RSMeans Cost Data: How to Use It for Accurate Construction Estimates

By Waqas Malik, CPE

RSMeans is the most widely used construction cost database in North America. Published by Gordian, it provides standardized unit costs for materials, labor, and equipment across all 50 states.

What Is RSMeans?

RSMeans is a comprehensive database of construction costs built from millions of real project data points. It includes:

Unit costs — Cost per cubic yard, per square foot, per linear foot
City cost indexes (CCI) — Regional multipliers for 930+ locations
Labor rates — Trade-specific wages for 30+ trades
Material prices — Current pricing for 40,000+ construction materials
Equipment rates — Hourly ownership and operating costs

How to Use RSMeans

1. Identify the Bare Cost

For a concrete spread footing:

Item	Unit	Bare Cost
3,000 PSI concrete	CY	$135
Formwork, footing contact	SFCA	$8.50
Rebar #5	LB	$1.10
Place and finish concrete	CY	$45

2. Apply the City Cost Index

Find the CCI for your project location:

National average CCI = 100
New York City CCI = 125 (25% above average)
Houston CCI = 88 (12% below average)

Multiply bare costs by the CCI adjustment factor.

3. Add Markups

Material handling (5-10%)
Contractor overhead (10-20%)
Profit margin (5-15%)

RSMeans vs. Actual Sub Pricing

RSMeans provides an excellent baseline, but actual subcontractor pricing may vary due to:

Current market conditions (hot vs. slow market)
Subcontractor workload capacity
Supplier relationships and volume discounts
Bonding requirements

RSMeans Assemblies

RSMeans also provides assembly-level costs (e.g., “cast-in-place concrete wall, 12” thick with standard rebar, per SF”). This allows rapid conceptual budgeting with 70-80% accuracy before full drawings are complete.

At F&K Estimatings, we use RSMeans as our baseline pricing engine and augment it with real-time supplier quotes and local labor rate surveys. Submit your plans for a ZIP-code-indexed estimate.