Creating Estimates with the Cost Catalog

Localized material and labor cost data updated in real time.

Introduction to Cost Catalog

As a Builder, delivering precise estimates and staying competitive in the construction industry are critical. The Cost Catalog widget in PlanHub's Estimation tool offers a significant improvement over relying solely on static national cost averages. With access to 68 million live construction costs for materials, labor, equipment, and assemblies across every county in the US, your estimating process can achieve new levels of accuracy and efficiency. This help article outlines why using dynamic, real-time data from the Cost Catalog gives Builders a competitive edge over traditional cost-averaging methods.

About the Cost Catalog

Real-Time Data Accuracy

We understand the importance of up-to-date construction costs. The Cost Catalog API provides real-time data, ensuring your estimates are based on the most current pricing information available. Unlike static national cost averages that quickly become outdated, dynamic data from the Cost Catalog empowers you to deliver accurate and reliable estimates, establishing your reputation as a trusted and knowledgeable builder.

Granular Regional Insights

National cost averages offer a general overview, but they often fail to reflect regional variations. The Cost Catalog API delivers construction cost data at the county level, enabling you to tailor your estimates to specific geographic locations. This granularity ensures your estimates are contextually accurate and account for unique market conditions, giving you a competitive advantage in project bids.

Comprehensive Trade Coverage

As a Builder, you work across diverse trades and construction divisions. The Cost Catalog API covers nearly every trade and CSI division, offering detailed product descriptions and pre-built assemblies. This comprehensive coverage streamlines your estimating process and enhances accuracy by allowing you to access trade-specific cost data.

Streamlined Estimation Process

Integrating the Cost Catalog API into your estimation workflow is simple, requiring just a single line of code. Its user-friendly design ensures quick access to the extensive catalog of construction cost data, saving valuable time. This efficiency lets you focus on other essential aspects of project management.

Winning More Projects

In a competitive construction market, winning bids is crucial. Using the dynamic construction cost data from the Cost Catalog, your estimates reflect real-time market conditions, making them highly competitive. This increases your success rate in securing projects, enhances your credibility, and strengthens client relationships.

How to Use Cost Catalog in the Planhub Platform

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open Takeoff
2. Navigate to "Estimates"
3. Click "Add Cost Item" dropdown
4. From the dropdown, click "Add from Cost Catalog"
5. When the Catalog opens, it will automatically fill the zip code for the active project, if a zip code has been added to the Project Details. To change the zip code, click the location and enter the desired zip code for labor and materials.
6. Find labor and materials by either searching for items or use the category buttons.
7. When you've found an item you'd like to add to your Estimate, click "Add to Project."

FAQ

How does Cost Catalog compare to RS Means (and other cost books)?

The Cost Catalog is not a traditional cost book but a modern API product built for precision and adaptability. Here's what sets it apart:

• Real-time data sourced from 1,000+ material suppliers nationwide.
• Insights from 200+ professional cost estimators.
• A robust infrastructure processing 68M+ data points across every US county.

What type of data does the Cost Catalog provide?

The API offers 68 million data points on materials, labor, equipment, general conditions, and assemblies for all 3,033 counties in the United States.

Where do you source labor rates?

Labor rates are sourced from:

• Internal networks of contractors.
• Online job posting platforms like the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter.
• Rates include low, medium, and high hourly costs for 48 distinct craft types, such as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, HVAC installers, and more.

How often is the data updated?

All information is updated monthly, with more frequent updates for specific commodities as needed.

How do production rates work?

Production rates are calculated as the ratio of man-hours required to install a specific quantity of material. This data allows hourly labor rates to be converted into labor costs expressed as $/SF, $/LF, $/EA, etc.