What successful Cost Estimators know.

and
you should, too.

ELEMENTAL
COST
ANALYSIS
(ECA)
Prepared by:
Assoc. Prof. Sr Dr. Mastura Jaafar

As
a
systematic
breakdown of the
cost of a building to
a Client into various
building/construction
elements in terms
which
are
meaningful to both
Client
and
the
members
of
the
Design Team. (ISM)

To enable the Design Team to determine how

much had been spent on each building element.
To assess whether a balanced distribution of
costs have been achieved amongst the various
elements of the building.
To provide comparison of costs of the same
elements that may be used in different buildings.
To obtain cost data for use in the cost planning
for other projects.

Brief specification in the ECA describes the

type and quality of materials to be used in
project.
Usually consists of 6 elements: substructure,
superstructure,
finishes,
fittings
and
furnishings, services and external works

Basic elements
Elements

Element of Quantity

Substructure

Area of lowest floor finish measured as for

GFA

Frame

Area of floors relating to frame measured as

for GFA

Upper Floors

Total area of Upper Floors

Roof

Area of measured overall surfaces

External Walls

Area of external walls measured an outer

face (excluding openings)

Basic elements
Elements
Windows and External
Doors

Element of Quantity
Total area of windows and external doors
measured over frame

Internal Walls and

Partitions

Total area of internal walls and partitions

(excluding openings)

Internal Doors
Wall Finishes

Area of internal doors measured over frame

Total area of wall finishes

Floor Finishes
Ceiling Finishes

Total area of floor finishes

Total area of ceiling finishes

To be able to carry out elemental estimating

based on historic data.
This data is then manipulated to suit the
requirements of the current project under
consideration.
A good cost planning will store its data in the
appropriate form for later retrieval. This
usually takes the form of elemental cost
analysis.

PROCEDURE
Form 1
Calculating Gross Floor Area (GFA) and Total
Cost of Element Form 2
Up date specifications Form 3
The Cost Estimate for the new project is ready.

Type of building

FORM 1

FORM 2