Rider Levett Bucknall has worked in partnership with Dutch QS firm IGG Bointon de Groot BV to develop the EEC costs service.

IGG launched a similar product in Holland in 2007; BouwkostenKompas (which is translated as building cost compass), which provides subscribers’ with access to cost data for a range of building types.

With a current subscriber base of 1,600 people, the service includes a number of core models for certain building types, so that users can develop potential projects based on existing benchmarks. Taking the ratios, function, area, finishes etc for the selected model makes it easy to introduce the new inputs for the proposed project to obtain a quick cost reference guide.

Material costs are updated every three months for twenty key items including cement, steel, brick, block, labour, plant hire and energy. No other cost source offers this immediate accuracy.

“Our experience in the Netherlands shows that the service holds wide appeal for construction and property professionals, with architects making up the biggest customer base. The attraction for subscribers is that they can instantly assess the costs for a building type of a certain size.”

The service is popular with public clients with local councils making up 23% of customers. Just over 10% of customers are practicing QSs there is growing usage amongst property developers, insurance companies and the financial sector.

Rider Levett Bucknall is an independent, global property consultant, providing advice focused on the cost, quality and sustainability of the built environment.

The firm, which has over 3,000 staff operating from more than 100 international offices, provides a range of services including Quantity Surveying, Project Management and Building Surveying – underpinned by a range of complementary, specialist advisory services.

Rider Levett Bucknall delivers services across Europe from its own offices and an established network of partner organisations under the RLB Euro Alliance.

This consists of independent specialist consultancy firms in 30 European countries, committed to delivering high quality services at a local level, utilising extensive knowledge and experience from across the region.

As well as delivering services together, these firms will be part of ECC going forwards, with further versions of the service being developed for other European countries.