How to use Estima

This guide walks you through getting the most accurate construction cost estimate from Estima — from selecting the right category to downloading your PDF report.

📋 Step-by-step guide

Choose your estimation mode

Estima has two modes. Use Structured Estimate for maximum accuracy — it shows specific fields for your project type. Use Quick Estimate for a fast ballpark by describing your project in plain text.

Select the project category

Click the correct category from the 9 options. Each category uses a different engineering methodology, so selecting the right one is important for accuracy.

Enter your location

Type your country or city. Estima automatically detects the local currency and applies regional cost multipliers based on local labour rates and material costs.

Fill in the project-specific fields

Each category shows tailored fields — area, length, number of floors, wall height, road width, etc. The more accurately you fill these in, the more accurate your estimate will be.

Select specification level

Choose Economy, Standard, Premium, or Luxury. This reflects the quality of materials and finishes and has a significant impact on cost.

Click Generate Estimate

Estima runs the engineering calculation instantly and optionally fetches an AI market insight. Results include cost range in USD and local currency, full breakdown, materials, labour, timeline, and risks.

Download your PDF report

Click Download PDF Report to save a professional A4 report with all sections included — suitable for sharing with clients, contractors, or banks.

🏗️ Project categories explained

🏠 Residential House — Single or multi-storey homes

🏢 Commercial Building — Offices, retail, mixed use

🧱 Boundary Wall — Compound and garden walls

🪨 Retaining Wall — Structural earth-retaining walls

🛣️ Road / Access — Asphalt, concrete, or gravel roads

⚡ Electrical Works — LT/HT wiring and distribution

🗼 Power Transmission — LT/HT lines, 132kV towers, transformers

🏗️ Foundation — Strip, raft, pad, or piled

🔧 Renovation — Remodeling and refurbishment

🌍 Supported regions & currencies

Region	Currency	Coverage
USA	USD	All states
United Kingdom	GBP	England, Scotland, Wales
UAE	AED	Dubai, Abu Dhabi, all emirates
Pakistan	PKR	All provinces including KPK
Australia	AUD	All states
Canada	CAD	All provinces
India	INR	All states
Saudi Arabia	SAR	All regions
Qatar	QAR	Doha and surroundings
Europe	EUR	Germany, France, Netherlands, and more
Other countries	USD	Estimate in USD with local context

💡 Tips for best accuracy

→ Always specify the size in the correct unit (sq ft, sq meters, marla, linear meters)

→ Select the correct soil condition — poor soil can add 12–18% to foundation and wall costs

→ For roads, specify terrain — hilly terrain adds 15% due to earthwork complexity

→ For renovation, select the building age — pre-2000 buildings cost more due to hidden defects

→ Add 10–15% contingency to any estimate for unexpected site conditions