Des Moines Distribution System

Des Moines, Washington

Owner: Des Moines Sewer District

Client Name: Ceccanti, Inc.

Engagement Scope

The Sutor Group was engaged to quantify damages incurred by the contractor as a result of specific causes relating to differing site conditions, defective specifications, and other minor issues. The Sutor Group was also engaged to determine the business devastation impact that the claim had on the financial position of Ceccanti. Our analysis indicated a project claim totaling $270,900 and a business devastation claim totaling $82,200.

Project description

This was an underground sewer pipe utilities job which was bid on a unit price basis. The majority of the work entailed installation of 16-inch, 12-inch and 8-inch ductile iron pipe and 8-inch PVC pipe. The work also included installation of manholes and some asphalt paving to repair excavated portion of roadway.

Entitlement issues

There were two primary entitlement issues on this job. The first issue was whether or not the actual soil conditions that were encountered on the job, which represented a "running sand" condition, were properly and accurately represented in the contract documents that Ceccanti relied on in bidding this project. The second major entitlement issue concerned defective specifications.

Type of impacts

Construction cost overruns representing primarily labor and equipment resulting from excess water conditions; project extension, which forced construction operations into a period of time which was impacted by adverse weather conditions; cost overruns relating to faulty bedding material specifications; pipe overruns caused by changed conditions relating to side sewer work. Additional cost impacts for mobilization, cleanup, spoils removal, general field office costs, and temporary trench patching.