Code guides · Davis-Bacon / state prevailing wage
Prevailing wage primer
Federal projects ≥ $2,000 trigger Davis-Bacon. Many states have stricter thresholds (California's $25K). The wage delta is real money — typically 15–40% above merit-shop rates depending on classification + location.
Federal triggers
- All federally-funded construction ≥ $2,000
- DOT highway projects (FHWA) ≥ $2,000
- HUD-insured housing (Davis-Bacon Related Acts) per HUD threshold
- Service Contract Act (1965) for federal service contracts ≥ $2,500
State triggers (examples)
- California: $1,000 / $25,000 (depends on construction type)
- New York: $0 (every public-works job)
- Illinois: $0 for state public works
- Texas: no state prevailing wage (federal only)
- Georgia: no state prevailing wage (federal only)
How the takeoff handles it
Each project has a wage_type setting. When set to PREVAILING, the labor-rate engine applies the federal or state wage decision per labor classification. The wage delta vs. your in-house rate appears as its own line on the bid so the GC sees where the premium lives.
Disclosure
This is a plain-English summary for estimating purposes. It is not a substitute for the actual code documents — review for AHJ-specific amendments. Adopted editions vary by jurisdiction; OmniTakeoff applies the edition declared on the project, not a hard-coded default.
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