

Scope Linking

For multi-level buildings with similar layouts:

Example: 3-Story Building, Identical Floors

Create & Estimate Level 1

Create scope "Level 1 Slab", add all concrete items, and complete estimation.

Create Level 2 Scope

Create scope "Level 2 Slab". Do NOT add items yet.

Link to Parent

In Level 2 scope, click "Link to Parent", select "Level 1 Slab" as parent, and choose inheritance settings (dimensions, materials, rebar).

Adjust as Needed

Level 2 inherits all dimensions from Level 1. Make small adjustments if needed. Change elevation to 12 ft higher.

See Scope Linking Guide for full details.

Common Estimating Scenarios

Scenario 1: Simple Slab on Grade

Job: Warehouse slab, 100' × 80', 6" thick, #4 rebar @ 18" OC both ways

Add Prism Item

Name: "Warehouse Slab"
Shape: Prism
Length: 100 ft
Width: 80 ft
Depth: 6 in

Add Rebar

Rebar Size: #4
Rebar OC: 18"
Orientation: BOTH_WAYS

Select Mix

Mix Design: "Slab on Grade - 4000 PSI"

Review Calculations

SF: 8,000 SF
CY: 148.15 CY
Rebar: ~7,100 lbs
Concrete Cost: ~$22,000
Rebar Cost: ~$5,700
Total: ~$27,700

Scenario 2: Drilled Pier Foundation

Job: 12 piers, 30" diameter, 25 ft deep, with prefab cages

Add Cylinder Item

Name: "Drilled Pier"
Shape: Cylinder
Diameter: 30 in
Length: 25 ft
Quantity: 12

Mix Design

Mix Design: "Structural - 4000 PSI"

Review Calculations

CY per pier: 4.55 CY
Total CY: 54.54 CY (×12)
LF: 300 LF
Pieces: 12
Concrete Cost: ~$8,800

Add Rebar Cage (Separate Item)

Use Rebar Cage shape
Calculate cage weight: ~1,500 lbs each
Total: 18,000 lbs
Shop cost: ~$21,600 (if $1.20/lb)

Scenario 3: Multi-Level Parking Garage

Job: 3 levels, each 200' × 150', 6" thick, identical

Create Level 1 Scope

Name: "Parking Level 1"
Add slab: 200 × 150 × 6"
Rebar: #5 @ 12" OC both ways
Mix: Structural 4000 PSI
Elevation: 0"

Create Level 2 Scope

Name: "Parking Level 2"
Link to Level 1 as parent
Inherit all dimensions
Change elevation: 144" (12 ft higher)

Create Level 3 Scope

Name: "Parking Level 3"
Link to Level 1 as parent
Inherit all dimensions
Change elevation: 288" (24 ft higher)

View in 3D

Open 3D viewer
See all 3 levels stacked
Verify elevations are correct

Troubleshooting

⚠️Cubic Yardage Seems Wrong

Check:

Depth is in inches (not feet)
Length and width are in feet (not inches)
For cylinders, diameter is in inches

Common mistake: Entering depth as "0.5" instead of "6" for a 6" slab

⚖️Rebar Pounds Too High/Low

Check:

OC spacing is correct (12" vs 18" makes huge difference)
Orientation is correct (BOTH_WAYS vs ONE_WAY)
Rebar size is correct
Waste factor is appropriate (typically 10%)

Pro tip: Rebar weight for a 100×100 slab @ 12" OC both ways ≈ 13,000-14,000 lbs (#4)

🔍Mix Design Not Showing

Fix:

Ask admin to add mix design to pricing catalog
Use "Custom" and manually enter price per CY
Temporarily use closest available mix

📚3D Viewer Shows Items at Wrong Elevation

Fix:

Click item in 3D viewer
Check elevation in Elevation Editor (top-right)
Remember: Elevation is BOTTOM of item, not top
Set elevation relative to job site grade (negative = below grade)

Next Steps

👥

Concrete Shapes Supported​

Creating a Concrete Item​

Step 1: Navigate to Scope​

Step 2: Add Concrete Item​

Prism (Slabs, Footings, Walls)​

Required Fields​

Optional Fields​

How Calculations Work​

Cost Breakdown​

Cylinder (Piers, Columns, Piles)​

Required Fields​

Cylinder Calculations​

Spiral Rebar for Cylinders​

Rebar Cage (Prefab Shop Work)​

When to Use Rebar Cage Shape​

Rebar Cage Calculations​

Example: Grade Beam​

3D Concrete Viewer​

Opening the 3D Viewer​

3D Viewer Features​

Using the 3D Viewer for Estimating​

Mix Designs​

Common Mix Designs​

Selecting the Right Mix​

Rebar Pricing​

Current Rebar Rates (Example)​

Waste Factors​

"Each" (EA) Items​

No Rebar Option​

Tax Exemption​

How Tax Exemption Works​

Verifying Tax Exemption​

Advanced Concrete Features​

Scope Multiplier​

Scope Linking​

Common Estimating Scenarios​

Scenario 1: Simple Slab on Grade​

Scenario 2: Drilled Pier Foundation​

Scenario 3: Multi-Level Parking Garage​

Troubleshooting​

Next Steps​

Labor Module

Equipment Module

Materials Module

Scope Linking

Concrete Shapes Supported

Creating a Concrete Item

Step 1: Navigate to Scope

Step 2: Add Concrete Item

Prism (Slabs, Footings, Walls)

Required Fields

Optional Fields

How Calculations Work

Cost Breakdown

Cylinder (Piers, Columns, Piles)

Required Fields

Cylinder Calculations

Spiral Rebar for Cylinders

Rebar Cage (Prefab Shop Work)

When to Use Rebar Cage Shape

Rebar Cage Calculations

Example: Grade Beam

3D Concrete Viewer

Opening the 3D Viewer

3D Viewer Features

Using the 3D Viewer for Estimating

Mix Designs

Common Mix Designs

Selecting the Right Mix

Rebar Pricing

Current Rebar Rates (Example)

Waste Factors

"Each" (EA) Items

No Rebar Option

Tax Exemption

How Tax Exemption Works

Verifying Tax Exemption

Advanced Concrete Features

Scope Multiplier

Scope Linking

Common Estimating Scenarios

Scenario 1: Simple Slab on Grade

Scenario 2: Drilled Pier Foundation

Scenario 3: Multi-Level Parking Garage

Troubleshooting

Next Steps