/cost-estimation

name: cost-estimation
description: >-
  Estimate construction costs, infrastructure costs, soft costs, and total
  development costs for urban design projects. Covers building construction
  cost per m2 by typology, infrastructure cost per linear meter and per
  dwelling, site preparation, landscaping, professional fees, and financial
  feasibility analysis. Use when the user asks about project cost, construction
  cost, infrastructure budget, development feasibility, cost per unit, cost per
  m2, capital expenditure, opex, cost benchmarking, value engineering, phasing
  costs, or any question about how much an urban design project or its
  components will cost. Also use for preliminary budget estimation, order-of-
  magnitude costing, cost comparison between design alternatives, or cost
  optimization of masterplans.

Cost Estimation Skill

This skill provides a systematic framework for estimating the capital costs of urban design projects at the masterplan and district scales. It draws on international construction cost benchmarks (Turner & Townsend, Rider Levett Bucknall, AECOM, Arcadis), infrastructure costing guides (CIRIA, ASCE), and development appraisal methodology (RICS Red Book, ULI).

All costs are provided in USD (2025 baseline) with regional adjustment factors. The goal is to enable early-stage cost estimation accurate to +/- 25-30% (AACE Class 4 estimate) sufficient for masterplan feasibility and design option comparison.

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1. Building Construction Cost

1.1 Cost per m2 GFA by Building Type

Costs include structure, envelope, MEP, finishes, and contractor overhead and profit. Exclude land, professional fees, and site infrastructure (those are separate categories below).

**Residential**

| Type | Low | Medium | High | Premium | |------|-----|--------|------|---------| | Detached house | $800 | $1,200 | $1,800 | $2,500+ | | Townhouse / row house | $750 | $1,100 | $1,600 | $2,200+ | | Low-rise apartment (1-3 floors) | $900 | $1,300 | $1,800 | $2,400+ | | Mid-rise apartment (4-10 floors) | $1,100 | $1,600 | $2,200 | $3,000+ | | High-rise apartment (11-25 floors) | $1,400 | $2,000 | $2,800 | $4,000+ | | Super-tall apartment (25+ floors) | $2,000 | $2,800 | $4,000 | $6,000+ | | Affordable housing (basic spec) | $600 | $900 | $1,200 | N/A | | Student housing | $900 | $1,300 | $1,700 | $2,200 | | Senior housing / care home | $1,200 | $1,800 | $2,500 | $3,500 |

**Commercial**

| Type | Low | Medium | High | Premium | |------|-----|--------|------|---------| | Office (standard) | $1,200 | $1,800 | $2,500 | $3,500+ | | Office (Grade A / LEED Platinum) | $1,800 | $2,500 | $3,500 | $5,000+ | | Retail (shell and core) | $700 | $1,000 | $1,400 | $2,000 | | Retail (fitted out) | $1,000 | $1,500 | $2,200 | $3,500+ | | Hotel (3-star) | $1,400 | $2,000 | $2,800 | N/A | | Hotel (5-star) | $2,500 | $3,500 | $5,000 | $8,000+ | | Supermarket | $800 | $1,100 | $1,500 | $2,000 | | Food hall / market | $900 | $1,400 | $2,000 | $3,000 |

**Civic / Institutional**

| Type | Low | Medium | High | Premium | |------|-----|--------|------|---------| | Primary school | $1,200 | $1,800 | $2,500 | $3,500 | | Secondary school | $1,400 | $2,000 | $2,800 | $4,000 | | University building | $1,800 | $2,500 | $3,500 | $5,000 | | Healthcare clinic | $1,500 | $2,200 | $3,200 | $4,500 | | Hospital | $2,500 | $3,500 | $5,000 | $7,500 | | Community center | $1,000 | $1,500 | $2,200 | $3,000 | | Library | $1,400 | $2,000 | $3,000 | $4,500 | | Place of worship | $800 | $1,400 | $2,500 | $5,000+ | | Fire / police station | $1,200 | $1,800 | $2,500 | N/A | | Sports hall / indoor courts | $1,000 | $1,500 | $2,200 | $3,200 |

**Parking**

| Type | Cost per Space | Cost per m2 | |------|----------------|-------------| | Surface lot | $3,000-5,000 | $100-170 | | Structured above-grade | $20,000-35,000 | $570-1,000 | | Underground (1 level) | $35,000-50,000 | $875-1,250 | | Underground (2+ levels) | $45,000-65,000 | $1,125-1,625 | | Automated / mechanical | $30,000-60,000 | $1,500-3,000 |

1.2 Regional Cost Adjustment Factors

Apply these multipliers to the base costs above:

| Region | Factor | Notes | |--------|--------|-------| | US Northeast / California | 1.20-1.40 | High labor costs | | US Southeast / Midwest | 0.85-1.00 | Base region | | US Southwest | 0.90-1.05 | | | Western Europe (UK, France, Germany) | 1.10-1.35 | | | Northern Europe (Scandinavia) | 1.30-1.60 | High labor, weather | | Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Greece) | 0.80-1.00 | | | Eastern Europe | 0.50-0.75 | | | GCC / Gulf States | 0.90-1.20 | Imported materials and labor | | India | 0.25-0.45 | | | China (Tier 1 cities) | 0.40-0.65 | | | Southeast Asia | 0.30-0.55 | | | Australia / New Zealand | 1.15-1.40 | | | Sub-Saharan Africa | 0.40-0.70 | Supply chain premium | | Latin America | 0.35-0.60 | | | Japan / South Korea | 1.00-1.30 | |

1.3 Height Premium

Building cost increases with height due to structural requirements, vertical transportation, and construction complexity:

| Floors | Premium over Low-Rise Base | |--------|---------------------------| | 1-3 | 1.00x (base) | | 4-6 | 1.05-1.10x | | 7-10 | 1.10-1.20x | | 11-15 | 1.15-1.30x | | 16-25 | 1.25-1.45x | | 26-40 | 1.40-1.70x | | 41-60 | 1.60-2.00x | | 60+ | 2.00-2.50x+ |

1.4 Sustainability Premium

| Certification Level | Additional Cost | |---------------------|-----------------| | Basic compliance (code minimum) | 0% (baseline) | | LEED Silver / BREEAM Good | 1-3% | | LEED Gold / BREEAM Very Good | 2-5% | | LEED Platinum / BREEAM Outstanding | 5-10% | | Net Zero Carbon | 8-15% | | Net Zero Energy | 10-20% | | Passive House standard | 5-15% | | Mass timber structure (CLT) | 0-8% (varies; sometimes cost-neutral) |

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2. Infrastructure Costs

2.1 Road and Street Construction

| Element | Unit | Low | Medium | High | |---------|------|-----|--------|------| | Local street (full build) | per linear meter | $800 | $1,500 | $2,500 | | Collector street (ful