Potential of geographic information systems in building cost estimation and visualization

Abstract This study explores the potential of geographic information systems (GIS) for building cost estimation and visualization. The proposed methodology uses AreView 3.2 for the storage of descriptive data of different task and relates these data to the corresponding spatial feature in GIS environment. Methodology utilises the capabilities of GIS to store spatial data in different themes, which can later be manipulated for building cost estimation. New scripts are added to the existing GIS software for cost estimation and easy access to information available in the GIS. The sample resource data for various tasks related to construction materials, labours, and equipments are stored in three different tables, while the recommendations for safety and quality control are stored in two separate tables. A separate table is used for each project to generate bill of quantities (BOQ), bill of materials (BOM), and labour requirement. Accurate BOQ is generated on the basis of the dimensions of different data themes of architectural drawing in GIS environment. A 3-D visualization of the building is also developed by utilizing data themes used for cost estimation.