The bay method of estimating
The bay method of estimating, is an approach used to estimate, costs, materials amounts, quanitities or volumes where a certain elements are repetitive. The term bay usually refers to a compartment or section of a building that repeats, as such it is often used for buildings that have multiple and similar visible compartments such as factory units, warehouses, garages or transport interchanges.
The quantities of materials and/or labour, and thus costs of a single compartment is calculated by estimating in detail through measurements off drawings or 3D models (in the case of BIM, often using material take-off). Then the single unit value is multiplied by the number of compartments or units to be constructed. The individual compartments, units, rooms, elements or bays of the building should be identical or at least very similar for the estimating method to be accurate.
There are many different types of estimating with the bay method of estimating being just one approach. It is worth noting that, in general traditional approaches to the estimating of building quantities have changed with the introduction of CAD, to 3D CAD and modelling, and through to the employment of Building Information Modelling or BIM.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Analogous estimating.
- Approximate bill of quantities.
- Approximate quantities cost plan.
- Bill of quantities.
- Common mistakes in bill of quantities.
- Comparison of SMM7 with NRM2.
- Cost estimating.
- Cost plan.
- Cost.
- Elemental cost plan.
- Elemental estimating.
- Estimate.
- Extra over (EO).
- How to take off construction works.
- Measured quantity.
- New Rules of Measurement.
- Operational rate estimating.
- Parametric estimating.
- Payment.
- Price.
- Procurement.
- Spot items.
- Standard Method of Measurement (SMM7).
- Taking off construction works.
- Top down and bottom up estimating.
- Unit rate estimating.
- Working up construction works.
Featured articles and news
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.