Estimation, Costing and

Specification
cost parameters
General
•Cost parameters can be viewed at two levels
1. Building form or morphology, the effect of shape and height on cost
2. Major components and factors that influence their size, quantity and cost
Building shape
• Buildings with least perimeter is assumed be the cheapest.
• Ideally square shaped building is therefore the cheapest. But there are some
exceptions as following:
i. In case of buildings with a larger coverage, in square shaped buildings, its
difficult to provide natural ventilation and light as compared to a rectangular
building.
ii. Partition walls will need to be constructed more in a square shaped building
iii. On a sloping site, cutting and filling may be more in a square building.
• Wide spans may result in deeper beams and thus increase in storey height
• Size of building is an important factor in cost efficiency
• Reduction in external walls will result in low cost
• Cost of large buildings with grouped accommodation will cost less as they can
share the common amenities.
• Too many flats in a single floor in an apartment building will cost more as there will
be an increase in the area of corridors and all other circulation.
Building height
• Taller buildings are expensive to build than two –three storey buildings.
• Cost of the special arrangements to service the upper floors would be more like
high speed lifts, to pump water up, break the fall of sewage, etc.
• Cost of fire escape techniques to be installed in a tall building would be more.
• The necessity for the lower part of the building to be designed to carry the weight
of the upper floors makes it more expensive.
• Wind load will have to be taken care off for tall buildings.
• Cost of working at a great height from the ground when erecting the building will
be more.
• The increasing area occupied by the service core and circulation as the height of
the building increases.
• Maintenance and repair costs such as window cleaning, repainting and repairs to
the face of the building will more.
• If land value is very high, then the expense for building cost of a tall building would
compensate with the land cost.
• Single storied building also would not be economical compared to 2 or 3 storied
buildings as the cost of foundation and plinth might be more compared to slab
construction.
Enveloping area
• The cost increases with the increase in the enveloping area.
• Square building has the least enveloping area which has right angled corners
• Cost of enveloping area will depend upon the number of storeys that are chosen
for accommodation.
• The external walls will have to be treated to withstand the weather conditions.
Structural elements
• Foundation
• Frame
• Staircases
• Roofs
• External walls
• Internal walls and partitions
• Windows
Direct Comparisons of the capital value
• Comparison with the nearby lands with buildings
• Composite rate is used to indicate rate of land per unit area with the structure.
• Following factors to be considered while using this method:
i. The sales must have taken in an open market
ii. Should be sold in the market value of the property.
iii. Sufficient sale of instances should be studied.
iv. The period of valuation taken for comparison should be recent.
v. Facilities like accommodation provided, type of architectural design, quality
of fixtures and fittings, location,. Structural condition, repair, age of the
building shall be considered.
• Following errors should be avoided:
i. The rate of a building with a large area should not be based on the sale
instances on the small buildings.
ii. Average should not be taken
iii. Mere offers should be rejected for comparison