FrameUpNow Cost Estimator

The Cost Estimator is available on each individual home model page, not from a single standalone estimator page.

Absolute model in the FrameUpNow FUN Collection

When you open a specific home model in the FrameUpNow.com Plan Library or the ADU.com Plan Library, you'll see a "Click Here to estimate your complete build" link or button near the Key Specs section. That launches the estimator for that specific model.

For this explanation we used the Absolute Model, the first model in the FrameUpNow plan collection. Click Learn More

Absolute model page with estimator button
ADU Cost Estimator interface

Enter your project information (location, foundation, labor type, finish level, etc.) to receive an estimated total project cost.

Every FrameUpNow home model includes access to its own Home Building Cost Estimator. Simply open the model you're interested in and click the "Estimate Your Complete Build" button on the model page. The estimator combines the actual cost of The FrameUpNow steel frame with estimated costs for site work, foundation, labor, mechanical systems, and finishes in 5 levels from modest to designer helping you understand the total cost of completing your home before construction begins.

We have added a cost adjuster for the local economic conditions. Some very dynamic cities will cost more for labor and materials than others.

Adjust for Local Economy control

The Plan Fit Visualizer allows a visitor to go from finding a plan that fits their lot to knowing approximately what it will cost in just a few clicks.

Each model in the FrameUpNow.com collection includes a Materials Shopping list.

Here are the steps you may want to take:

  1. Will the floor plan fit on my lot?
  2. What is the estimated finished cost of the selected Model. Frame Up now provides the skeleton and the engineered and stamped plan set. The owner, as a DIYer, Hybrid Builder or the owner’s General Contractor selects finishes and directs the completion of the home.
  3. Floor Plan Shopping List buttonBefore spending the first dollar download the Materials Shopping List for a generic list of all the items to complete the home from drywall to floor covering to appliances.

The FrameUpNow Materials Shopping List (MSL) is intended to provide a comprehensive list of the materials required to complete the home, not just the steel frame. That is one of the major differentiators of the FrameUpNow platform. And the entire list is available before investing a single dollar.

The FrameUpNow.com Material Shopping List is generated directly from the BIM model rather than by estimating from square footage or historical averages. As a result, the quantities are intended to be highly accurate.

The shopping list includes materials in categories such as:

Exterior

  • Structural sheathing
  • Roofing
  • Siding or exterior cladding
  • Exterior trim
  • Windows
  • Exterior doors

Interior

  • Drywall
  • Interior doors
  • Trim and moldings
  • Flooring
  • Cabinets

Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP)

  • Plumbing pipe and fittings
  • Electrical wire, boxes, breakers, and devices
  • HVAC components and ductwork

Finishes

  • Insulation
  • Paint
  • Sealants
  • Hardware
  • Miscellaneous finish materials

What makes FrameUpNow and the Material Shopping List different?

Unlike many builders' material takeoffs, FrameUpNow's shopping list is generated from the actual engineered building model. It is not an estimate, it is precise. The objective is to provide:

  • Exact quantities instead of estimates and cost certainty
  • Reduced material waste
  • More accurate budgeting before construction begins
  • Better purchasing and scheduling

The Shopping List for an ADUplans.com home is available only after the customer order and the wood plan has been engineered to a Steel Skeleton.

FrameUpNow Absolute Modern materials shopping list and plan set

One important clarification

The shopping list is not a procurement package. It tells the owner or builder what is needed and how much is needed. It typically does not specify:

  • A particular manufacturer (unless requested)
  • Which retailer to buy from
  • Current market pricing (prices fluctuate)
  • Labor costs

Instead, it becomes the basis for obtaining supplier pricing from sources such as Home Depot, Lowe's, or specialty suppliers.

FrameUpNow doesn't just engineer your home's steel skeleton. It generates a BIM-based Materials Shopping List that identifies virtually every major material required to complete the home. Instead of guessing what to buy, builders know what to order before construction begins.

FrameUpNow's provides engineering certainty paired with material cost certainty before construction starts.