Cost takeoff (for positions without actual elements too)

Revit
1

Hello there,

I aim to implement a cost takeoff in my already existing system to get quantities. Here I mostly calculate via dynamo scripts the quantity of elements and store them in parameters or export them straight to excel.

I searched in the forum and also found some very interesting videos from @GavinCrump like:

Preparing Revit models for takeoff
and
Takeoff via dynamo

Let me try to summarize it quickly:

  • Add cost takeoff parameters to elements: “ABG_TakeoffRate”,“ABG_Cost_Itemized” and Cost Group.
  • Export Elements with new parameters
  • Set Cost in Excel
  • Calculate them via Dynamo
  • Export

Looks super sexy. Sadly, on the way to implement this at multiple costs for a single element, the sexiness gets lost.

For example, rooms are used to store quantities of multiple elements that are not in itself modeled.
They store values for sockets and toppings.
This is not an individual case either. So, for those elements, I would need to add multiple unique parameters that are to be set individually.

The quantity exists. Cost needs to be set.

Then again, add logic for those parameters specifically.

Does anybody have a better idea for masses without actual modeled elements?

My process right now would be:

  1. Including ABG Parameters
  2. Set all element based costs
  3. Set cost for not modeled elements individually
  4. calculate ABG Cost
  5. calculate individually
  6. Export → again multiple parameters with multiple columns
2

If I’m following your process correctly, your current plan is to export elements and parameters to Excel, set values in Excel, import back into Dynamo to calculate, then export back out to Excel. Why have Dynamo do the math when Excel is already great at it?

Instead, you could start with an Excel template file with a unit value sheet for setting all your material or unit pricing and lookup tables for item counts. You could then just export all your material and unit data to Excel in a standardized format where the values get automatically calculated. It would be more setup on the Excel side but would making scaling much easier. You also wouldn’t have to maintain unique parameters for each material/unit.

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3

Yeah, that sounds a lot better. Will look into it. Sometimes you dont see the simple solution…
My reasoning to do it in revit was to keep all information in the model. But yeah, one can just deliever the result. The quantity is there already.

Thank You

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4

I agree with Nick, no point in pushing data down only to pull it back up without the model serving a purpose towards it. I use this logic to deal with room data sheets for example where I work, the Lion’s share of the work comes from Excel with model based data coming via the model (e.g. room area, level, name).

If you end up using power BI look into table joining using ‘merged queries’ to interrogate multiple data sources of consistent structure. I’d focus on getting alignment in your Revit derived/excel based data and then that means you get the best of both worlds. It’s a bit beyond where my video ends up but definitely possible:

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