Estimation
Build accurate project cost estimates and stay in control of your budget from day one.
What is Estimation?
Estimation is how you calculate a project's cost before work begins. You break the project into tasks, materials, labour, and services, then assign a cost to each one — producing a complete Bill of Quantities (BQ) that guides pricing, cash flow, and budget control.
Estimation lives inside each project in Bestrack. Open any project from your dashboard and select Estimation from the sidebar to get started.
Click "Estimation" to expand · Then click any step to see details
Cost Types
Every line item belongs to a cost type that tells you what kind of expense it is. Click any type below to see what it covers and how it's priced.
Click "Cost Types" to expand · Then click any type to see details
Adding Items
Click Add Estimate in the top right, pick a cost type, then fill in the drawer that slides in from the right. The cost breakdown updates live as you type.
Each item has the following fields:
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Name | Clear description of the item |
| Group | Optional parent group for hierarchy |
| Cost Code | Optional trade/category code for reporting |
| Quantity | How many units are needed |
| Unit | Unit of measurement (m², kg, hour, lot, etc.) |
| Unit Cost | What you pay per unit (builder cost) |
| Markup | Percentage added for overhead and profit |
| Status | Incomplete, Complete, or Not Relevant |
How the amount is calculated:
Builder Cost = Quantity × Unit Cost
Markup Amount = Builder Cost × (Markup % ÷ 100)
Amount = Builder Cost + Markup Amount
Example: 500 m² of floor tiles at RM 28/m² with 17% markup Builder Cost = RM 14,000 · Markup = RM 2,380 · Amount = RM 16,380
To edit an item, click its row. To delete, use the actions menu on the row.
Organising with Groups
Groups give your estimate a hierarchy. Add a Group item (e.g. 3.0 Foundation Works) to section your estimate, then assign items to it using the Group field. Groups can nest inside other groups for multi-level structure.
Use the arrow next to any group to expand or collapse it. The Expand All / Collapse All button in the toolbar toggles all groups at once.
Filtering and Views
The toolbar above the table helps you navigate large estimates:
- Search — filter items by name
- Status filter — show only Incomplete, Complete, or Not Relevant items
- Group By — switch how items are displayed:
- Lines (default) — your natural hierarchy
- Cost Type — flattened and grouped by Material, Labor, Equipment, etc.
- Cost Code — grouped by cost codes (uncoded items appear under Uncategorised)
Summary Panel
At the bottom of the table, the summary panel shows your project totals:
| Row | What it means |
|---|---|
| Builder Fixed Cost | Non-allowance items plus their markup |
| Allowances | Total of all provisional sums |
| Markup | Total markup amount across all items |
| Total | Grand total of the estimate |
This gives you an instant view of your overall project cost and how much of it is firm versus provisional.
From Estimate to Proposal
Once your estimate is in shape, Bestrack links the total directly into a Proposal — your client-facing offer with payment milestones and a validity window.
Click "Estimate → Proposal" to expand · Then click any stage to see details