AI QS

AI QS: AI-powered Bills of Quantities (BOQ) for the UK construction industry

AI QS is an online service specialising in producing Bill of Quantities (BOQ) — detailed construction cost estimates — from drawings submitted by the client. The company presents itself as an automated alternative to traditional quantity surveying (QS), with same-day delivery and UK market rates. Its offering is aimed at builders, contractors, architecture practices and also QS professionals who need to outsource peak workloads.

How the service works

The process described on the website consists of four steps: the client submits drawings, elevations and specifications; the system carries out full measurement and pricing; a BOQ in Excel is delivered together with a findings report; and a final copy is generated ready to send to the client. The company states it has delivered over 10,000 BOQs, with an average response time of two hours and same-day delivery. Access is via its own portal (portal.theaiqs.co.uk), which includes a project dashboard, chat, custom rates and AI memory.

Deliverables: BOQ, findings report and annotated take-off

Each project includes a documentation pack made up of three main elements:

• Bill of Quantities in Excel: fully itemised sections, with measured quantities, rates and subtotals by section. The structure follows the NRM2 elemental breakdown (substructure, superstructure, finishes, etc.), applies UK market rates adjusted by location and includes preliminaries, contingencies and professional fees.
• Findings report in Word: a document explaining the scope, assumptions, exclusions and risks identified. It includes notes on specifications, Building Regulations considerations, risk flags and procurement advice.
• Annotated take-off: marked-up drawings showing what has been measured and where, with visual references, dimension verification and area and volume calculations cross-referenced to the BOQ items.

The service also includes follow-up support to resolve queries, re-price specification changes and suggest value engineering alternatives, with direct access to the assigned QS analyst.

Adapted to the UK market: regulations, methods and regional factors

The company stresses that its measurements and rates are designed for the UK construction sector. Quantities follow the RICS New Rules of Measurement (NRM2), with NRM1 elemental cost categories, so that any chartered quantity surveyor can review the estimate line by line. The findings report highlights the Approved Documents that affect cost: Part A (structure), Part B (fire safety), Part L and the Future Homes Standard, Part F (ventilation) and Part M (accessibility).

Prices are expressed in pounds sterling, excluding VAT, with VAT shown separately and reduced and zero rates indicated where they apply to refurbishments or new builds. Regional adjustment factors are applied: London and the South East are more expensive than the North East, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have differentiated pricing. The company states that simply providing the postcode is enough for the corresponding factor to be applied. The list of covered regions includes London, South East, East of England, South West, Midlands, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, North East, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The service covers construction methods common in the UK (cavity walls and timber frame, strip and trench fill foundations, beam and block floors, cold and warm flat roofs, loft conversions and steel beams) and prices site conditions such as restricted access, party wall matters, conservation areas, listed buildings, poor ground and drainage diversions.

Pricing and engagement model

The website presents a pay-as-you-go model, with no subscriptions or lock-in. The indicative price stated is £150 per BOQ on a pay-as-you-go basis, with volume discounts through bundles. The company compares its fee with traditional QS fees, which it puts at between £1,500 and £5,000 per project, and with delivery times of 5 to 14 days versus the two-hour average offered by AI QS. According to its comparison, revisions are included, whereas in the traditional model they are usually charged separately.

Client profile and added value

AI QS targets builders and contractors who need to price quickly to win tenders, quantity surveyors who outsource excess work or tight deadlines, and architects and designers who want to include feasibility estimates in their proposals. The company maintains that its professional output is comparable to that of a chartered QS practice, but at a much lower cost and with much shorter lead times. Among the limitations that the website itself acknowledges in the traditional model for small projects are lead times of days or weeks, high fees and inconsistent documentation.

Presence and coverage

The company operates from the UK and its website is available in GBP for the British market, with the option to switch to other countries, currencies and codes. It announces the forthcoming launch of an iPhone app and maintains a client portal for project management. The company states that reviews published on Trustpilot are public and cannot be edited by it.