Bench iT

[edit] Introduction

Bench iT is a cloud based web application for project benchmarking in the construction industry. Developed specifically for quantity surveyors, architects and developers to track, manage and estimate future projects based on current and historical data. Unlike BCIS, Bench iT’s data is not available to all users of the site rather data contained within the database remains property of the submitting organisation.

[edit] History

Bench iT was made publicly available in September 2022 after a successful private beta. It is currently in version 1.0 whilst initial features are expanded before new features are implemented.

Sign up is currently open with an initial 30-day trial

[edit] Usage

Bench iT uses a dashboard style user interface with a main information screen and a left-side navigation tab. Bench iT is a web application, thus can be accessed via any modern day browser from anywhere in the world.

Bench iT combines visual graphs, spreadsheets and report like analyses throughout to provide users with an insight into their projects, past and present.

Projects are uploaded by users - Bench iT has Artificial Intelligence to analyse uploaded pricing documents such as Bills of Quantities however more accuracy is garnered when a full benchmarking study is carried out by the quantity surveyor.

Projects can be viewed individually or in aggregate (with or without filters) depending on the type of analysis that is required, for example comparing two projects against one another or comparing high level trends in procurement routes for various building types.

[edit] Features

The current version of Bench iT ships with multiple features, some are listed below:

• Rebasing - Using in house analysis of market trends projects can be estimated at an earlier or later date cost.
• Project detail - Individual KPI benchmarking and high/low level cost analysis.
• Pricing document viewer - Pricing documents (i.e. bills of quantities) can be viewed in browser in a spreadsheet like format
• Pricing document hosting - Pricing documents are downloadable from the project page
• Project comparison - Compare two projects or estimates for procurement, cost, program and stakeholder variance
• Element search - Search for costs within all contained pricing documents
• Analysis - General aggregate data of projects, can be filtered for any building case
• Cost forecasting - Built in high level cost estimation based on m2 rate or functional unit
• Cost planning - Built in cost planning per NRM1 element based on custom amounts, AI generated rates or m2 rates per elemental unit
• Stakeholder benchmarking - Benchmark client, architect & contractor performance

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Benchmarking.
• Project benchmarking.
• Carbon Buzz.
• Benchmarking as business tool.
• Cost estimation.
• Quantity surveyor.