Calculating Materials vs. Construction vs. Project costs

Jessica – You are correct that the ratio between construction costs and total project budget will be project-specific—often dependent on the building type, project scope, & site conditions. If you are just trying to set early targets for MR Credit calculations, try consulting your project’s estimators. They may have a “rule of thumb” that they use when compiling preliminary budgets. If an estimator has not come on board yet, consult your design team. They often have similar “rules” that they use when estimating design fees. Otherwise, there are several construction estimating resources available that may provide such percentages. I have used one publication that gives examples of Division-by-Division cost breakdowns for various building types. As your project progresses, you will need to revise these budgets based on more specific estimates. Ultimately, once the project has been bid & awarded, you can base your calculations on actual contract amounts.

How does USGBC know if the project total construction cost has included the Divisions* scope of work? * before 2004 CSI Divisions 02-10 or 2004 onward Divisions 03-10 & 32.