Construction glossary
Prevailing wage
Also called Davis-Bacon, PLA, decree, certified payroll.
Prevailing wage (Davis-Bacon in the US, decree and many PLAs in Canada) is a required compensation package on covered work. It is not the same thing as a public T&M charge-out median.
Why the book is blended
Rates by SubTrack mixes open-shop and union-influenced markets into one public range. A King County PLA, a Quebec decree, or a federal Davis-Bacon job can sit above that range. Confirm the agreement, then store that number on the project sheet.
Certified payroll is not a LEM
Certified payroll proves what you paid. The LEM proves what you billed. You need both on covered work, and they will not match line-for-line if burden and markup are doing their job.
Prevailing wage FAQ
Does the Rates index follow Davis-Bacon?
No. It is a blended public T&M range. Use the wage determination on covered work, then decide your sell rate.
Can charge-out be below prevailing wage?
Your cost cannot be, on covered work. Your sell rate is still a separate decision — and usually higher once overhead and margin are on.
The index is a benchmark. Rate sheets are how you bill.
Rates shows public charge-out ranges. SubTrack rate sheets lock your crew numbers into a template the field actually bills from, on every LEM.
One template, every job
Labor, equipment, materials, and subs live in one sheet. Assign it to a project and tickets read the same numbers.
OT and markup apply themselves
Standby, overtime, and markup rules ride with the sheet. The field does not retype them.
The client sees what they signed
Line items match the agreed rates. Fewer disputes, faster approvals.
Project rate sheet
Labor · assigned to the job
| Position | Reg. rate | OT rate |
|---|---|---|
| Foreman | $72/hr | $108/hr |
| Operator | $68/hr | $102/hr |
| Laborer | $35/hr | $52.50/hr |