What is important in budgeting a design project?

That is a very tough question to answer. A complete technology design is a conglomerate of systems. There are no two designs that are the same, and there is not an exhaustive list of pricing factors. However, with these items defined, a fee can be developed.

Based on our experience, we typically see prices ranging from 3% to 20% of the project’s value.

Some factors that contribute to overall cost of the design.

structured cabling icon

STRUCTURED CABLING

access control icon

ACCESS CONTROL

video surveillance icon

VIDEO SURVEILLANCE

CATV icon

CATV

sound masking icon

SOUND MASKING

audio visual icon

AUDIO VISUAL

point of sale icon

POINT OF SALE

distributed antenna system icon

DISTRIBUTED ANTENNA SYSTEM

paging icon

PAGING

nurse call icon

NURSE CALL

network switches & electronics icon

NETWORK SWITCHES & ELECTRONICS

battery backup icon

BATTERY BACKUP

intrusion detection system icon

INTRUSION DETECTION SYSTEM

unified communications icon

UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS

digital signage icon

DIGITAL SIGNAGE

distributed antenna system icon

WIRELESS NETWORKS

video walls icon

VIDEO WALLS

needs analysis icon

NEEDS ANALYSIS

Within each system listed, a needs analysis should be performed before the design starts. This refines the requirements and extent of each system. In addition, it helps produce a more accurate quote for design services.

dropped tile or fixed ceilings icon

TYPE OF STRUCTURE

What type of structure is being built? A system in a manufacturing plant is developed completely different than a highrise office building. An apartment complex can reuse the same templates for each building, thus saving time and money.

expandability icon

SIZE OF THE PROJECT

Economies of scale work with design projects. A very small project still requires the basics; specifications, drawings, meetings, conference calls and construction administration. Therefore, a small project would have a higher percentage of construction costs.

security icon

DESIGN AND BUILD PROJECT

Is this a design and build project? If it is, then there could be substantial discounts on the design portion.

controller vs controller-less icon

DESIGN OUTPUT - 2D VS. 3D

Costs to produce drawings in 3D in programs like Revit will be higher than in 2D in AutoCAD.

coverage icon

SYSTEM DENSITY

What is the density of each system? In other words, is this a call center with two data drops every 40 square feet or is this a warehouse with one drop every 400 square feet?

Whether you need some rough numbers to reference in your next meeting or you want to sharpen pencils and talk specifics, one of our ASD® experts will be glad to help you with rapid ballpark estimates tailored to your needs or a detailed quote based on your exact specifications. Have any questions? Ask ASD®.

Common Cost Factors for Most Projects

geographic location icon

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

Where is the project located? Some parts of the country are more expensive than others. Some rural areas may require travel due to availability of the field resources which could increase cost.

size and type of environment icon

SIZE & TYPE ENVIRONMENT

Type of environment will impact price. Class A Office, Distribution Center, Manufacturing, Retail, Indoor vs. Outdoor could all impact overall cost.

labor requirements icon

LABOR REQUIREMENTS

Projects being installed with a Union Labor requirement will be more expensive than projects without the requirement. Some projects require a prevailing wage to be paid to a technician which can also increase costs.

permitting icon

PERMITTING

Permitting varies from state to state and city to city. One city may not require anything more than an application form to receive a permit, while others may want full engineered drawings that go through a plan review process. The full set of engineered drawings carries a substantial price tag that elevates the overall system cost. Another consideration is the time required if the review process is a requirement.

remodel vs new construction icon

NEW CONSTRUCTION VS RENOVATION

New construction will typically be less expensive than renovation.

local codes and standards icon

LOCAL CODES & STANDARDS

Local codes can drive cost as they vary in requirement. For instance, in some locations across the U.S. all overhead cable must run in conduit while others can be supported with J-Hooks in the ceiling.

local codes and standards icon

INFRASTRUCTURE

Pathways can contribute greatly to overall system costs. Costs of core holes sizing and cutting slab for conduits needs to be considered in your budgeting process.

economies of scale icon

ECONOMIES OF SCALE

What type of structure is being built? A system in a manufacturing plant is developed completely different than a high rise office building. An apartment complex can reuse the same templates for each building; this saves design time and costs.

installation hours icon

INSTALLATION HOURS

Normal working hours will be less expensive than after hours or weekends.

Ready to get started?

Contact an ASD®associate about your project.

What Not To Think About Your Workplace Technology Solution eBook

TECHNOLOGY PROJECT BUDGET CALCULATOR

Estimate Your Project Cost Now
>