General Information on Determining Construction Costs
The assessment and determination of construction costs is fundamentally defined and regulated in DIN 276 (Costs in Construction). Especially in specialist planning for structural engineering, cost assessment at various levels according to this DIN standard is mandatorily required. In accordance with DIN 276, costs for new construction and renovation — from pure structural engineering and building services engineering (electrical, heating, plumbing, air conditioning, ventilation, drainage, etc.) to all external facilities — are organized and determined in individually assigned cost groups. The goal is to present all incurred costs transparently and comparably according to individual trades, in order to provide a solid foundation for design and execution planning as a planning or architecture office.

Cost Determination
A cost determination serves as the basis for cost control, planning and procurement decisions, and is in turn structured into various levels. The cost determination simultaneously serves as proof of the construction costs incurred. Individual costs are divided into predefined cost groups to ensure correct traceability at a later stage. In the cost determination according to HOAI, costs for structural engineering and general building services must be comprehensively recorded and broken down. The following methods can conveniently be applied for cost determination.

Cost Estimation
The cost estimation itself is generally considered the basis for the preliminary assessment as well as the initial phases of specialist planning (for example, the preliminary planning – Service Phase 3 according to HOAI). The basis is generally the client's requirements as well as the initial available construction documents.

Cost Calculation
The cost calculation itself serves as the basis for decisions regarding design planning and differs from the pure cost estimation based on the level of cost determination. The cost calculation at the 2nd level according to DIN 276 is therefore already much more specific and accurate than the cost estimation at the 1st level, and can thus be used as a viable basis for HOAI Service Phase 3. Documents such as already prepared design plans (standard design drawings via CAD or CAE programs) and quantity calculations (cost groups) are fundamentally required in order to present a solid cost calculation for the further phases of specialist planning.

Cost Estimate (Tender)
This serves as the decisive basis for the subsequent execution planning in accordance with the HOAI service phases and simultaneously forms the foundation for the preparation of construction tendering. The following fundamentals are required for the correct preparation of the cost estimate:
– Execution plans (final planning documents, typically at a scale of 1:50)
– Calculations on thermal insulation in accordance with EnEV and DIN V18599
– Quantity calculation
– Calculations on structural stability (structural engineering planning).

Final Cost Statement
This represents the final level of cost determination and serves as proof of costs incurred in structural engineering as well as for final documentation in architecture and specialist planning. The basis here is typically the verified billing documents, planning documents, and various billing drawings.

Our Professional Experience – Your Security
As experienced MEP engineers, we can provide you with a practical cost determination, on request down to the last cost level. We are happy to support you in your construction project with planning and site management, all the way to our shared project success.