Building Cost Information Service
BCIS is the Building Cost Information Service of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). It is described by RICS as ‘the leading provider of cost and price information to the construction industry and anyone else who needs comprehensive, accurate and independent data.’
It was established in 1961 to facilitate the preparation of elemental cost plans, where an 'element' is defined as, ‘a major physical part of a building that fulfils a specific function or functions, irrespective of its design, specification or construction’.
The BCIS website was launched in 1997.
Cost and price information is collected by BCIS from across the UK construction industry, then collated, analysed, modelled, interpreted and made available to the industry to facilitate accurate cost planning.
Information is made available online, by data licensing and through publications. It is broken down into five key areas:
- Construction.
- Maintenance.
- Rebuilding.
- Consultancy.
- Insurance.
BCIS information can be used by clients, consultants, quantity surveyors, contractors and suppliers to help:
- Preparing construction budgets.
- Benchmarking.
- Preparing cost plans.
- Preparing insurance quotes.
- Carrying out options appraisals.
- Value engineering.
- Preparing performance specifications.
- Procurement.
- Preparing maintenance budgets.
- Carrying out market research.
- Forecasting.
- Assessing price movements.
BCIS also offers consultancy and research support and publishes survey-based international cost information.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- BCIS elements.
- Benchmarking.
- Budget.
- Cost information.
- Cost planning.
- Elemental cost plan.
- International Construction Measurement Standards (ICMS).
- New Rules of Measurement.
- Quantity surveyor.
- RICS.
[edit] External references
Featured articles and news
Do you take the lead in a circular construction economy?
Help us develop and expand this wiki as a resource for academia and industry alike.
Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce
Risks of undermining UK’s energy transition due to lack of electrotechnical industry representation, says ECA.
Cost Optimal Domestic Electrification CODE
Modelling retrofits only on costs that directly impact the consumer: upfront cost of equipment, energy costs and maintenance costs.
The Warm Homes Plan details released
What's new and what is not, with industry reactions.
Could AI and VR cause an increase the value of heritage?
The Orange book: 2026 Amendment 4 to BS 7671:2018
ECA welcomes IET and BSI content sign off.
How neural technologies could transform the design future
Enhancing legacy parametric engines, offering novel ways to explore solutions and generate geometry.
Key AI related terms to be aware of
With explanations from the UK government and other bodies.
From QS to further education teacher
Applying real world skills with the next generation.
A guide on how children can use LEGO to mirror real engineering processes.
Data infrastructure for next-generation materials science
Research Data Express to automate data processing and create AI-ready datasets for materials research.
Wired for the Future with ECA; powering skills and progress
ECA South Wales Business Day 2025, a day to remember.
AI for the conservation professional
A level of sophistication previously reserved for science fiction.
Biomass harvested in cycles of less than ten years.
An interview with the new CIAT President
Usman Yaqub BSc (Hons) PCIAT MFPWS.
Cost benefit model report of building safety regime in Wales
Proposed policy option costs for design and construction stage of the new building safety regime in Wales.
Do you receive our free biweekly newsletter?
If not you can sign up to receive it in your mailbox here.