How It Works
From your input to a professional estimate in seconds
Describe
Fill the form, describe in free text, upload a file or photo — in any language.
AI Analysis
AI parses your input, detects language, country, and currency, extracts scope and technical requirements.
Database & Mapping
Semantic search across a verified pricing database. AI maps each work item to exact cost positions with resources.
Report
Professional estimate with cost breakdown, Gantt chart, Monte Carlo risk analysis, and resource allocation.
Example Estimates
Explore real reports generated by our estimation engine
| Description | Qty | Unit | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinforced concrete foundation | 180 | m³ | €285 | €51,300 |
| Steel frame structure | 45 | ton | €3,200 | €144,000 |
| Concrete slab on grade | 500 | m² | €95 | €47,500 |
| HVAC system installation | 500 | m² | €120 | €60,000 |
| Electrical wiring & panels | 500 | m² | €85 | €42,500 |
Dubai, UAEMiddle East
Berlin, GermanyEurope
London, UKEurope
Toronto, CanadaAmericasBuilt for Construction Professionals
From quick feasibility checks to detailed bills of quantities
General Contractors
Pre-bid estimates in minutes. Compare building types, locations, and costs before committing resources to detailed takeoff.
Quantity Surveyors
Preliminary BOQ from text or file. Upload Excel, IFC, or PDF for AI-enhanced quantity extraction with resource decomposition.
Developers & Investors
Feasibility checks at concept stage. Get cost-per-square-metre benchmarks for go/no-go decisions across multiple locations.
Homeowners
Renovation and new build budgets. Describe your project in plain words — get a professional breakdown in your language.
Architects
Early-stage cost validation. Check if your design fits the budget before it gets too late to change direction.
Subcontractors
Scope-level pricing for trades. Foundation, MEP, finishes — quick cost check against 55,719 work items.
Democratizing Construction Costs
Construction pricing data has been locked behind expensive subscriptions and proprietary formats for decades. We believe access to fair, transparent cost data is a foundation for better buildings — and better decisions.
BuildCalculator (DataDrivenConstruction) converters crack open closed formats and give you structured data you can actually use — in Power BI, in Excel, or even in an LLM prompt. It’s not flashy, but it’s insanely useful.
AECOM · Digital Transformation Technical Lead & Associate Director
Be part of the movement with DataDrivenConstruction! Let’s make true freedom in data formats a reality and catalyze a new era of productivity and innovation in construction.
Co-Owner, GemeinWerk Ventures
Trusted by Industry Leaders
Clients and users of DataDrivenConstruction.io tools worldwide
BuildCalculator.io is a project by DataDrivenConstruction.io
Resources & Tools
Explore our construction ecosystem
Construction Knowledge Base
6,000+ construction terms and 30 technology cards in 9 languages. Glossary, method statements, and technical references.
Browse Knowledge BaseOpen Construction Estimate
Interactive cost estimation platform with AI-powered analysis, regional pricing, and collaborative project management.
Visit PlatformCAD & BIM Converter
Convert Revit, IFC, DWG, and DGN files online. Extract quantities, export to Excel, and generate 3D previews.
Convert FilesPricing Search API
Free public API to search 55,719 construction work items with full cost breakdown. No authentication required.
API DocumentationDataDrivenConstruction.io
Open-source construction automation toolkit. Pricing databases, BIM processing, and estimation pipelines for developers.
Choose Your Plan
Start free, upgrade when you need more
- Unlimited estimates
- Full HTML reports
- Multi-language support
- Global location factors
- Monte Carlo risk analysis
- Gantt schedule & cash flow
- AI-powered search
- Export to Excel
- Everything in Free
- AI price search by city
- Export to Excel
- Photo & file analysis
- Priority processing
- AI project decomposition
- API access
- Team accounts
- Everything in Core
- REST API access
- Team accounts (5 users)
- White-label reports
- Dedicated support
- Custom integrations
- SLA guarantee
How We Compare
Feature comparison with leading estimation tools
Pricing and features verified as of March 2026. We try to be fair — each tool has its strengths.
| BuildCalculator | PlanSwift | ProEst | RSMeans | Buildxact | STACK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | ~$1,600/yr | $3,000+/yr | $396+/yr | ~$720/yr | $2,999/yr |
| No signup required | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| AI from text or photo | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Monte Carlo risk analysis | ✓ | ✗ | Add-on | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Open pricing database | 55,719 items | No DB | No DB | Paid access | No DB | No DB |
| Interactive HTML report | ✓ | PDF only | PDF/Excel | ✗ | ||
| API access | ✓ | ✗ | Enterprise | Paid API | ✗ | ✗ |
How We Calculate
Transparent, database-driven approach
Verified Database
55,719 work items sourced from national construction pricing databases. Each item includes labor hours, material quantities, equipment rates, and full resource decomposition.
Location Adjustment
City-specific cost factors calibrated against published construction indices. Labor, materials, and equipment are adjusted independently for each location.
Risk Quantification
10,000-iteration Monte Carlo simulation using PERT distributions. Three confidence levels for informed decision-making.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate are the estimates?
What is the difference between Quick Estimate and Describe Project?
What data is the pricing based on?
What happens to my data after I submit?
Which currencies are supported?
What reports are generated?
Ready to Estimate Your Project?
Try it free — no registration, no credit card. Your data is deleted after each estimate.
Try It Free