Construction glossary
Standby
Also called idle time, show-up, waiting on owner.
Standby is time the crew or the iron is held for the owner and not producing. It is not the same hourly as digging. If the sheet is silent, the ticket becomes a fight.
Typical patterns
A reduced equipment hourly, a show-up minimum, or the full operated rate after a notice period. Weather, owner delay, and late locates are the usual causes. Write the rule before the rain.
Do not hide it in production hours
Mixing standby into a production line makes the extra look inefficient and the invoice look padded. A separate LEM line with the standby class is cleaner.
Standby FAQ
Is standby the same as show-up pay?
Show-up is often a labor minimum when work is cancelled. Standby is usually held time during the shift. Both need a line on the sheet.
Does the Rates book include standby?
No. The published ranges are production-style T&M charge-out. Standby is a project rule.
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 |