ESTIMATION AND COSTING

METHODS OF ESTIMATION
ESTIMATION
Estimation is the scientific way of working out
the approximate cost of an engineering
project before execution of the work.

 It may differ from the calculation of the

exact cost after completion of the project.

 Estimation requires a thorough Knowledge

of the construction procedures, cost of
materials & labour in addition to the skill,
experience, foresight and good judgment.
ESTIMATE
An estimate of the cost of a construction job
is the probable cost of that job as computed
from plans and specifications.

 For a good estimate the actual cost of the

proposed work after completion should not
differ by more than 5 to 10 % from its
approximate cost estimate.
 UNITS OF MEASUREMENTS
The units of measurements are mainly categorized for their nature,
shape and size and for making payments to the contractor.
a) Single units work like doors, windows etc, is expressed in
numbers.
b) Works consists linear measurements involve length like
cornice, fencing, hand rail etc., are expressed in running
meters (RM)
c) Works consists areal surface measurements like
plastering, white washing, partitions of specified thickness
etc., are expressed in square meters.
d) Works consists cubical contents which involve volume
like earth work, cement concrete, Masonry etc., are
expressed in Cubic meters.
Department of Civil
Engineering
 NEED OF ESTIMATION & COSTING
1. It help to work out the approximate cost of the project in
order to decide its feasibility with respect to the cost and
to ensure the financial resources.

2. Requirements of controlled materials, such as cement and

steel can be estimated.

3. It is used for framing the tenders for the works and to

check contractor’s work during and after the its execution
for the purpose of making payments to the contractor.

4. From quantities of different items of work calculated in

detailed estimation, resources are allocated to different
activities of the project and ultimately their durations and
whole planning and scheduling of the project is carried
out.
Department of Civil
Engineering
DATA REQUIRED TO PREPARE AN ESTIMATE
1) DRAWINGS
If the drawings are not clear and without complete
dimensions the preparation of estimation become very
difficult. So, it is very essential before preparing an
estimate.

2) SPECIFICATIONS
a) General Specifications:
This gives the nature, quality of work and materials in general
terms to be used in various parts of wok. It helps to form a
general idea of building.
b) Detailed Specifications:
This gives the detailed description of the various items of work
laying down the Quantities and qualities of materials, their
proportions, the method of preparation workmanship and
execution of work.
Department of Civil
Engineering
 3) RATES
For preparing the estimate the unit rates of each item of
work are required.
1. For arriving at the unit rates of each item.
2. The rates of various materials to be used in the
construction.
3. The cost of transport materials.
4. The wages of labor, skilled or unskilled of masons,
carpenters, Amador, etc.,

LUMPSUM:
While preparing an estimate, it is not possible to work out in
detail in case of petty items. Items other than civil
engineering such items are called lump sum items or simply
L.S.Items.

Department of Civil
Engineering
Factors to be considered for estimation

1. Each type of work requires a different method of

construction. Construction may be of an ordinary
house or office and it may also be of a Dam, Tunnel,
Multistory building, Airport, Bridge, or a Road, already
in operation. Each of these works requires totally
different construction techniques, type of machinery,
and formwork.
2. Quality of labour and labour output varies in different
localities.

3. Weather conditions greatly affect the output and,

hence, the overall cost.

Department of Civil
Engineering
Factors to be considered for estimation (-ctd-)

4. Ground conditions vary and change the method of

construction. For example, excavation may be dry,
wet, hard, soft, shallow or deep requiring different
efforts.

5. The source of availability of a sufficient supply of

materials of good quality.

6. The availability of construction machinery also

affects the method of construction.

7. Access to the site must be reasonable. If the access

is poor, temporary roads may be constructed.
Department of Civil
Engineering
 TYPES OF ESTIMATES
There are two main types of estimates:-

 Rough (or) approximate estimate.

 Detailed estimate.

Department of Civil
Engineering
Rough (or) approximate estimate
 Preliminary or approximate estimate is required for studies of
various aspects of work of project and for its administrative
approval.
 It can decide, in case of commercial projects, whether the net
income earned justifies the amount invested or not. The
approximate estimate is prepared from the practical knowledge
and cost of similar works.
 The following are the methods used for preparation of
approximate estimates.
1) Plinth area method
2) Cubical contents methods
3) Unit base method.

Department of Civil
Engineering
 1) Plinth area method
cost of construction = Plinth area x plinth area rate.
2) Cubical Contents Method
It is more accurate that the other two methods viz., plinth area
method and unit base method.
cost of construction = Total cubical contents x Local Cubic Rate.
3) Unit Base Method
. For public buildings, cost. Per person (cost per capita) is used.
For example,
Students hostel - cost per student
Hospital - Cost per bed
Hotel - Cost per Guest

Department of Civil
Engineering
 EXAMPLE 1
 Prepare a Rough-cost Estimate of a residential building project with
a total plinth area of all building of 1500 sq.m. given that:
 Plinth Area Rate = Rs: 950.00 / sq. ft.
 Extra for special architectural treatment = 1.5 % of the buiding
cost.
 Extra for water supply and sanitary installations = 5 % of the
building cost.
 Extra for internal installations = 14 % of the buiding cost
 Extra for Electric & Sui gas services = 16 % of buiding cost
 Contigencies 3 % overall
 Supervision charges = 8 % overall
 Design charges = 2 % overall

Department of Civil
Engineering
EXAMPLE 2
 Prepare a Rough-cost Estimate based on unit costs of per
unit plinth area basis of a four storeyed office building
having a carpet area of 2000 sq.m. for obtaining the
administrative approval of the Government. It may be
assumed that 30 % of the built up area will be taken by the
corridors, verandas, lavatories, staircase, etc. and 10 % of
built up area will be occupied by walls. The following data is
given:

 Plinth Area Rate = Rs: 1100.00 / sq. ft.

 Extra for special architectural treatment = 0.5 % of the
buiding cost.
 Extra for water supply and sanitary installations = 6 % of the
building cost.
Department of Civil
Engineering
 Example 2 (ctd)

 Extra for internal installations = 14 % of the buiding cost

 Extra for electric services = 12.5 % of buiding cost
 Extra for sui gas services = 6 % of buiding cost
 Extra due to deep foundations at site = 1.0 % of buiding
cost
 Contigencies = 2.5 % overall
 Supervision charges = 8 % overall
 Design charges = 2.5 % overall

Department of Civil
Engineering
 DETAILED ESTIMATE
• Detailed estimates are prepared by carefully and
separately calculating the costs of various item of the
work that constitute the whole project from the
detailed working drawings after the design has been
finalized.

• The mistakes, if any, in the rough cost estimate are

eliminated in the detailed estimate.

• Detailed estimates are submitted to the competent

authorities for obtaining technical sanction.

Department of Civil
Engineering
 DETAILED ESTIMATE

 The whole project is sub-divided into different items

of work or activities. The quantity for each item is
then calculated separately from the drawings as
accurately as possible. The procedure is known as
"taking out of quantities".

 The quantities for each item may be estimated and

shown in the pattern which is called "Bill of
quantities."

 The unit, in which each item of the wok is to be

calculated, should be according to the prevailing
practice as followed in various departments of the
country.
Department of Civil
Engineering
 BILL OF QUANTITIES
Description No Measurements Quantity Total Remarks
Sr. No
of item Quantity

Length Breadth Height

Department of Civil
Engineering
 PRICED BILL OF QUANTITIES

Sr. No. Description of Item Unit Quantity Rate Cost Remarks

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Engineering
 DETAILED ESTIMATE
 Each item of the work is then multiplied by its estimated
current rate calculated by a fixed procedure to find out
cost of the item.

 At the end, a total of all items of the work are made to

get the total estimated cost.

 The rates are usually as per Schedule of Rates for the

locality plus a premium to allow for rise in labor and
material rates over and above the schedule of rates.

 A percentage, usually 5% is also provided on the total

estimated cost for the work to allow for the possible
contingencies due to unforeseen items or expenditure
or other causes, besides 2% establishment charges.

Department of Civil
Engineering
 DETAILED ESTIMATE
Besides drawings and details of measurements and
calculation of quantities (Bill of Quantities), the following
documents are also usually submitted with the detailed
estimate for obtaining Technical Sanction:

1. A report explaining History, necessity, scope and main features

of the project, its design, and estimate, etc.

2. Specifications lying down the nature and class of work and

material to be used in various parts of the work.

3. The abstract of cost (priced Bill of Quantities) showing the total

quantities under each sub-head, rate per unit of measurement,
and cost.

4. Calculation sheets showing calculations for important parts of

the structure. In fact, in estimating the art and skill lies only in
the computation of details without any omissions, of all parts of
the building or work.

Department of Civil
Engineering
 METHODS OF DETAILED ESTIMATE
 The dimensions, length, breadth and height or depth
are to be taken out from the working drawings (plan,
elevation and section).

 Junctions of walls, corners and the meeting points of

walls require special attention.

 For symmetrical footings, which is the usual case,

earthwork in excavation in foundations, foundation
concrete, brickwork in foundation and plinth, and
brickwork in superstructure may be estimated by either
of the two methods:

(1) LONG WALL & SHORT WALL METHOD

(2) CENTER LINE METHOD
Department of Civil
Engineering
 LONG WALL & SHORT WALL METHOD (or)
SEPARATE WALL METHOD
• The walls running in one direction are termed
as "long walls” and the walls running in the
transverse direction, as "Short walls.

• Lengths of long walls are measured or found

"Out-to out" and those of short walls as "In-to-
in".

• Different quantities are calculated by

multiplying the length by the breadth and the
height of the wall.

Department of Civil
Engineering
 LONG WALL & SHORT WALL METHOD

• Long wall length out-to-out

= Center to center length + half breadth on one
Side + half breadth on other side.

= Center to center length + one breadth

• Short wall length in-to-in

= Center to Center length - one breadth.

Department of Civil
Engineering
CENTER LINE METHOD

 In this method, total length of center lines of walls,

long and short, has to be found out.

 In this method, the length will remain the same for

excavation in foundations, for concrete in
foundations, for all footings, and for superstructure
(with slight difference when there are cross walls or
number of junctions).

 This method is quicker but requires special attention

and considerations at the junctions, meeting points
of partition or cross walls.
Department of Civil
Engineering
CENTER LINE METHOD

 For rectangular, circular polygonal (hexagonal,

octagonal etc.,) buildings having no inter or cross
walls, this method is quite simple.

 For buildings having cross or partition walls, for

every junction, half breadth of the respective
item or footing is to be deducted from the total
center length.

 Thus in the case of a building with one partition

wall or cross wall having two junctions, deduct
one breadth of the respective item of work from
the total center length.
Department of Civil
Engineering
 Problem-1
Estimate in detail the quantities of following items of work for a
given plan and section as shown in Fig.1 using Centre line method
and Long wall & short wall method.
 Concrete in foundation
 Brickwork in 1st step in foundation
 First class brickwork in super structures

Department of Civil
Engineering
Department of Civil
Engineering
Estimation of Quantity of
Concrete in Foundation
Center Line method:
Total Length of Center Line = 5.3+5.3+4.3+4.3 = 19.2 m

width of foundation = 0.9 m Total quantity of concrete in foundation =19.2x0.9x0.3 cu.m

Department of Civil
Engineering
Long Wall & Short Wall method:

Length of Long wall = 5.3+0.9 = 6.2 m Length of Short wall = 4.3-0.9 = 3.4 m
Quantity of concrete in foundation = 2 x (6.2+3.4) x 0.9 x 0.3 cu.m
Department of Civil
Engineering
 Estimation of Quantity of
Brickwork in 1st step Foundation

Department of Civil
Engineering
Center Line method:
Total Length of Center Line = 5.3+5.3+4.3+4.3 = 19.2 m
width of foundation = 0.6 m
Total quantity of brickwork in 1st step foundation = 19.2 x 0.9 x 0.3 cu.m

Department of Civil
Engineering
Long Wall & Short Wall method:

Length of Long wall = 5.3+0.6 = 5.9 m Length of Short wall = 4.3-0.6 = 3.7 m
Quantity of brickwork in 1st step foundation = 2 x (5.9+3.7) x 0.6 x 0.3 cu.m
Department of Civil
Engineering
 Estimation of Quantity of
Brickwork in super structure

Department of Civil
Engineering
Center Line method:
Total Length of Center Line = 5.3+5.3+4.3+4.3 = 19.2 m

width of wall = 0.3 m Total quantity of brickwork in wall = 19.2 x 3.5 x 0.3 cu.m

Department of Civil
Engineering
Long Wall & Short Wall method:

Length of Long wall = 5.3+0.3 = 5.6 m Length of Short wall = 4.3-0.3 = 4.0 m
Quantity of brickwork in wall = 2 x (5.6+4.0) x 0.3 x 3.5 cu.m

Department of Civil
Engineering
 Problem-2
Estimate in detail the quantities of following items of work for a
given plan and section as shown in Fig.2 using Centre line method
and Long wall & short wall method.
 Concrete in foundation
 Brickwork in 1st step in foundation
 First class brickwork in super structures

Department of Civil
Engineering
Department of Civil
Engineering
Estimation of Quantity of
Concrete in Foundation
Center Line method:
Total Length of Center Line = (4 x 5.3) +(3 x 4.3) = 34.1 – 0.9 = 33.2 m
width of foundation = 0.9 m
Total quantity of concrete in foundation =33.2 x 0.9 x 0.3 cu.m
Department of Civil
Engineering
Long Wall & Short Wall method:

Length of Long wall = 5.3+5.3+0.9 = 11.5 m Length of Short wall = 4.3-0.9 = 3.4 m
Quantity of concrete in foundation= [ (2x11.5) + (3X3.4) ] x 0.9 x 0.3 cu.m
Department of Civil
Engineering
References:

 Dutta, B.N., “Estimating and Costing in Civil Engineering”,

UBS Publishers & Distributors Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 2003.

 https://www.wikipedia.org/
 https://nptel.ac.in/course.php
 https://www.vidyarthiplus.com/studymaterials.php