Cost planning and estimating services
Derek Gough Associates (DGA) is a RICS-regulated firm of quantity surveyors and project managers that has provided cost planning and estimating services on construction projects across Cheshire and London, for nearly 30 years.
We work with architects, builders, developers and interior designers to set a reliable budget before work starts and to control cost as a project develops.
Here, we set out what cost planning and estimating services involve, why they matter, and how DGA delivers them, including our DGA Plus service for projects valued at around £200,000 to £2 million.
Cost planning and estimating services - an overview
Cost planning and estimating are two related disciplines that give a project financial control from the first idea through to the final account.
Cost planning is the process of forecasting, structuring and controlling the cost of a building project before construction starts. It begins with the client brief and an initial budget, then develops into a detailed cost model as the design progresses. The aim is to align design ambition with available budget, so decisions are made with full sight of their cost consequences.
Estimating is the measurement and pricing of a defined scope of work. On the contractor side it produces a tender price. On the client side it tests whether prices returned are fair and consistent with the cost plan. A cost plan is not a single fixed figure. It breaks the project into elements such as substructure, frame, roof, external walls, finishes, services and external works, each carrying a cost allowance based on the design information available at that stage.
Why cost planning and estimating matter
The cost of a project is largely determined in the early design stages, long before the first invoice is paid. Decisions about form, structure, specification and servicing strategy set the cost trajectory. Once those decisions are locked in, the scope to reduce cost without redesign narrows quickly.
Sound cost planning and estimating help a project team to:
– Test whether the brief is affordable before committing to detailed design.
– Make informed decisions on specification, materials and form at the point they carry the most influence.
– Identify and price risk early, then put mitigation in place.
– Avoid abortive design work on schemes that were never within budget.
– Give funders, lenders and private clients confidence in the figures presented.
Without a cost plan, projects tend to discover their true cost at tender, when the options for correction are limited and expensive. A scheme that returns over budget at tender often means weeks of redesign, renewed planning input and a delayed start on site.
How cost advice develops through the design stages
Cost planning follows the design. Under the RIBA Plan of Work, cost advice begins at the earliest stages, when only a brief and a site exist, and continues through concept and developed design.
At RIBA Stages 1 and 2, advice is necessarily broad, based on floor areas, comparable projects and benchmarked rates. As the design reaches Stages 3 and 4, the cost plan becomes more detailed, drawing on specifications, drawings and measured quantities. By tender stage the cost plan becomes the benchmark against which contractor estimates are assessed. The model should grow with the project, not sit as a static estimate produced once and forgotten.
Cost optioneering and value engineering
A good cost plan does more than report a number. It identifies the cost drivers within a scheme, the elements that carry the most cost and the most opportunity, and lets the design team test alternatives before committing to them.
Value engineering carried out early is a design conversation rather than a cost-cutting exercise. Done at tender it usually means stripping quality out of a scheme under time pressure. Done in pre-construction it means designing to the budget from the start.
Cost planning and estimating for architects, builders, developers and interior designers
Different parties need different things from cost advice, and DGA works with all of them.
Architects use cost planning to test a design against the client’s budget and to manage expectations through the design process. DGA works in close association with architectural practices across the UK, providing independent cost advice that supports design rather than constraining it.
Builders and contractors use cost plans and estimates to price accurately and to understand risk before committing to a programme. A clear cost plan reduces ambiguity at tender and during delivery, which reduces the potential for disputes on site. DGA also provides contractor-side estimating and quantity surveying.
Developers rely on cost planning for feasibility appraisals, funding applications and go or no-go decisions. Accurate early figures protect the development margin and reduce the risk of a scheme that only reveals its true cost once it is too late to change course.
Interior designers work to significant budgets on finishes and joinery, where costs escalate quickly. Early cost planning keeps high-quality specifications aligned with the money available.
Case study
Cost planning and estimating in practice: Wilby Mews
At Wilby Mews, a mews house refurbishment in London with a build value of around £500,000, DGA was involved from the initial RIBA Stage 2 cost plan and managed cost through to completion. The scheme involved a full strip out and rebuild with a large new dormer and high-end finishes throughout.
Working alongside Jo Cowen Architecture, DGA advised on the cost implications of material and specification choices as the final designs were prepared, and the project was delivered on budget. This is cost planning working as intended, with cost controlled from concept to handover rather than reconciled after the fact.
Plan and estimate your project costs with DGA
DGA prepares cost plans and estimates for architects, builders, developers, interior designers and private clients across the UK, from our offices in Cheshire and London. Early involvement gives the most control over cost, so the best time to speak to us is at the start of a project.
To discuss your project, contact the DGA team on 01565 831 999 or email info@dgough.co.uk.
The value of expert construction cost consultants in Cheshire
DGA brings over 30 years of experience supporting architects, developers, builders and private clients across residential, commercial and heritage sectors. Our approach combines proven cost management principles with sustainability, carbon assessment and structured oversight to provide clarity and confident decision making at every stage.
Whether your project is a small residential scheme or a complex commercial development, we deliver the right level of cost expertise to protect your budget and reduce risk. Speak to the DGA team for clear, practical guidance that helps you make informed decisions and deliver a project aligned with your ambitions.