DCQ 40162 – ESTIMATING 2
CHAPTER 2
PRELIMINARY COST ESTIMATES
By:
NURUL HAZALIA BINTI ISMAIL
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
POLIMAS, 2022
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
01 Identify method to preparation preliminary cost estimate
Explain preliminary cost estimate inclusive unit, area, cubic, storey
enclosure and approximate quantities method for preparing preliminary
cost estimate
Identify concept for each method
Identify advantages and disadvantages for each method
02 Prepare preliminary cost estimate by using each method for suitable
proposed project
Preliminary Cost Estimates
01 Definition :
• Preliminary cost estimate is also called as abstract cost estimate
or approximate cost estimate or budget estimate.
• Preliminary estimates are prepared with reference to cost of similar
type projects in a practical manner
• Technique to forecast the possible cost incurred for a certain
project
0
Preliminary Cost Estimates
02 Function :
• is generally prepared in initial stages to know the approximate cost of the
project
• used to decide the financial position and policy for administration section.
• As a design guide
Preliminary Cost Estimates
03 Factors Influencing Preliminary Cost Estimate:
The information and time to prepare the estimate
The experience of the Quantity Surveyor
The total and type of cost data available
The Methods of Preliminary
Cost Estimates
1 2 3 4 5
CUBIC METHOD FLOOR AREA UNIT/NUMBER STOREY APPROXIMATE
METHOD METHOD ENCLOSURE QUANTITY
METHOD METHOD
CUBIC METHOD
CUBIC METHOD
is a single rate method of estimating based on the cubic content of a
building.
is specific for building projects and aims to overcome the current
criticism floor area method that does not take into account possible
variations of the storey height
very popular in some European countries like in Germany and
Switzerland, where building costs are often expressed in cubic meter
prices.
CUBIC METHOD
The total cost of the project will be given by:
Estimate = Volume X Unit Cost (Cost/m3)
Volume = External plan area X height
The unit costs depend on a number of variables, like building
types, the proportion of wall area per floor area, quality of finishes
and so on.
CUBIC METHOD
CUBIC METHOD
The rules of measurement :
o Measured from external faces of external
01 walls
o Height of the building is taken from the top
of foundation
For pitched roof
02 o A point midway between the ceiling and the
apex of ½ roof
For Flat roof
03 o A point 610mm (2feet) above the roof
structure
CUBIC METHOD
EXAMPLE:
Estimate the cost of a 2-storey bungalow
if the construction cost/m3 of a similar
project is RM 330.00. Calculate the cost of
the project base on the following;
a) flat roof
b) pitch roof
CUBIC METHOD
SOLUTION:
a) flat roof
Building Volume = 35m x 25m x (1.5m+5.5m + 4.5m+0.6m)
= 10,587.50m3
Estimate Cost = 10,587.50m3 x RM 330.00
= RM 3,493,875.00
b) pitch roof
Building Volume = 35m x 25m x (1.5m+5.5m + 4.5m+(1.2x0.5m)
= 10,587.50m3
Estimate Cost = 10,587.50m3 x RM 330.00
= RM 3,493,875.00
CUBIC METHOD – tutorial 1
tutorial 1: Solution
Solution:
Cost/m3 of the similar project
1,300,000.00 / 2600 m3 = RM500.00 /m3
Volume of new building = [30m + (2 x 0.12)] x [9m + (2 x 0.12)] x {(0.5 x 1.2m) + 3.85m + 3.76m+(1.30m -(0.3-0.05)]
= 30.24m x 9.24m x 8.96m
= 2,503.58 m3
cost of a new building = 2,503.58 m3 x RM500.00
= RM 1,251,790.85
CUBIC METHOD – tutorial 2
tutorial 2: Solution
CUBIC METHOD – tutorial 3 (jun19)
tutorial 3: Solution
Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages Disadvantages
1. Quick method 1. Need higher levels of skill to assess unit rate
2. Do not express the actual cost of different
2. Simple math process parts of the building
Suitable where cubic content of a
3. space or a building directly influences
the cost of an element.
3.
