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

[Federico Lenarduzzi]

Hi, Italian, English and German. we are preparing video tutorial in english. now we have this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjUgph9yh_o&t=3s. Thanks

[Federico Lenarduzzi]

Of course, it is a SaaS product, always compatible with ARCHICAD current versione and VERSION -1.

[Federico Lenarduzzi]

You are right, just wait 2025 for english version. Thanks

[josephkane]

Hi Narendra,

Thanks for sharing—you're definitely not alone. We’ve also found ArchiCAD’s built-in tools lacking when it comes to detailed, component-level estimation. Losing Cigraph’s Archiquant left a big gap.

One workaround we’ve used is exporting IFC data from ArchiCAD into tools like CostX or BIMestiMate, which let you map model elements to cost databases. It takes setup, but it's more flexible. Some also script custom exports to Excel for quantity takeoffs.

It’s not ideal, especially for smaller teams, but it’s helped us bridge the gap.

Would be great to hear what others are doing too.

[Federico Lenarduzzi]

Hi josephkane, ARCHIQUANT' s evolution Tool is available in english and german under the name of BIMkit QUANT (we are translating the web pages). You can follow this webinar (in italian but with English transcription): https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/291703080256570030

[Botonis]

@josephkane ,

I can confirm that BIMKit Quant is the most optimized tool for quantity and cost calculation absolutely inside Archicad's enviroment, without any need for export or additional software.

I have been a beta tester of BK Quant and the tool has been really fast, absolutely accurate and easy to learn as it is absolutely adjusted to Archicad's workflow.

The team behind BK Quant is fantastic with great support and they constantly add new features and options to the tool.

The only disadvantage of the tool is that once you get used to it you cannot live without it!!!

[josephkane]

Thanks Federico!!

[Mizan]

Hi, If you think of OpenBIM, I would suggest explore NOVA BIM 5D.

Please, check if, it fits your requirement.

Weblink: https://novabim.lt/en/

[Botonis]

In my opinion, Archicad has already all the processes and options prepared for an complete internal calculation of quantities and costs.

It is strange that after all this years this function was limited to the scheduling approach which has the well known limitations when you want to combine types of calculations and present costs.

This gap was closed with BK Quant which has the big advantage of working exclusively inside Archicad in a live sync mode with the model and all the settings (element properties, quantities etc.) available and customizable. Even the filtering of BK Quant lists follows the logic of a Archicad.

No reason for exporting to other software.

When you work inside a certain platform you have better control and you limit the possibility of errors or syncing faults.

This is just my humble opinion.

Greetings to all.

[Petar]

Is it possible to link certain archicad objects or building materials with certain predefined item from bimkit quant? For exampe, one could create a series of building materials and establish a link between them and bimkit, so every time you use tahat bmat it would ‘know’ it should apply same item from bimkit?