Help & Answers
FAQ
Common questions about Civimetric, construction cost estimation, and Indian schedule of rates — answered.
What is Civimetric?
Civimetric is an AI-powered construction rate analysis platform for India. It ingests CPWD and State PWD schedules of rates (DSR/SSR) and lets engineers, contractors, and homeowners look up rates or generate detailed cost estimates using natural language queries — no spreadsheets or manual lookups required.
Is Civimetric free to use?
Yes — Civimetric is currently free to use during early access. Create an account to save your estimates and chat history. Enterprise features (team workspaces, custom rate libraries, project progress tracking) are available on request.
How accurate are Civimetric estimates?
Estimates are grounded in published CPWD DSR and State SSR rates, adjusted by location multipliers derived from regional cost indices. They are indicative figures — suitable for budgeting, planning, and contractor rate verification — not a substitute for a detailed project-specific BOQ prepared by a licensed quantity surveyor or civil engineer.
Which states' schedule of rates does Civimetric cover?
Currently: CPWD (Central), Delhi, Maharashtra (MJP SSR), and select Water Resources Department CSRs. More state SSRs are added regularly. Enterprise users can upload their own SSR file to get rates specific to any state, agency, or year.
Can I upload my own state schedule of rates?
Yes. On the Studio page, use the SSR Upload panel to upload a PDF or Excel schedule of rates. It is ingested into a private session namespace and used for your queries in that session. Enterprise users get a permanent rate library tied to their organisation, available across all projects and team members.
What is an enterprise rate library?
An enterprise rate library is a versioned, organisation-scoped collection of custom schedule of rates uploaded by your team. It is used automatically when generating estimates or BOQ analyses within your enterprise workspace, searched first before falling back to the CPWD DSR baseline.
What is CPWD DSR?
CPWD DSR (Central Public Works Department Delhi Schedule of Rates) is the official schedule of unit rates published by the Government of India for civil, electrical, and horticulture construction works. It sets the baseline cost for materials and labour for centrally funded projects across India and is updated periodically to reflect current market rates.
What is the difference between DSR and SSR in construction?
DSR (Delhi Schedule of Rates) is published by CPWD and applies to centrally funded Government of India projects. SSR (State Schedule of Rates) is published by individual state PWDs and applies to state-funded projects. Rates differ by region, material availability, and local labour costs — a project in Mumbai follows MJP SSR, while a central government project in any state follows CPWD DSR.
How much does it cost to build a house in India in 2025?
Construction cost in India varies significantly by location, specification, and floor count. A rough guide: economy finish ₹1,200–1,800/sqft, standard finish ₹1,800–2,500/sqft, premium finish ₹2,500–4,000/sqft. These are all-inclusive rates covering structure, finishing, plumbing, and electrical. Use Civimetric to get a location-specific breakdown grounded in current DSR rates for your city.
What is BOQ in construction?
BOQ (Bill of Quantities) is a document that lists all materials, labour, and work items required for a construction project, with quantities and unit rates. It forms the basis of contractor tendering and project cost control. A BOQ is typically prepared by a quantity surveyor or civil engineer from architectural and structural drawings, priced using the applicable schedule of rates.
How is construction cost per square foot calculated in India?
Cost per square foot is derived by dividing total project cost by the built-up area. It includes structure (RCC frame, masonry), finishes (flooring, plaster, paint), services (plumbing, electrical), and overheads. CPWD norms use a component-wise approach: each trade is priced separately using DSR unit rates and quantities derived from IS-code thumb rules, then totalled and divided by area.
What is rate analysis in construction?
Rate analysis is the process of determining the unit cost of a construction item by breaking it down into material quantities, labour hours, equipment use, and contractor overhead — each priced from the current schedule of rates. It justifies why a quoted rate is what it is, and is used to verify contractor quotations, prepare detailed estimates, or audit a submitted BOQ.
What is M20 concrete and when is it used?
M20 concrete has a characteristic compressive strength of 20 N/mm² at 28 days, with a nominal mix ratio of approximately 1:1.5:3 (cement:sand:coarse aggregate). Per IS:456, it is the minimum grade for reinforced concrete structural members in general construction — slabs, beams, and columns in residential buildings up to a few storeys. Higher grades (M25, M30) are specified for multi-storey or heavily loaded structures.
How can I check if my contractor's rates are fair?
Compare your contractor's quoted rates against the applicable state schedule of rates (SSR) or CPWD DSR for your region. Reasonable contractor quotes typically fall within 10–20% above DSR rates, accounting for site overhead and profit. Civimetric's BOQ Analyser lets you upload a contractor's estimate and automatically flags line items that deviate significantly from published DSR rates.