Rules of thumb for construction cost per square foot

[mshields]

Looking to collect data for hospitals, labs, commercial buildings on typical cost per square feet both for overall construction and electrical construction.

Would very much appreciate your insights.

Thanks,

Mike Shields

 

[ceb58]

Looking to collect data for hospitals, labs, commercial buildings on typical cost per square feet both for overall construction and electrical construction.

Would very much appreciate your insights.

Thanks,

Mike Shields

About all you will get from here is electrical is not priced by the sq. ft. And I will agree for the type construction you are asking about it would be impossible just to throw out a sq. ft. number and expect it to be any where in the ballpark.

 

[hmspe]

I'd recommend asking an architect. Where I live they see all the bids and they generally provide the client with pre-bid estimates. If you work in multiple jurisdictions where some have adopted energy codes and some have not be sure to factor that in. Arizona is a "home rule" state where each municipality adopts codes individually and on whatever schedule they choose. Lighting installed costs can vary 3:1 on opposite sides of a street if the properties are in different jurisdictions and one has adopted the IECC while the other has not.

 

[steve66]

You need a copy of RS means.

http://rsmeans.reedconstructiondata.com/

Steve

 

[ed downey]

IMHO nobody needs RS Means (not a big fan)

I have built my budget estimating system by doing takeof of different types of projects that are 100% designed over the years and backing into a SF per device or light fixture, etc. (ie Hospital Lighting will be ~55 SF per light fixture) then you can labor and include an average material price to get a good budget.

-Ed

 

[ron]

RS Means is a good source for general applications. It is an interesting benchmark. It is good to have the general breakdown of trades to overall cost from an engineering fee standpoint and how it relates to different construction types. This way when the Architect says that they want 70% of the design fee for a data center, you can give them a shove and say that MEP is 70% of the construction cost, so get lost.

 

[steve66]

RS Means is a good source for general applications. It is an interesting benchmark. It is good to have the general breakdown of trades to overall cost from an engineering fee standpoint and how it relates to different construction types. This way when the Architect says that they want 70% of the design fee for a data center, you can give them a shove and say that MEP is 70% of the construction cost, so get lost.

If I didn't know better, I'd say we work for the same architect

 

[Lady Engineer]

RS Means is a good source for general applications. It is an interesting benchmark. It is good to have the general breakdown of trades to overall cost from an engineering fee standpoint and how it relates to different construction types. This way when the Architect says that they want 70% of the design fee for a data center, you can give them a shove and say that MEP is 70% of the construction cost, so get lost.

I know, right! I run into this all the time. The worst part is, they always say the MEP is overbudget, but the architects come in under budget so they made up for the "inefficiency" of the engineers. Drat! Maybe your budget size was unwarranted. LOL