topic Re: General Cost Estimate in Documentation

General Cost Estimate

setting out — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:01:56 GMT

If you do enough programming, by the end you might see the artificial bimbo floating down the river. Cost estimates aren't drawn up manually anymore; ArchiCAD generates them. They’re much better.
	General Cost Estimate
	For this small pilot project, the printout exceeds 8 meters in length. That should explain the level of detail.
From the "I" between the "B" and the "M".
	It’s on the computer.
	The database is already around 12 m, not counting what else I plan to add.
	No AI, no API, no Direct-Link. It’s all inside ArchiCAD.

Operating system used: Windows

Re: General Cost Estimate

Barry Kelly — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:09:32 GMT

@setting out

I don't understand the reason for this post.

Are you complaining about the length of the schedules or are you trying to sell us something?

There is no sound in you video (that I could hear).

What you have typed makes no sense.

Please clarify, or this post will be removed.

Barry.

Re: General Cost Estimate

setting out — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:17:51 GMT

Do you need sound ? It’s about direct costs in Archicad. The total cost.

Re: General Cost Estimate

Barry Kelly — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 11:37:09 GMT

We might not need sound but what are you asking/telling us?

Do you want to know something or are you just showing us what you can do?

I don't understand anything you wrote in the first post.

Maybe English is not you native language or maybe it is just me not understanding what you post is about.

Barry.

Re: General Cost Estimate

setting out — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 11:47:46 GMT

ArchiCAD generates cost estimates. No AI, no API, no Direct-Link. Everything is integrated into ArchiCAD. It's written there.

Re: General Cost Estimate

Barry Kelly — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:15:25 GMT

@setting out wrote:

ArchiCAD generates cost estimates. No AI, no API, no Direct-Link. Everything is integrated into ArchiCAD. It's written there.

Yes, we know it can do this if you set it up correctly.

It is quite good at giving the material quantities.

Costs are a little subjective because they are constantly change, so I am not sure I would want input the cost per unit in Archicad to have it give an estimate.

But yes it can be done.

It is all the rest that I do not understand at all.

If you do enough programming, by the end you might see the artificial bimbo floating down the river. - What does this mean?

Cost estimates aren't drawn up manually anymore; ArchiCAD generates them. They’re much better.- we know it can do that.

General Cost Estimate For this small pilot project, the printout exceeds 8 meters in length. - only if you want to list every nut and bolt separately

That should explain the level of detail. From the "I" between the "B" and the "M". It’s on the computer. - I = Information - we know

The database is already around 12 m, not counting what else I plan to add. - the Archicad file is the database - how is this 12m long

I watched the video again and all you are showing us if a model and interactive schedules which we know Archicad can do.

Again, I am asking, is this an estimating system you are promoting or selling?

If so it should be in the General form and tagged as an AD (advertisement).

If you are just showing us what you can do, well done.

But people would like a little more explanation on how you do it or what you are doing differently.

And I should probably move this post to the 'Project Data & BIM' forum which is for posts about interactive schedules.

I am just trying to work out what this post is about and where it should be moved.

Barry.

Re: General Cost Estimate

setting out — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:27:07 GMT

I am not aware of any algorithm implemented in Archicad for quantifying labor, machinery, and transport—or for extracting material components (such as those of concrete) or generating quantities of consumables. It even includes labor-related taxes. What the video demonstrates is the scope of the report when these features are implemented and function with a single click for the entire building.

Re: General Cost Estimate

Barry Kelly — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 14:23:18 GMT

So is this something you would like to teach us how to do, or are you trying to sell a solution that we can use to do this?

Barry.