Generate a Preliminary Cost Plan
Quickly generate a structured elemental cost plan for early-stage construction projects using AI.
Editor: Owen HaggerLast updated
Overview
This workflow helps Quantity Surveyors create preliminary cost plans at RIBA Stage 2-3. It generates an elemental breakdown using standard categories, allowing you to quickly produce a first draft cost plan that can then be refined with project-specific rates and quantities.
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Prompt
You are an experienced UK Quantity Surveyor. Generate a preliminary elemental cost plan for the following project: Project: [PROJECT TYPE, e.g., New-build secondary school] Location: [LOCATION, e.g., Greater Manchester] Gross Internal Floor Area: [GIFA, e.g., 8,500 sqm] Storeys: [NUMBER, e.g., 3] Construction Start: [DATE, e.g., Q2 2025] Budget Envelope: [BUDGET, e.g., £18M] Present the cost plan as a table with columns: - Element (using NRM1 categories) - £/sqm Rate - Total Cost - % of Total Include: Facilitating Works, Substructure, Superstructure, Internal Finishes, Fittings & Furnishings, Services, External Works, Preliminaries, Overheads & Profit, and a Contingency allowance. Add brief notes explaining key assumptions and exclusions.
Typical result
~8hby hand~3hwith AI
A cautious typical estimate, including the time to gather the inputs and check the output. It varies with the job.
What it replaces: Building an early cost plan by hand from benchmarks.
What you still check
- Rates come from your own cost data, not AI guesses
- Quantities and gross internal floor area are right
- Assumptions and exclusions are written down
Example Output
PRELIMINARY COST PLAN: New-Build Secondary School Location: Greater Manchester | GIFA: 8,500 sqm | 3 Storeys | Element | £/sqm | Total | % of Total | |------------------------------|--------|--------------|------------| | 0 Facilitating Works | £35 | £297,500 | 1.7% | | 1 Substructure | £145 | £1,232,500 | 7.0% | | 2 Superstructure | £485 | £4,122,500 | 23.4% | | 3 Internal Finishes | £165 | £1,402,500 | 8.0% | | 4 Fittings & Furnishings | £95 | £807,500 | 4.6% | | 5 Services | £420 | £3,570,000 | 20.3% | | 6 External Works | £110 | £935,000 | 5.3% | | 7 Preliminaries (14%) | £204 | £1,731,300 | 9.8% | | 8 OH&P (6%) | £99 | £845,850 | 4.8% | | 9 Design Risk Contingency | £105 | £892,500 | 5.1% | | 10 Construction Contingency | £105 | £892,500 | 5.1% | | TOTAL | £1,968 | £16,730,150 | 95.2% | Assumptions: - Rates based on BCIS median for secondary schools in NW England, Q1 2025 - Excludes: VAT, professional fees, land costs, Section 106 contributions - Includes for enhanced acoustic and ventilation requirements
Use Case
Use this at RIBA Stage 2 or Stage 3 when you need to produce a quick cost plan for client budget discussions. Replace the placeholder values with your actual project details.
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