RIBA Stage 1: Feasibility
Initial cost studies to assess project viability and inform early design decisions. Broad cost ranges from concept information.
Strategic Cost Management
Cost Planning Services
Strategic cost management aligned to RIBA design stages. Manage your construction budget with confidence from feasibility to completion.
Cost Planning Aligned to Every Stage of Design
Cost planning is about more than producing a single estimate — it is a strategic process that manages your construction budget throughout the design and development process. From initial feasibility studies through to tender, our RIBA-aligned cost plans ensure you always know where your project stands financially.
Our qualified Quantity Surveyors provide cost advice at each RIBA work stage, progressively refining estimates as design information develops. This means you can make informed decisions about design, specification and scope at every stage — avoiding the costly surprise of discovering your project is over budget only when tenders are returned.
Whether you are an architect advising clients, a developer managing a pipeline of projects, or a project manager responsible for budget control, our cost planning service provides the financial framework you need to deliver successful projects.
Discuss Cost Planning
How We Help
Cost Planning at Every Stage
RIBA Stage 2: Concept Design
Outline cost plan refined as the design concept develops. Elemental cost breakdown with benchmarking.
RIBA Stage 3: Spatial Coordination
Detailed cost plan with measured quantities from coordinated design. Specification-level pricing applied.
RIBA Stage 4: Technical Design
Pre-tender estimate with full detail from technical drawings. Final cost check before going out to tender.
Value Engineering
Cost analysis at any stage to identify savings without compromising design intent or quality.
Cost Reporting
Regular cost reports tracking budget against current estimates, with commentary on changes and risks.
The Advantage
Why Use a Cost Planning Service?
No Budget Surprises
Continuous cost monitoring means you discover budget issues early, when design changes are still affordable. Waiting until tender stage to find out your project is over budget limits your options.
Informed Design Decisions
Every design choice has a cost implication. Our cost plans give architects and clients the financial data to make design decisions that balance ambition with budget reality.
RIBA-Aligned Framework
Our cost plans follow the recognised RIBA work stage framework, making them compatible with standard appointment documents and easily understood by all project team members.
Real Results
Cost Planning in Action
Cost Planning
View Full Case Study
New Build Detached House, Yorkshire
We provided cost planning services from RIBA Stage 1 through to tender, progressively refining estimates as the design developed. The final tender came within 3% of our Stage 4 pre-tender estimate, giving the clients complete confidence in their budget.
3%
Estimate vs Tender
4
Cost Plan Revisions
6 months
Design to Tender
Client Reviews
What Our Clients Say
First4Estimating’s cost planning gave us confidence throughout the design process. At every stage we knew exactly where we stood financially, which meant no nasty surprises when tenders came back.
Having stage-by-stage cost plans meant we could advise our clients with real data rather than guesswork. It transformed the way we manage project budgets.
The value engineering exercise alone saved us over 15% on the build cost without any compromise on the design. An incredibly valuable service.