Calculator Overview
About the Building Calculator
Using the Building Calculator will assist you in assessing the future costs of the building you own or are considering taking on - including its repair, maintenance and other operating requirements.
It has been developed with global construction consultants Davis Langdon who have access to the most up-to-date building data.
There is an option for you to fill in the Building Calculator for free - it will take approximately 30 minutes if you have the relevant data at your finger-tips. You can save your assessment and return to it later when you collect additional information. In addition, you can opt to purchase a detailed electronic report or expert support from our advice service.
If you would welcome hands-on support, we can also organise a professional review and on-site visit for you. Find out more about the different services and pricing.
Building Calculator Requirements
This calculator does not require technical know-how and offers you a reliable and affordable option in advance of you deciding to commission a more detailed professional survey by a suitably qualified individual.
The functionality is based on an assessment of the quantity and condition of the core elements of a standard building; so you should consider carefully whether it is suitable, in particular, when looking at heritage assets.
You will be required to:
- Provide basic measurements of the building: width, depth, height, etc
- Quantify the basic elements of the building: quantity of windows, doors, etc
- Make a basic assessment of the condition of the building.
It is not essential for you to fill in all of the information requested. However, the more detail you provide, the more comprehensive and accurate the report generated will be.
To assist you in this task, a ‘percentage complete’ reading will highlight the total amount of information captured at any given point.
Have you read the User Guide?
Find out about the different services and pricing.
Your Building Calculator User Guide
The tool is split into the following sections:
A. Building
This is where the details of the project and the building are entered.
B. Known Works
This section records the known, or estimated, cost of any building / refurbishment works that are to be undertaken. This section also allows the user to tweak individual building components related to age, condition and quantity. This affords the user greater accuracy when modelling future building replacement costs
C. Cost of Ownership
This section records the first year and annual running costs and income of the building.
To make full use of the calculator, you will need to take some basic measurements and conduct a visual inspection from ground level first. Once complete, the calculator will provide a high level profile of the expected costs of maintaining the building over a period of up to 25 years. This cost profile will be based on the Whole Life Costing principle of incorporating both capital and revenue costs.