The Philippine construction industry has experienced rapid growth over the past decade due to an expanding economy and the growing number of urban populations, as well as massive infrastructure investments.

However, as infrastructure demands are changing, construction professionals from cost estimators to project managers, all must work through a very complex and ever-changing working environment.

Reliable cost information is the basis from which project budgets can be estimated, project viability can be evaluated, resources can be allocated, and procurement can be managed. The construction cost process is directly associated with fluctuations, for example, material prices increase or decrease, labor prices vary, so does supply chains, and so on.

This Guidebook is intended to provide construction stakeholders with a practical, contemporary resource for handling the cost oddities of the construction industry. It provides detailed cost data across various construction categories, organized in a clear and accessible format.

Using the CSI MasterFormat® structure, a globally standardized framework of trades developed by the Construction Specifications Institute, the Guidebook provides a structured organization of data.

The Guidebook also includes practical information on how to adjust construction costs for changes in the market, historical pricing differences, and other external factors that can impact pricing.

Furthermore, the inclusion of a “Cost Adjustments” section highlights key factors—such as foreign exchange rates and inflation—that can influence the final cost of construction. Understanding these adjustments empowers professionals to create more accurate and realistic budgets, mitigating the risk of cost overruns and project delays.

Understanding the Structure of the Guidebook

The cost data presented in this Guidebook is structured according to the CSI MasterFormat® 1995 Edition (16 Divisions), which is a comprehensive classification system for organizing the components of construction projects. The MasterFormat® system offers a hierarchical arrangement of cost that is based on the construction activity, the construction system, and construction material.

The 16 Divisions cover everything from general requirements to architectural finishes and electromechanical works of the project.

The CSI MasterFormat® Divisions and Cost Data Tables

Each of the 16 Divisions of CSI MasterFormat® is an area of construction work. e.g., Division 1 are general requirements, Division 2 are site construction, and Division 3 are concrete work. The subsections are then subdivided into specific subdivisions that give more detailed information. For this Guidebook, we have also provided itemized cost information for both parts of the divisions. This cost information can be used directly to carry out the cost estimation process.

This version of this Guidebook uses the 1996 version of the MasterFormat system of organization, which contained fewer Divisions than those included in the current 2020 version. Future versions of this Guidebook will use the 2020 version of MasterFormat. All copyrights in each version of MasterFormat, and the trademarks CSI® and MASTERFORMAT® (collectively “CSI Properties”),are owned by The Construction Specifications Institute, Inc. (CSI). The CSI Properties in this Guidebook are used by permission from CSI.