Does anyone have experience using AI for cost estimation in civil engineering projects? I'd love to hear about your experiences and any tools you've found useful.
Project Manager| AWR Development (BD) Ltd. Cox's Bazer , Bangladesh
Hi Carlos, I am a civil engineer, and I did this for my project, below the following process.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for AI-Driven Cost Estimation
1. AI Training Phase
1.1 Gather Project Data
Project type, location, and specifications
Building height and total built-up area
Structural and foundation type
1.2 Collect Technical Documents
Architectural drawings (floor plans, elevations, sections)
Structural drawings (foundation, beams, columns, slabs)
MEP drawings (electrical, plumbing, HVAC)
Soil test report
1.3 Define Material & Specification Data
Concrete mix grades and steel reinforcement details
Brick type, plaster thickness, finishing materials
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing requirements
1.4 Market Price Data Collection
Current material prices (cement, steel, bricks, aggregates)
Labor wages (skilled and unskilled)
Equipment rental costs
2. Quantity Takeoff (QTO) Generation
2.1 Excavation & Foundation
Soil excavation and backfilling
Footing concrete and formwork
Reinforcement quantity calculation
2.2 Superstructure
Columns, beams, and slabs concrete volume
Reinforcement steel for structural elements
Staircase quantity estimation
2.3 Masonry & Plastering
Brickwork and partition wall calculation
Plastering internal and external areas
2.4 Finishing Works
Flooring and tiling quantity takeoff
Painting and putty calculation
Doors and windows material estimation
2.5 MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing)
Electrical wiring points and conduit length
Plumbing pipes, sanitary fittings, and water supply layout
HVAC system quantity estimation (if applicable)
3. Quantity Verification & Cross-Checking
3.1 Manual Spot-Check Calculation
Validate AI-generated quantities with engineering calculations
3.2 Unit Consistency Check
Ensure correct unit conversion (m³, kg, ft, etc.)
3.3 Past Project Benchmarking
Compare AI results with previous similar projects
4. Cost Estimation & Budgeting
4.1 Apply Market Prices to BOQ
Multiply verified quantities by current unit rates
4.2 Generate Cost Breakdown
Direct cost estimation for materials and labor
Indirect cost allocation (overheads, contingency)
4.3 Final Cost Report Generation
Excel-based BOQ and cost summary
PDF report with budget allocation
5. Review & Finalization
5.1 Engineer’s Final Validation
Adjust estimates based on site conditions and expert review
5.2 Submission of BOQ & Cost Report
Provide structured BOQ for procurement and budgeting
🔥 Next Step: Upload Drawings & Specifications for AI Processing! 🚀
The bottom line is, if you can do the estimation, you can do it with AI. And if you can't, it's better not to go here.
Hi Carlos,
I have been using the basic functions of Cpilot by sharing project documents and using prompts to get usefuls information out of it - works for risks, schedules, costs, ... Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
AI is a board term. We are using AI to address what you state at least from 40 years ago. But today with the new model of generative AI you can use tools like ChatGPT or PMI´s Infinity to do that. Just to comment, the final decision about the results is on your hands. Saving Changes...
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