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Feasibility & Development Cost Estimating

Feasibility Estimating Services in Ohio

Know whether a project pencils out before you buy the land or fund the design. We prepare feasibility-level construction cost estimates for Ohio developers, investors, owners and site selectors — fast, documented and ready to drop into your pro forma.
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Call 1 (614) 721 2889
  • Go / no-go cost models
  • Site & scenario comparisons
  • Pro forma-ready summaries
  • AACE Class 4–5 with clear ranges
Free, No-Obligation Quote

Send Your Plans for a Fixed-Price Quote

Email your drawings or share a Dropbox / Google Drive link. We reply with a fixed fee and a delivery date before any work begins.
  • Upload plans, specs & addenda
  • Approve your fixed quote
  • Receive your estimate in 24–48 hrs
Upload Plans
or email ask@ohiocostestimating.com
Explained

What Is a Feasibility Estimate?

A feasibility estimate forecasts the construction cost of a proposed project early enough to decide whether to pursue it. It is built from limited information — a site, a program, a building type and perhaps a test-fit or massing study — and produces a cost range that developers and investors use in a pro forma alongside land cost, rents or sales prices, financing and returns.

Feasibility estimates focus on what matters most at that stage: building size and efficiency, structural and envelope systems, site development, utilities and offsite improvements, and soft costs. They are also used to compare scenarios — different sites, unit mixes, parking solutions or phasing.

When a project moves forward, the feasibility estimate becomes the starting point for construction budgeting and conceptual estimating during design.

Quick Answer

What does a feasibility estimate tell a developer?

It shows the likely range of construction and development cost for a proposed project, so the developer can test whether expected revenue supports the investment, compare sites or scenarios, and decide whether to proceed with land acquisition or design.
Scope

What Our Feasibility Estimates Include

The cost inputs a pro forma needs — with the assumptions visible.
  • Program & test-fit area analysis
  • Building cost by system or use
  • Parking: surface, structured or podium
  • Site development & offsite improvements
  • Utility extensions & tap fees
  • Soft-cost allowances
  • Contingency for early-stage risk
  • Escalation to construction start
  • Scenario & site comparisons
  • Pro forma-ready summary

What you receive

  • Scenario cost summary
  • Cost per SF / unit / key
  • Site comparison table
  • Assumptions narrative
  • Pro forma input sheet
  • Risk & sensitivity notes
View Sample Estimates
Studies

Feasibility Studies We Support

From a single site to a portfolio of options, we model the construction side.

Multifamily Development

Unit-mix and parking scenarios for apartments, townhomes and mixed-use.

Industrial & Logistics

Spec warehouse and build-to-suit cost models for site selection.

Retail & Mixed-Use

Ground-floor retail, pad sites and mixed-use redevelopment scenarios.

Hospitality

Hotel keys, amenities and parking cost models.

Adaptive Reuse

Converting existing buildings versus building new.

Site Selection

Comparing construction cost across candidate Ohio sites.

Ohio Expertise

Feasibility Estimates for Ohio Development

Development economics vary widely across Ohio. Land, impact fees, utility capacity and construction costs differ between Central Ohio’s high-growth suburbs and established markets in Northeast and Northwest Ohio. A feasibility estimate built on local data keeps those differences visible.

Many Ohio projects also depend on incentives — tax increment financing, property tax abatements, historic tax credits for adaptive reuse in older cities, and job-creation incentives for industrial projects. Those programs often require documented cost estimates, and our feasibility estimates are structured to support them.

Whether you are comparing a mixed-use site in Columbus with one in Cincinnati, or a warehouse site near Dayton with one near Toledo, we provide consistent cost models you can trust.

Ohio factors we price in

  • Local utility capacity & tap fees
  • Impact & development fees
  • Incentive-ready cost documentation
  • Historic rehab cost considerations
  • Regional construction cost differences
  • Escalation in high-growth markets
Cost Drivers

Key Cost Drivers in a Feasibility Study

These decisions move a pro forma more than anything else on the construction side.
Cost factorWhy it changes the estimateHow we price it
Density & heightTaller buildings may need concrete or steel instead of wood framing, changing cost per square foot.Construction type assumed from program and zoning, with alternatives priced.
ParkingStructured or podium parking costs many times more per space than surface parking.Parking scenarios priced separately so their impact is clear.
Site & utilitiesOffsite roads, utility extensions and stormwater can make or break a site.Site-specific allowances with risks flagged.
Building efficiencyNet-to-gross ratios affect revenue-generating area per dollar spent.Efficiency stated and tested across scenarios.
Market timingEscalation and trade availability affect cost at construction start.Escalation to projected start with sensitivity notes.
Guide

Feasibility Estimating Guide for Ohio Developers

Answers to the deeper questions our clients ask before they commit to a number.

Construction type and cost

Building codes limit height and area by construction type. Moving from wood framing to concrete or steel to gain height can change cost per square foot significantly — something a feasibility estimate should reveal early.

Parking economics

Parking often decides whether a dense project works. Surface parking uses land; structured parking uses capital. Pricing each scenario lets developers balance density, parking ratios and budget.

Sensitivity analysis

Showing how total cost changes if construction costs rise, schedules slip or density changes helps investors understand risk. We provide low, expected and high cases on request.

From feasibility to design

Once a project is approved, the feasibility estimate becomes the starting budget for design. Consistent assumptions make later estimates easy to reconcile.
Estimate Accuracy

Estimate Classes and Expected Accuracy

We label every estimate with its AACE International class so you know how much confidence the number carries at your current design stage.
Estimate typeAACE classDesign maturityTypical useExpected accuracy range
Conceptual / order of magnitudeClass 50–2%Screening, early feasibility−20% to −50% / +30% to +100%
Feasibility budgetClass 41–15%Feasibility, budget authorization−15% to −30% / +20% to +50%
Design-development budgetClass 310–40%Budget approval, funding−10% to −20% / +10% to +30%
Detailed control estimateClass 230–75%Cost control, bid check−5% to −15% / +5% to +20%
Bid / definitive estimateClass 165–100%Bids, contracts, change orders−3% to −10% / +3% to +15%

Ranges per AACE International Recommended Practice 18R-97 (process industries); building projects follow the parallel RP 56R-08.

How It Works

How the Estimating Process Works

Every feasibility estimating project follows the same five steps, with one point of contact from quote to delivery. See the full estimating process.
01

Send Your Plans

Upload drawings, specs and addenda or share a link, and tell us the scope, bid date and format you need.
02

Fixed Quote

We review the documents and reply with a fixed fee and delivery date before any work starts.
03

Takeoff & Pricing

Quantities are measured digitally and priced with current Ohio labor, material and equipment costs.
04

Quality Review

A second estimator checks quantities, unit costs, math and scope gaps before release.
05

Delivery & Support

You receive the Excel estimate and marked-up takeoffs, plus updates for addenda and answers to questions.
Keep Exploring

Related Estimating Services in Ohio

Most projects need more than one kind of estimate. These pages cover the services and trades most often paired with this one.

Related services

Related trade estimates

Popular Ohio service areas

FAQs

Feasibility Estimating FAQs

Straight answers to the questions we hear most.

Many feasibility estimates are completed in a few business days, depending on the number of scenarios. Tell us your decision deadline when you request a quote.

Site location and size, intended use, approximate program or unit count, target number of stories and parking approach. Test-fits or massing studies help tighten the range.

Yes. We use consistent assumptions across sites so differences in site development, utilities and local costs are clearly visible.

Yes, as allowances. We can refine them with your actual design, financing and legal cost assumptions.

Feasibility estimates are typically AACE Class 4 or 5. We state the range and assumptions so you can apply appropriate contingency in your pro forma.

Yes. We can format cost estimates to support incentive and financing applications. Program requirements vary, so share them with us.

Yes. Sensitivity cases show how cost changes under different assumptions.

Yes. Site development, roads, utilities and stormwater can be estimated as part of the feasibility model.

Start Your Estimate

Find Out If Your Project Pencils Out

Send your plans and receive a fixed quote and delivery date before any work begins.
Get a Free Quote
Call 1 (614) 721 2889
ask@ohiocostestimating.com  ·  101 Normandy Ave, Columbus, OH 43215
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