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Airport cost drivers
Life costs associated with a range of floor finishes
Material Initial capital
cost (£/m2)		 Capital cost:
whole-life cost ratio
Natural slate, 600 × 600 mm 115 67:33
Terrazzo, 300 × 300 mm 35 25:75
Marble conglomerate, 600 × 600 mm 95 38:62
Vitrified ceramic tile, 400 × 400 mm 55 38:62
Vinyl tiles, 60 × 60 mm 22 18:81
Source: Davis Langdon Consultancy
Indicative costs of airport and airport campus development
Airport facilities  
Airport terminals £1100-2400/m2 gross internal floor area
Airport piers/satellites £1350-3000/m2 gross internal floor area
Visual control rooms £55 000-60 000/m of tower height
Passenger lounge fit-out  
International airport £1150-1300/m2 affected area
Domestic airport £650-1100/m2 affected area
Allowance for furniture £180-320/m2 affected area
Baggage handling facilities £1700-2100/m2 affected area
Apron/runway – varying infrastructure content £60-120/m2
Airport campus facilities  
Car parks: surface £35-50/m2
Car parks: surface, landscaped £60-85/m2
Car parks: multistorey, flat slab £220-280/m2
Cargo handling bases £400-650/m2 gross internal floor area
Distribution centres £200-400/m2 gross internal floor area
Hangars (type C and D aircraft) £850-1000/m2 gross internal floor area
Hangars (type E aircraft) up to £2500/m2 gross internal floor area
Hotels, offices (including allowance for furniture, fittings, equipment)  
Hotels: budget £700-800/m2 gross internal floor area
Hotels: mid-market £1200-1300/m2 gross internal floor area
Offices, air-conditioned £850-1100/m2 gross internal floor area
Costs are at fourth-quarter 1998 levels based on a south-east England location. Costs of site preparation, drainage, external works and contingencies, professional fees and VAT are excluded.
Cost breakdown
element
cost £		 cost/m2
gfa £		 % of
total cost
Substructure 2 509 900 100.40 6.92
Undercroft construction; reduced level excavation; 200 mm thick
reinforced concrete ground slab; hardcore; damp-proof membrane		 8550 m2 @ £185
Ground slab; 200 mm thick reinforced insitu concrete bed, hardcore; damp-proof membrane 1050 m2 @ £55
Extra for retaining walls, linings and so on item @ £160 000
Extra for foundations; isolated pad and raft foundations 9600 m2 @ £55
Allowance for below-ground drainage and incoming services 9600 m2 @ £19
Frame 2 419 100 96.76 6.67
Structural steel framing; allowance based on 80 kg/m2 (average rate for universal and hollow sections) 1330 t @ £1,400
Allowance for structural steelwork to office mezzanineallowance based on 35 kg/m2 25 t @ £1,050
Allowance for additional framing/trimming to service risers and openings for baggage conveyors item @ £100 000
Cold-rolled galvanised steel roof purlins; 1.6 m centres; 4.5 kg/m average weight 9300  m @ £6 
Intumescent paint finish; one-hour fire resistance 15 000 m2 @ £25
Upper floors 1 212 500 48.50 3.34
Prestressed, precast concrete structural suspended floor units; 50 mm thick structural topping 14 800 m2 @ £75
Extra for 7.5 kN/m2 floor loading to plant room areas 500 m2 @ £5
Extra for formation of openings, lift and escalator pits and so on item @ £100 000
Roof 2 335 500 93.42 6.44
Roof cladding; curved; raised seam aluminium roofing, structural deck, insulation, vapour barrier, liner 9200 m2 @ £85
Extra for rooflights; sealed double-glazed units; powder-coated aluminium framing; secondary steelwork; including perforated panel sunscreens 900 m2 @ £500
Allowance for work to boundaries, gutters, rooflights and openings and so on 7500 m2 @ £25
Precast concrete roof slabs; 7.5 kN/m2 floor loading for roof level plant; waterproof membrane; plinths and bases 450 m2 @ £180
Full-length entrance/set-down canopy; hollow-section framing; curved aluminium raised-seam roofing; rooflights; complete 1300 m2 @ £550
Allowance for roof safety system 1200 m @ £100
Stairs 486 500 19.46 1.34
Steel feature stair and half landings; overall rise 5.5 m; toughened laminated glass balustrade with stainless steel handrails; finishes 2 nr @ £30 000
Steel feature stair; overall rise 3 m; toughened laminated glass balustrade with stainless steel handrails; finishes 2 nr @ £20 000
Precast concrete stairs and half landings; overall rise 5.5 m; stainless steel handrails; finishes 2 nr @ £12 000
Precast concrete stairs and half landings; overall rise 5.5 m; polyester powder-coated steel handrails; finishes 16 nr @ £10 000
Balustrade and handrail to mezzanine and first floor; toughened laminated glass balustrade, stainless steel handrail 190 m @ £750
Allowance for access platforms and stairs to plant rooms item @ £50 000
Allowance for roof access, stairs and hatches item @ £10 000
External walls, windows and doors 3 092 000 123.68 8.52
Wall cladding; colour-coated, aluminium-faced composite panels; 25% glazing in aluminium-framed, sealed double-glazed units; flashings; accessories; including 140 mm thick blockwork backing wall 7000 m2 @ £300
Curtain walling; silicone sealed double-glazed units; colour-coated aluminium framing; flashings; accessories 1750 m2 @ £350
Extra for shopfront feature curtain walling to entrance areas 100 m2 @ £150
Extra for triple glazing and increased depth of framing to airside curtain walling 480 m2 @ £100
Louvre panels to plant areas; powder-coated aluminium 250 m2 @ £250
Principal entrance doorsets; two double doorsets and windlobby; fully glazed; ironmongery; accessories 6 nr @ £30 000
Aluminium-faced double doors and frames; powder-coated; vision panels; ironmongery 10 nr @ £5,000
High-speed sectional doors to baggage handling; electrically operated; 3 x 4 m; including controls 4 nr @ £6,000
Internal walls and partitions 1 426 000 57.04 3.93
Insitu concrete shear walls; to stair cores and service risers; average 250 mm thick 2500 m2 @ £85
Blockwork partitions; 140 mm average thickness; head restraint 7700 m2 @ £45
Metal stud partitions; 5 m high; one layer impact-resistant board; one layer wallboard, each side; to public areas 2500 m2 @ £60
Metal stud partitions; two layers wallboard, each side; to office areas 1050 m2 @ £40
Metal stud partitions; shaftwall construction; two layers fireline board, one layer core board; one side only 2000 m2 @ £80
Facia panel to ticket sales desks 40 m @ £500
Fully glazed shopfronts; facia panel 160 m @ £2,000
Toilet cubicle partitions 50 nr @ £1,000
Melamine-faced, solid laminate access panelling to WCs and so on 150 nr @ £500
Allowance for additional screens and partitions item @ £50 000
Internal doors 227 600 9.10 0.63
Flush doors to public areas; solid-core laminate/veneer-faced; hardwood frames; ironmongery; complete 100 nr @ £900
Flush doors to administration areas; solid-core laminate/veneer-faced; hardwood frames; ironmongery; complete 72 nr @ £800
Duct access doors 100 nr @ £700
Allowance for additional services access panels item @ £10 000
Wall finishes 569 500 22.78 1.57
Independent wall lining; plasterboard lining to inner face ofexternal walls 4600 m2 @ £30
Extra over plasterboard linings for laminate-finish wall panelling 2500 m2 @ £5
Laminate-finished wall panelling; sub frame; to blockwork 3700 m2 @ £25
Ceramic tiles; sand cement backing; to concrete or blockwork 300 m2 @ £60
13 mm, two-coat lightweight plaster; two coats emulsion paint; to blockwork/concrete 10 900 m2 @ £10
Two coats emulsion paint; to blockwork 6650 m2 @ £3
Skim coat and two coats emulsion paint; to plasterboard 5900 m2 @ £5
Wall protectors; stainless steel protective rails 1500 m @ £100
Floor finishes 848 900 33.96 2.34
Sand cement screed; average 40 mm thick 5700 m2 @ £8
Granite terrazzo floor tiles; 300 × 300 mm; fully ground and polished; including allowance for skirtings, movement joints and brass division strips 4600 m2 @ £80
Vitrified ceramic tile; 400 × 400 mm; bright finish; including allowance for skirtings and movement joints 1100 m2 @ £60
Raised-access floor, carpet tile; to office areas 800 m2 @ £65
Heavy duty carpet tiles; including allowance for skirtings 2400 m2 @ £35
Vinyl floor tiles; levelling screed; including allowance for skirtings; to core areas 2550 m2 @ £25
Extra for finishes to WCs 400 m2 @ £45
Concrete hardener to concession shells, plant rooms and baggage handling; skirtings 10 300 m2 @ £5
Allowance for additional floor finishes item @ £50 000
Allowance for mats and matwells item @ £50 000
 
Cost breakdown
element
cost £		 cost/m2
gfa £		 % of
total cost
Ceiling finishes 677 700 27.11 1.87
Suspended ceilings; open-grid ceiling; generally 3400 m2 @ £70
Finish to roof soffit; generally 8300 m2 @ £20
Suspended ceilings; metal pan tiles; lay in grid; to check-in, ticket sales and office areas 1650 m2 @ £40
Suspended ceilings; mineral-fibre tiles; lay-in tiles; to core areas 440 m2 @ £30
Extra for moisture-resistant ceiling tiles to WC areas 400 m2 @ £5
Concrete sealant to concession shells, plant rooms and baggage handling 8000 m2 @ £5
Extra for four-hour fire protection to areas of undercroft plantroom soffit 500 m2 @ £65
Extra over ceiling finishes generally for acoustic treatment to mall/queuing areas 6000 m2 @ £20
Furniture and fittings 1 035 000 41.4 2.85
Check-in desks 64 nr @ £2,500
Out-of-gauge baggage counter item @ £25 000
Information and security desks item @ £50 000
Ticket desks 20 nr @ £3,500
Statutory and directional signage item @ £150 000
Seating to check-in and departure lounge areas 400 nr @ £200
Allowance for fixtures and fittings generally; to public areas item @ £200 000
Allowance for furniture and equipment to check-in and ticket sales areas (excluding IT installations) item @ £200 000
Allowance for fittings to back-of-house areas item @ £100 000
Sanitary fittings 51 100 2.04 0.14
WCs, urinals, washhand basins; generally 150 nr @ £300
Allowance for fittings for disabled WCs item @ £1,000
Cleaners’ sinks 6 nr @ £350
Allowance for drinking water fountains item @ £3,000
Disposal installations 235 000 9.40 0.65
Rainwater disposal; cast iron downpipes and fittings 25 000 m2 @ £3
Waste, soil and vent installation; PVCu pipework and fittings 25 000 m2 @ £4
Allowance for pumped disposal from undercroft item @ £60 000
Water installations 225 000 9.00 0.62
Hot- and cold-water service; calorifiers; hot- and cold-water storage; distribution 25 000 m2 @ £9
Space heating and air treatment 4 827 500 193.10 13.30
Gas installation item @ £20 000
Low-temperature, hot-water heating; boiler plant (4 MW); stainless steel flues; pumps and valves; distribution within plantrooms; insulation 25 000 m2 @ £20
Low-temperature, hot-water heating; perimeter heating; low-temperature, hot-water elements and distribution 25 000 m2 @ £10
Chilled water installation; chillers and cooling towers (total load 2500 kW); pressurisation unit; pumps and valves; distribution within plant rooms; insulation and trace heating 25 000 m2 @ £22
Supply and extract ventilation; air-handling unit with heating and cooling batteries; ductwork in risers and plant rooms 25 000 m2 @ £28
Supply and extract ventilation; displacement system; ductwork; grilles and diffusers; insulation; to public areas 13 500 m2 @ £150
Air-conditioning; four-pipe fan-coil installation to office areas, check-in and so on; low-temperature, hot-water and chilled-water distribution; condensate drainage; fan-coil units; ductwork; insulation; grilles and diffusers 1650 m2 @ £100
Allowance for services to communications rooms item @ £50 000
Mechanical ventilation to baggage handling and plantrooms 7400 m2 @ £45
Toilet extract installation 25 000 m2 @ £5
Allowance for smoke extract to public areas, roof level extract 13 500 m2 @ £5
Extra over mechanical ventilation for smoke extract to baggage handling 4200 m2 @ £10
Electrical installations 3 751 800 150.07 10.34
HV Switchgear; 5 MVA, transformers, HV cable, LV switchgear item @ £1 000 000
Standby generation; essential services only; 1750 kVA item @ £350 000
Mains and sub-mains installation 25 000 m2 @ £15
Small power distribution 25 000 m2 @ £10
Lighting and luminaires to public areas 13 500 m2 @ £80
Lighting and luminaires to check-in, ticket sales and offices 1650 m2 @ £55
Lighting and luminaires to core, plant and baggage-handling areas 10 650 m2 @ £40
Emergency lighting installation 25 000 m2 @ £5
Power to mechanical services item @ m2 @ £55 000
Lift installations 860 000 34.40 2.37
21-person, electro-hydraulic lift serving two floors; 0.6 m/s 2 nr @ £90 000
2000 kg goods lift; serving three floors 2 nr @ £100 000
Escalator; 0.5 m/s, 1000 mm step width; glass balustrade; 5. 2 m rise 4 nr @ £120 000
Protective installations 578 000 23.12 1.59
Lightning protection 25 000 m2 @ £2
Earthing and bonding 25 000 m2 @ £2
Sprinkler installation; storage tank, pumps and riser pipework; capped-off valves 25 000 m2 @ £12
Extra for sprinkler distribution pipework to baggage-handling areas 4200 m2 @ £15
Allowance for dry riser and hosereel installations item @ £100 000
Fire suppression installation to communications room item @ £15 000
Communications installations 2 400 000 96.00 6.61
Fully addressable fire and smoke detection and alarm system 25 000 m2 @ £18
Voice/public-address system with interfaces to flight information, fire and security systems 25 000 m2 @ £10
Intruder detection 25 000 m2 @ £5
Allowance for security, CCTV and access control 25 000 m2 @ £20
Wireways for telephones, data and structured cable 25 000 m2 @ £5
Structured cable installation, linking check-in, ticket desks and security control points 25 000 m2 @ £18
Allowance for flight information display system; 100 LED displays, 150 monitors item @ £500 000
Special installations 750 000 30.00 2.07
Building management system 25 000 m2 @ £30
Baggage handling installation     excluded
Builder’s work in connection 410 000 16.40 1.13
Forming holes, chases and so on, allow 3% item @ £410 000
Preliminaries and contingencies 5 357 000 214.28 14.76
Contractor’s overheads, site establishment and site supervision, allow 12% item @ £3 711 000
Allowance for commissioning management item @ £100 000
Contingency sum, allow 5% item @ £1 546 000
Total construction cost – building only 36 285 600 1451.42 100
 
Regional variations
All costs in this article are based on schemes in the South-east and should be adjusted by the following location factors for projects in other areas.
Inner London 1.10
Outer London 1.04
South-west 0.95
East Midlands 0.93
West Midlands 0.95
East Anglia 0.95
Yorkshire and Humberside 0.93
North-west 0.98
Northern 0.93
Scotland 0.96
Wales 0.94
Northern Ireland 0.82