Insights from our team

A basement conversion in the UK can cost anywhere from around £1,200 to £2,800 per square metre when converting an existing cellar, while creating a new basement through excavation can…

Materials takeoff for merchants works as a loyalty tool because it solves a problem your trade customers already have: turning drawings into an accurate materials list before they price a…

The main difference between an appraisal stage vs tender stage estimate is accuracy, level of design detail, and purpose. An appraisal-stage estimate is a high-level figure produced early, before land…

This construction preliminaries UK guide covers the costs of running and managing a construction project that can’t be pinned to a specific part of the finished building: site setup, welfare…

NRM2, in full New Rules of Measurement 2: Detailed Measurement for Building Works, is a RICS publication setting out standard rules for measuring building works. It was prepared by the…

A loft conversion vs extension cost comparison usually favours the loft conversion on price, since converting existing roof space is typically cheaper than building new external walls and foundations of…

New build vs self build cost estimating differs mainly in who’s carrying the risk and how the numbers are built up. A developer-led new build is typically estimated by a…

Property developer startup costs include the costs you need to account for before and around the start of a development, from land acquisition, due diligence and professional fees through to…

Material price volatility in UK construction can turn a profitable job into a loss-making one if it isn’t accounted for at the estimating stage. Builders can protect their margins by…

A self build cost breakdown is a detailed budget that shows exactly what your project will cost. Instead of giving you one overall figure, it breaks the estimated cost down…

If you’re planning any kind of building work in the UK, you’ll quickly encounter two sets of regulatory requirements that are often confused with each other: planning permission and building…

The question every self-builder and developer asks early in the process is the same one: what’s it going to cost per square metre? It’s a reasonable starting point, but the…

If you’ve ever received a building estimate and wondered how the numbers were actually arrived at, the answer almost always starts in the same place: a quantity takeoff. It’s one…

Most builders merchants are good at selling materials. The ones that are really thriving right now are good at helping their customers buy the right materials, in the right quantities,…

If you’re weighing up whether to convert your garage, one of the first questions you’ll have is a simple one: how much is it actually going to cost? The honest…

Property development is, at its core, a numbers game. The gap between what a scheme costs to build and what it generates in value – the development margin – determines…

An inaccurate building estimate does not just cause awkward conversations. It can derail a project, destroy a margin, create contractual disputes, and – in the worst cases – leave a…

If you have been involved in a building project of any significance, you have probably heard the term ‘bill of quantities’ – or BOQ. But what exactly is it, why…

For most architectural practices, producing accurate cost estimates is both essential and time-consuming. Clients expect to know what their project will cost before they commit to a design. Planning applications…

A loft conversion is one of the most valuable home improvements you can make in the UK. It adds living space without losing garden, avoids the upheaval of moving, and…

Most builders start out doing their own estimating. You know the trades, you know roughly what things cost, and the quotes are manageable when you’re running one or two jobs…

A building estimate report lands in your inbox. It might run to twenty pages or more. There are line items, trade breakdowns, schedules, and totals  –  and if you haven’t…

Building your own home is one of the most ambitious  –  and potentially most rewarding  –  things you can do. It’s also one of the easiest ways to find yourself…

Planning a house extension is exciting. Working out how much it’s going to cost is where things can quickly get complicated. This guide covers realistic 2026 cost ranges for every…

The short answerA residential estimating service is a professional service that calculates the full cost of a building project  –  labour, materials, plant, preliminaries and margins  –  based on your…