METHODOLOGY · UPDATED MAY 2026

How we arrive at your projection.

This document explains every input, every multiplier, and every assumption behind an Estimato projection. It is open to your architect's review and challenge.

What the projection is built from.

SOURCE 01

Design Intend project BOQs

Bills of Quantity from 14 completed residential projects in the Hosur-Bengaluru belt between 2024 and 2026. Used as the base rate calibration set for the Considered and Refined tiers. Each BOQ covers civil structure, finishes, MEP, and elevation separately — giving us category-level breakdowns, not just total cost per sqft.

SOURCE 02

Bengaluru material rate survey

Quarterly market survey covering cement, steel, aggregates, tile, and joinery. Conducted by Design Intend's procurement team. Updated each quarter and back-tested against project actuals. Structural materials and finish materials are tracked separately.

SOURCE 03

Labour cost index

Daily and contract labour rates tracked across Hosur, Sarjapura, Bagalur, and Whitefield. Adjusted seasonally to reflect peak-cycle premium. This index is updated when seasonal variation exceeds 4 percent from the prior quarter.

SOURCE 04

Statutory and approval cost data

BBMP, panchayat, and approval body fee schedules across all twelve covered zones, updated against published rate cards and verified against project actuals. Includes building plan sanction fees, betterment levy, service charges, and inspection costs.

How the numbers come together.

An Estimato projection is the output of a layered calculation. Each layer maps to a specific input you provided during planning. The structure is below.

base_rate(city, tier)

×plot_configuration_multiplier

×floors_multiplier

×finishing_tier_multiplier

+statutory_allocation

+approval_allocation

+8% contingency_reserve

=projection_range (±6%)

What is not in your projection.

We are explicit about this. Most platforms hide it. Below is everything you should plan separately.

This estimate covers construction cost only. It does not include interior design, modular kitchen, furniture, landscaping, architect fees, structural engineer fees, government approval charges, or utility connection costs.

Furniture and movables

Sofas, beds, dining tables, and appliances are not part of construction cost. Budget separately based on your preferences.

Landscaping beyond basic site work

Trees, paving, garden lighting, and irrigation systems are not included. Add ₹3L to ₹15L depending on plot size and complexity.

Solar and renewable systems

Rooftop solar, battery storage, and water heating systems are excluded. A 3kW solar system runs ₹2L to ₹3L installed.

Smart home and automation

Lighting controls, security systems, and home automation are excluded. Add 1 to 3 percent of construction cost if planning these.

Architect and consultant fees

Typically 8 to 12 percent of build cost. We do not include these because every architect prices differently and we do not want to bias the projection.

Why we show a range, not a number.

Every projection has a ±6% confidence band. Four forces drive that variance, in roughly this order of impact:

Labour rate movement during the build period

Labour is the most volatile component. Rates in the Hosur–Bengaluru belt move 4 to 7 percent in peak construction cycles. Our projections use mid-cycle rates as the baseline. Plan finishing milestones outside peak cycles where possible.

Material rate movement quarter-on-quarter

Steel and cement prices fluctuate with national demand and government policy. A 10 percent swing in steel affects total cost by 1.5 to 2.5 percent depending on structural complexity. We update base rates quarterly to absorb this.

Site-specific approval and statutory delays

Approval timelines in gram panchayat zones can extend a project by 4 to 8 weeks relative to BBMP zones. This affects financing cost, not construction cost directly, but it changes the effective project budget.

Specification changes during construction

The most common cause of budget overruns. A mid-project upgrade from standard to premium sanitary fittings adds ₹2L to ₹4L on a 2,000 sqft build. Our contingency reserve is designed to absorb changes at this scale.

How often we update.

Base rates: quarterly. Labour index: monthly. Material survey: quarterly. Statutory schedules: annually or when published changes are notified.

LAST UPDATED · MAY 2026

Have data we should incorporate?

We update against real BOQs. If you have project data we should account for, write to us.

[email protected]