Transportation Project Cost Estimating

Cost estimates are a key element of the benefit cost analysis in project business cases upon which capital investment plan decisions are made. They are also the basis for establishing and amending project budgets and are one of the most important factors against which the success of a project is measured.

Guidelines

• Project Cost Estimating Guidelines - Updated December 2020 (PDF, 1MB)
  Guidelines on preparing project cost estimates for capital and rehabilitation projects including estimating principles, framework for submission, classification of estimates and estimating methods.

Tools and Construction Cost Data

• Learn how contracted consultants can access the restricted Construction Cost Data website  (DOCX, 185KB - June 2020)
  Tender cost data from construction contracts available to consultants that provide cost estimating services to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
• Highway Construction Inflation Indexes 2023 – Updated April 2023 (PDF, 645KB)
  Contains historical indexes for adjusting historical construction cost data to the current year for cost estimating, and forecast indexes for developing a project budget from a project cost estimate.
• Sample Project Cost Estimate Worksheets Template (XLSX - November 2013)
  Templates for developing and providing a complete cost estimate submission package.
• Form H0088 - Create Ministry Estimate Schedule of Approximate Quantities and Unit Prices (XLSM)
  A tool used to produce Schedule 7 which is required to tender construction contracts.