AEC workflow
Estimate & Procure
Move from an early cost or product question to a documented estimate, comparison, or procurement decision.
70 resources shown.
Follow the process
How to build a reviewable construction cost estimate
Start with the decision the estimate needs to support, then establish quantities and comparable rates before adding allowances. This six-step working guide helps you produce a traceable early-stage scenario; the individual calculators and software records below support particular steps rather than replacing the whole process.
Your deliverable: A basis-of-estimate record, traceable quantities and rates, a reconciled cost scenario, and an open-questions list with owners and the next review date.
Skip to the resource library ↓Before you start
- A project brief, estimate purpose and decision date, plus the current drawing or model revision.
- A defined measurement basis and quantities, or a record of which quantities still need to be established.
- An identifiable rate source with its market, currency, base period and cost inclusions, or a plan to obtain one.
- A named estimate preparer and reviewer, with authority to resolve scope and assumptions.
Define the estimate basis
- Inputs
- Project brief, estimate purpose, location, project stage and latest design information.
- Action
- Write down what the estimate includes before choosing a tool. Separate construction work from land, fit-out, equipment and wider development costs. Name the currency, measurement convention and decision the estimate will inform.
- Output
- A basis-of-estimate record with included work, exclusions, design revision and unresolved assumptions.
- Review checkpoint
- Can another team member tell what is being estimated and what is outside the total?
- Common mistake
- Starting with a cost-per-area figure and treating it as a complete project budget.
Resources for this step
- Basis-of-estimate checklist
Use the checklist to agree the scope before entering quantities or rates.
Establish quantities and measurement basis
- Inputs
- The same drawing or model revision, measurement convention and scope agreed in step 1.
- Action
- Choose a quantity that matches the intended rate: floor area for a rate per area, key count for a rate per hotel key, or measured work items for a detailed takeoff. Record how each quantity was measured and reconcile totals before pricing it.
- Output
- A quantity schedule carrying units, measurement definitions, revision and source references.
- Review checkpoint
- Do the quantity and rate denominators describe the same thing, including the area definition?
- Common mistake
- Multiplying a per-key rate by floor area, or mixing net and gross areas without reconciliation.
Resources for this step
- Togal.AI technology overview
Compare a vendor-documented drawing-takeoff option when you need measured quantities; review its output against the drawings.
- Kreo Software technology overview
Compare another takeoff workflow before choosing how the team will measure and retain quantities.
Select comparable, dated rates
- Inputs
- Quantity schedule and an identifiable benchmark, cost database or quotation.
- Action
- Read the rate source, not just the number. Compare building subtype, location, currency, observation period, unit and included work. Keep a survey edition separate from the base period of the underlying costs. Document any adjustment instead of silently applying a generic factor.
- Output
- A rate-selection record linking the chosen value or range to its source and cost scope.
- Review checkpoint
- Is the rate comparable to this quantity and project scope? If that is unknown, obtain clarification before using it as a project estimate.
- Common mistake
- Using a development-cost benchmark as a hard-construction rate, or inventing a base month from a publication year.
Resources for this step
- Hotel construction cost calculator
Inspect the hotel-specific reference context and use only a quantity basis and rate supported by the selected source.
- Hospital construction cost calculator
Keep healthcare facility scope and equipment inclusions explicit rather than borrowing a hotel or office rate.
Build the base estimate
- Inputs
- Reconciled quantities and comparable rates with their source records.
- Action
- Multiply each quantity by its matching rate and retain the calculation basis. Use a single-rate scenario only for an appropriately bounded question; a multi-package estimate needs its own quantity and rate breakdown. Compare alternatives on the same scope before interpreting a difference.
- Output
- A traceable base amount or itemized base estimate, with each source and assumption retained.
- Review checkpoint
- Can the reviewer reproduce the arithmetic without guessing units, scope or source identity?
- Common mistake
- Treating a correctly multiplied number as proof that the rate or project scope is correct.
Resources for this step
- Construction cost estimator
Apply an entered quantity and rate for a bounded scenario; this is not an automatic market-price database or detailed bill of quantities.
Reconcile allowances without double counting
- Inputs
- Base estimate, source inclusions, project risks and separately justified allowances.
- Action
- For each fee, contingency or other allowance, first ask whether it is already in the base rate. State its amount or percentage and the base it applies to. Handle escalation, taxes, finance and other development costs explicitly in the appropriate cost plan rather than assuming they have been derived by a simple calculator.
- Output
- A reconciled scenario with base cost, each additional allowance and remaining exclusions visible.
- Review checkpoint
- Is every added item justified, non-overlapping and calculated on the intended base?
- Common mistake
- Adding fees twice because the selected benchmark already includes them, or compounding percentages without stating that method.
Resources for this step
- Entered cost scenario and allowances
Check the tool’s stated additive allowance arithmetic against your intended method; keep unsupported cost-plan items separate.
Review, hand over and define the next update
- Inputs
- Basis record, quantities, rates, arithmetic, allowances and unresolved questions.
- Action
- Ask the named reviewer to challenge comparability and completeness as well as the arithmetic. Hand over the assumptions and sources with the number, assign owners to unresolved questions, and record which design, procurement or source change will trigger the next estimate revision.
- Output
- A versioned estimate package and decision record, with review status and the next action clearly stated.
- Review checkpoint
- Does the recipient know what this scenario can support, what remains unverified and who updates it?
- Common mistake
- Sending only the total, then reusing it after the scope or source has changed.
Resources for this step
- Copy the handover checklist
Carry the source and scope record into the project’s own estimate documentation.
Worked journey: an illustrative early-stage scenario
Synthetic training example only: neither the rate nor the allowances below are published market guidance or a recommended budget. Assume the example rate excludes the stated additions; real work requires source and scope verification.
- Basis
- Compare one explicitly defined construction-work scope. Keep land, finance and tax outside this example and record those exclusions.
- Quantities
- Use 1,000 m² measured on the same stated area basis as the example rate.
- Rates
- For demonstration only, use USD 2,000/m². This invented teaching value has no verified market, observation period or project applicability.
- Base estimate
- 1,000 m² × USD 2,000/m² = USD 2,000,000.
- Allowances
- Illustrative additions on the base: fees 10% = USD 200,000; contingency 5% = USD 100,000; other 3% = USD 60,000. Total = USD 2,360,000; these additions are not compounded.
- Handover
- Retain all inputs and exclusions. The arithmetic is reproducible, but this teaching scenario is not ready for a project decision until real comparable inputs and responsible review replace its assumptions.
Basis-of-estimate checklist
Select and copy the checklist into your project document. Complete it there; this page does not save project information.
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70 connected resources
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AEC technology profiles connected to this workflow.
Beam AI
AI takeoff with human QA
Open resource →Workflow pickKreo Software
AI-powered construction takeoff and estimating platform
Open resource →Workflow pickTogal.AI
AI-powered construction takeoff and pre-construction automation
Open resource →1build
The API for live, county-level U.S. construction cost data
Open resource →Archdesk
All-in-one cloud construction management platform
Open resource →ArcSite
Mobile on-site drawing, material takeoff, and estimating for specialty contractors
Open resource →Attentive.ai (Beam AI)
AI-powered construction takeoff and estimating software for GCs, subcontractors, and suppliers
Open resource →Builda Price
Job-costing and quoting platform for New Zealand builders
Open resource →Buildertrend
Cloud-based construction project management for builders, remodelers, and contractors
Open resource →Buildxact
Residential construction estimating and project management platform
Open resource →Clearstory
Real-time change order and T&M tracking platform for construction teams
Open resource →Concrete Cost Estimator
Calculate total project cost including materials, labor, and delivery
Open resource →ContractorCounter
Browser-based drawing takeoff, markup, and bill of quantities for contractors and estimators
Open resource →ConWize
Cloud-based cost estimating, bid management, and procurement platform for general contractors and subcontractors
Open resource →CostWaves
Cloud-based BIM cost estimation platform
Open resource →Drawer AI
AI-powered electrical takeoff and estimating software for commercial contractors
Open resource →Ediphi
Cloud-based preconstruction estimating and cost management platform
Open resource →Field Materials
AI-powered construction procurement automation
Open resource →Foreman
AI-powered construction project management from first estimate to final invoice
Open resource →Houzz Pro
All-in-one CRM, estimating, proposal, and client-communication software for residential design-build firms
Open resource →Jonas Construction
Field-to-finance ERP for specialty and service contractors
Open resource →MatEstimator
Concrete takeoff and BOQ calculators with procurement allowances and pour plans
Open resource →OpenDrawing
AI-driven bill of materials creation from electrical single-line diagrams
Open resource →PLAN0 AI
AI-powered construction cost estimates and analytics from architectural plans
Open resource →Plancraft
Cloud-based estimating, scheduling, and accounting-export software for trade contractors
Open resource →Rabbet
Construction finance and loan administration automation
Open resource →Rudus
AI-powered takeoff and estimation for concrete contractors
Open resource →Sparkel
AI-powered quantity extraction from BIM and PDF documents
Open resource →STACK Construction Technologies
Cloud-based takeoff, estimating, and field-collaboration platform with AI-assisted measurement
Open resource →No matching resources in this tab.
Browse technology directory →Public task agents connected to this workflow.
No public task agents are connected to this workflow yet.
Browse task agents →Bounded calculators and estimators that support this workflow.
Construction Cost
Choose a published building model + area → sourced reference with its own period and scope
Open resource →Allowable Building Area
IBC 2024 Equation 5-1 + Table 506.3.3 frontage factor
Open resource →Architecture Fee
Construction cost + complexity → design fee and phase breakdown
Open resource →Area Unit
Convert m², ft², acres, hectares, mi² — exact factors
Open resource →Brick
Wall area + brick size + joint → bricks per m²/ft² and total
Open resource →Brick Bond Pattern
Verified layout rate → allowance and pack-rounded order
Open resource →Concrete Curing Time
Verified strength and curing records vs project requirements
Open resource →Concrete Stairs Volume
Steps + waist slab geometry → concrete volume (m³ / yd³)
Open resource →Curved Slab Concrete Volume
Ring / arc slab geometry → concrete volume (m³ / yd³)
Open resource →Drawing Scale
Convert drawing ↔ real length at any metric or imperial scale
Open resource →Drywall Finish Level
Wall segments + finish level (L0–L5) → labor hours, board count, material + bid total
Open resource →Excavation Volume
Pit dimensions + swell → bank and loose (haul) volume
Open resource →Hospital Construction Cost
2–3-story hospital model + floor area → two sourced area-reference totals, not bed costs
Open resource →Hotel Construction Cost
Published hotel model + floor area → m²/ft² reference; room-based development cost stays separate
Open resource →Imperial to Metric
Length, area, mass, volume — convert all units at once
Open resource →Material Density
Searchable kg/m³ + lb/ft³ for 40+ building materials
Open resource →Office Construction Cost
2–4-story office model + floor area → area-reference endpoints; fit-out costs stay separate
Open resource →Paint Area
Room size + openings → net wall area and gallons of paint
Open resource →Property Tax
Market value × assessment × mill rate → annual tax
Open resource →Residential Construction Cost
2024 contractor-built detached-home median + finished area → reference excluding lot value
Open resource →Retail Construction Cost
2026 U.S. in-line store fit-out + area → reference total, not ground-up construction
Open resource →Sand Volume
Area + depth → loose sand volume, weight, and bulk bags
Open resource →School Construction Cost
2024 U.S. school model + floor area → sourced m²/ft² reference
Open resource →Trench Volume
Length, depth, widths → trench excavation volume (trapezoidal)
Open resource →No matching resources in this tab.
Browse all calculators →Guides, references, research, and documented implementations for this workflow.
No matching resources in this tab.
Browse the AEC Wiki →Source-verified datasets connected to this workflow.
AIA Contract Documents
300+ industry-standard A-Series, B-Series, C/D/E/G-Series contract forms including A101, A201, B101. Most widely used US construction contracts.
Open resource →Awesome Procurement Data
Curated list of US federal procurement data resources, APIs, and utilities including pysam, SamDotNet, and procurement-tools Python wrappers.
Open resource →City-Level Open Permit Data
Building permits from major US/global cities via open data portals: NYC, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, Melbourne.
Open resource →Free Construction Contract Templates
Basic construction contract templates (lump sum, cost-plus, time & materials, design-build) from TemplateLab, Mastt, Jotform, and eForms.
Open resource →Global Procurement Dataset — 72M Contracts
72 million contracts from 42 countries (2006–2021) with buyer/supplier info, geolocation, product classification, price, and corruption risk indicators.
Open resource →HUD SOCDS — US Building Permits by Metro Area
Building permit data for all US Metropolitan Areas, Central Cities, and Suburbs from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.
Open resource →Ireland Planning Database
National Planning Application Database with spatial and tabular data. Dublin City Council applications from 2003 to present.
Open resource →OCDS Registry — Global Public Procurement
100+ country procurement datasets in standardized Open Contracting Data Standard covering planning, tender, award, contract, and implementation stages.
Open resource →Planning London Datahub
Live planning application and development proposal data from all London boroughs, updated daily by the Greater London Authority.
Open resource →planning.data.gov.uk — UK Planning Applications
National planning and housing data from all English Local Planning Authorities with map view, search, and download. CSV, JSON, GeoJSON.
Open resource →SAM.gov — US Federal Contract Opportunities
All US federal government contract opportunities (RFPs, solicitations, awards) for all agencies. REST API, CSV bulk downloads, PostgreSQL snapshots.
Open resource →SF Building Permits — 200K+ Records
200,000+ permits (5 years) to 1.1M+ records (1980-2019) with estimated cost, description, permit type, location. Weekly updates from DataSF.
Open resource →Shovels.ai — 180M+ US Building Permits
180M+ AI-enriched permits across 30M US addresses with inspection pass rates, contractor profiles, and 85% US population coverage.
Open resource →TED — EU Public Procurement (TED)
ALL EU public procurement notices since 1993 — the world's largest procurement dataset. REST API, XML bulk downloads, CSV subsets.
Open resource →UK Contracts Finder
UK government procurement opportunities and awarded contracts in OCDS format. API and CSV bulk downloads via data.gov.uk.
Open resource →USAspending.gov — US Federal Spending
All US federal spending on contracts, grants, and awards back to FY2001. Filterable by NAICS codes (23xxxx for construction). REST API and CSV.
Open resource →No matching resources in this tab.
Browse all datasets →A human decision first
Being data-driven goes beyond technology
It starts with good questions, trusted evidence, and clear decisions.