Approximate Estimation Quantity Surveying W.R.

Engineering

Ch. 5
Rough Cost Estimation (Approximate Estimation)
The rough cost estimate is prepared before laying the final designs, and general specifications
of the project.
The purpose of approximate estimation is:
1. Determine the cost of the structure quickly.
2. Make a comparison between several alternatives.
3. Checking the final cost of the structure which determined by detailed estimation.

• Unit cost is worked out for projects similar to the project under consideration carried
out recently in nearly the same site conditions.
• Unit cost means cost of execution of a unit quantity of the work.
• To find rough cost of any project, this worked average unit cost is multiplied with total
quantity of the present work in the same units.
• For example, in case of a building, plinth area (sq. m.) of the proposed building is
worked out, which is then multiplied by the cost per unit area (Rs./m 2) of similar
building actually constructed in the near past in nearly the same site conditions, to find
out the rough cost estimate of the building.
• This cost is sometimes adjusted by the average percentage rise in the cost of materials
and wages.

 The rough cost estimate may be prepared on the following basis for different
types of projects:
1- Cost per square foot of covered area (plinth area) is the most commonly adopted
criterion for preparing rough cost estimate for most of the residential buildings.
2- For public buildings, cost. Per person (cost per capita) is used. For example,
School = Cost per student
Hospitals = Cost per bed
Hotel = Cost per Guest
Stadium = Cost per seat
3. Cost per cubic meter is particularly suitable for commercial offices, shopping
centers, and factory buildings, etc.
4. For water tank/reservoir, cost may be worked out on the basis of capacity in gallons
of water stored.
5. For roads and railways, cost may be found out per mile/kilometer of length.

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Approximate Estimation Quantity Surveying W.R. Engineering

6. For streets, cost may be per hundred feet/meters of length.

7. In case of bridges, cost per foot/meter of clear span may be calculated.

Methods used for approximate estimation:

1. Floor – Area method. (Price of one square meter of building).
Use to determine the cost of the following building:
(Offices, Schools, Houses, Apartments, Hospitals …..Etc.) .
It is the best method for determining the cost of the new building, depending on the
results getting from old buildings (buildings been built before).
For the multi-story building there are two assumptions:
A. The cost of all floors with in basement and roof are in equal costs for one meter
square.
B. The cost of the basement is (60%) and roof is (20%) of the other floors.

2. Cubic method , (volumetric method )

This method is more accurate than the floor-area method.
For multi-story buildings apply the following assumptions:
A. All floors are in equal costs for one cubic meter.
B. The cost of the basement is (60%) of the cost of other floors.
The volume of the floor is calculated as:
Volume=Area × Height of one floor
The height of the floors is determined as follows:
a. Ground floor : From the top of the footing to the mid height of the parapet.
b. Top floor : From the top of the ground roof to the mid height of the parapet.
c. Middle floors : From floor to floor.

Middle floor Top floor Ground floor

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Approximate Estimation Quantity Surveying W.R. Engineering

Example -1:
Building of dimensions (20m * 30m), have been executed and composed of (basement,
ground floor,roof).
The total cost of the building was (500000000ID).
Determine the rate of one meter square of the building depending on the following
assumptions:
A. The (three floors, basement & roof) have equal cost per one meter square.
B. The cost of the basement is 60% of the cost of the other floors & the cost of the roof is
20% of the cost of the other floors.
Solution:
A/ First assumption:
basement area=600 m2

ground floor area=600m 2

roof area=600 m2

Total=18 00 m 2

500000000
∴ rate of one meter square of the building= =277777.77=277778 ID
1800

B/second assumption:
basement area=0.7 ×600=420 m 2
ground floor area=700 m2
roof area=0.19 ×700=133 m2
Total=1253 m2
500000000
∴ rate of one meter square of the building= =399042.29 ID ≈ 332.5=333 $
1253
cost of square meter of basement =0.7 × 399042.29=279329.60 ID
cost of square meter of roof =0.19× 399042.29=75818 ID

Example -2:
In the figure shown below estimate the total cost of the construction roughly, if the price for
1m2 for workshops is $150 and for office is $200

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Approximate Estimation Quantity Surveying W.R. Engineering

Solution
Total cost of the factory = cost of workshops + cost of offices
Area of workshops = 60 * 26 = 1560 m2
Area of offices = 60 * 4 = 240 m2
Total cost of the factory = (1560 * 150) + (240 * 200) = $282,000

Example 3:
Building of dimensions (40m * 60m), have been executed and composed of (basement, G.
floor, 1st floor, 2nd floor). The height of floors is as follows:
H. for basement = 2.80m.

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Approximate Estimation Quantity Surveying W.R. Engineering

H. for other floors = 3.0m.

Total cost of the building is (4,000,000,000 ID).
Determine the cost of the cubic meter, using the following assumptions:
A. Cost of all floors is equal.
B. Cost of basement equal 60% of the cost of other floors.

Solution:
A/ 1st assumption:
volume of the basement =40× 60 ×2.8=6720 m3
volume ofthe ground floor =40 ×60 ×3.0=7200 m3
volume ofthe 1st floor=40 × 60× 3.0=7200 m 3
volume ofthe 2nd floor =40 ×60 × 3.0=7200 m3
Total volume=28320 m3
4,000,000,000
∴ rate of one cubic meter = =141000 ID /m³
28320
B/ 2nd assumption:
volume of the basement =0.6 × 40 ×60 × 2.8=4032m3
volume ofthe ground floor =40 ×60 ×3.0=7200 m3
volume of the 1 st floor=40× 60 ×3.0=7200 m3
volume ofthe 2nd floor =40 ×60 × 3.0=7200 m3
Total v olume=25632m 3
4,000,000,000 ID
∴ rate of one cubic meter = =156000 3
25632 m

Example 4:

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Approximate Estimation Quantity Surveying W.R. Engineering

Prepare an approximate estimate of building project with total plinth area of all building is
800 sq. m. and from following.

i. Plinth area rate $250

ii. Cost of water supply @ 7.5% of cost of building
iii. Cost of sanitary and electrical installations each @ 7.5% of cost of building
iv. Cost of architectural features @1% of building cost
v. Cost of roads and lawns @ 5% of building cost
vi. Cost of petty supervision and contingencies @ 4% of building cost
Determine the total cost of building project.

Solution
Cost of building = 800 * 250 = $200,000
200000∗7.5
Add the cost of the water supply charges @7.5 %= =$ 15000
100
200000∗15
Add the cost of sanitary∧electrical instillation @7.5 %= =$ 30000
100
200000∗1
Add the cost of the archetectural features @1 %= =$ 2000
100
200000∗5
Add the cost of road lawns @ 5 %= =$ 10000
1000
200000∗4
Add the cost of P . S∧contingencies @ 4 %= =$ 8000
1000
Total cost=$ 265,000

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