How to perform total cost calculation if the unit cost changes with respect to floor level?

[faisalahmed3374]

Hi. I am a civil engineering student. I have been working on a school model as a student project. I am trying to find the total cost of the project. But in some cases, the unit price of a material or element changes with respect to change of floor level. For example, each concrete column construction costs 10,000 BDT for the first 3 floors. But after the 3rd floor, the cost increases by 2,000 BDT for each additional floor. My model has 5 floors. So, I will need to increase the unit price for these additional floors and find out the total cost of the project. This change of unit price also occurs for other concrete members such as beam, slab, etc. I am trying to figure out the best way to deal with this. But still not sure how to do that.

[RDAOU · Accepted solution]

@faisalahmed3374 

Add an instance project parameter for the cost increment (Currency) and add a calculated value in the schedule

Use the OOTB Cost parameter for the basic cost 10,000BDT

[barthbradley]

Well first off, "Cost" would need to be an Instance Parameter.  The In-Built "Cost" Parameter is not. Where are you pulling unit cost from?  

[RDAOU]

It can be a type...it is the base cost which is constant. 

The calculated value would then be

Level 1 to 3: Cost + 0 

Level 4: Cost + Cost Increment *1 

Level 5: Cost + Cost Increment *2

Level 6: Cost + Cost Increment *3

...and so on

[barthbradley]

Exactly what I was driving at. The in-built "Cost" is a Type Parameter. The OP can't use it alone.  He needs a Calculated Parameter - or another method, such as a Cost per Instance Parameter.  

[ToanDN]

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@barthbradley wrote:

Exactly what I was driving at. The in-built "Cost" is a Type Parameter. The OP can't use it alone.  He needs a Calculated Parameter - or another method, such as a Cost per Instance Parameter.  

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The base cost can be Type.  The increased costs are Calculated value parameter with a formula, for instance:

if (Level < 4, Base Cost, Base Cost + (Delta Cost * (Actual level -3)))

[barthbradley]

Exactly!  

[RDAOU]

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@barthbradley wrote:

Exactly!  

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How exactly??? When all OTHER replies (#2, 4 and 6) match and tally your first off was...

I am not sure what is going on! are we trying to help the users of this forum or confuse them

[barthbradley]

I'm not sure what you are calling out in this re-post of mine - or what explanation you need.  I see "Well, first off" underlined in red, "'Cost' would need to be an Instance Parameter." underlined in blue, and "The In-Built 'Cost' Parameter is not." underlined in mustard yellow.  Is the color of the underlines significant? Or maybe the lack of underlining?  I notice that "Where are you pulling unit cost from?" is not underlined.  That mean something?

Let me know what's "confusing" to you and I'll clear it up for you.  

Peace be with you, Bro.  

[faisalahmed3374]

Thank you. After creating the instance parameter, I calculated the total cost using dynamo easily.