Quantity and Cost estimation from ArchiCAD

[Narendra]

Dear All,

Quantity and Cost estimation from ArchiCAD (Compared with Cigraph’ s Archiquant add-on and Vicco Office).

I do not know estimation practices fellow ArchiCAD users are using. But I, in our country expect quantity and cost estimates of components required in elements and objects (walls, beams, etcetera along with GDL Objects). The reason is rates of components vary with elements at various locations.

I would expect volume of wood, number of hardware pieces, area of glass and number of carpenters along with respective costs when estimating a wooden door. (* “Cigraph’ s Archiquant” add-on can do this)

I have tried to search this solution to my problem of detailed component level cost estimation for more than one and half decade from Graphisoft, user-forums, my software dealers, and many others.

This is about finding quantity and cost estimation through ArchiCAD, without any success.

Cigraph and its CEO Istvan Toth gave me some relief for what I had wanted. However, Cigraph has collapsed and hence I am back to the square one.

“ArchiCAD calculation module” of ArchiCAD has not changed for one and half decade and I do not think any practice depends on it for its failure to calculate from all the properties like the width height volumes surfaces parameters in elements and gdl objects. The report format of the same is worst, and no one can program it to a desired format.

The question remains if there is any solution to detailed cost estimation which will give quantity and cost estimates of components from the ArchiCAD model.

In India this is very much required.

In India we grossly depend on “schedule of rates” prepared by government departments, and they are a good database and that they are backed by analysis of component quantities of the listed items of buildings.

Many software companies in India and abroad have created software that link building elements like walls, beams columns to the database items of the district schedule of rates from Revit. But it is sad that no one has developed such linking which Cigraph provided.

Now with the end of Cigraph, future of above-described estimation in detail from ArchiCAD faces a dead wall.

Someone from Graphisoft -Hong Kong office suggested me a software but that to had linking to Autodesk products only.

I remember Graphisoft had prepared a 6D estimation module sometime in 2006 which I presume was handed over to Vicco. Does it work with ArchiCAD in the original way? But I presume it is extremely expensive and hence un-affordable to small practices like ours. What is opinion of the fellow architects?

In short, Will someone guide me so that I can generate detailed quantity and cost estimates either from ArchiCAD or any other third-party software makers who can link data of ArchiCAD?

Architect Narendra Suryavanshi-ArchiCAD User, Designer and Owner

[Narendra]

Hello All,

Graphisoft Hongkong has arranged a webinar on 20th Feb 24 and it is possible that you are intimated about it on our burning issue- Quantification and Estimation from ArchiCAD. 

Please see that you attend it.

We should raise queries in it to maximum extent and get what they have to say.

[Narendra]

Hello all!

This may appear a strange request.

My Archiquant 24 installation is corrupt along with installer exe.

Cigraph website is closed to obtain a new one.

Can anyone mail me the installation software? I have a hardware key.

Thanks in advance.

Narendra

kanishkaagroup [at] gmail [dot] com 

[Romans]

Hi Narendra,

You may also check this out.  It looks interesting, but I have not yet had the time to test it.

Maybe other users in this community have experiences with it?

Regards

Roman

https://www.contrabim.com/blog/10-story-condo-quantified-estimated

https://www.contrabim.com/blog/arc5d-international-metric-demo

https://www.contrabim.com/blog/arc5d-estimating-solution

https://www.contrabim.com/blog/new-contrabim-5d-estimating-suite-2021

[Lukas Oelmueller]

In Germany quantitie takeoff and cost estimation is daily business of an architect. 
the best way to use the model for this purpose is the ifc (open bim). There are quite a lot of software solutions four this purpose on the market. 

 Our requirement for the structure of cost estimations and calculations are very specific ( DIN276). I think nothing that should be or could be done in Archicad. 

[mthd]

Hi @Romans, I watched some of those videos on YT and John from Contrabim has a very professional estimating system working with AC. It certainly is not a simple process to set things up they way he has with 5D estimating.

[mthd]

We delegate the quantity take off task here in Australia and in many other parts of the world too. When I was working for a small business project home builder, I was responsible for quantity take offs, estimating the design & drafting, including sales. When we got too busy we delegated the drafting. I much preferred to do the design & drafting but the builders always insisted that I do the quantities for them, probably because I had experience in designing timber roof and wall framing.

Of course that’s quite simple with small low rise residential projects.

When you start talking about multi story buildings, that’s an entirely different scenario as John from Contrabim demonstrates in the above videos.

[Mahmoud Qenawi]

Thanks for informing us about this webinar and I'll be grateful if you put here its link.

[Barry Kelly]

See my earlier post.

https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Collaboration-with-other/Quantity-and-Cost-estimation-from-Archi...

Barry.

[Mahmoud Qenawi]

Thank you so much,

I could register for that free event, these (45 mins) are for free as they're probably paving the way to a paid complete course/session regarding QS/CE.

[Botonis]

I watched the webinar which probably was targeted to new users that are not familiar with the scheduling capabilities of Archicad.

For someone who is just entering the BIM world this might look like magic.

It is obviously necessery for companies to present their software to new users because after all this is the idea.

It was clear from the announcement that this is not related to a new addon but to the basic functionalities of Archicad.

The good news that I have to share unofficially is that something is happening with the Cigraph's addon......!!!!!!!!!!!

Everybody cross their fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have my fingers crossed with a tape..........!!!!!!!