How Beams generates your initial renovation estimate

The estimate you see in your dashboard is a data-driven guide to help you set a realistic budget and explore what’s possible for your project.

1. Where your estimate comes from

Beams builds your estimate from the information you share in:

The onboarding quiz – details like your address, rooms and scope
Your dashboard – property type, room descriptions and materials

From this, Beams creates your:

Construction breakdown – the labour and core work involved
Materials list – the fittings and finishes that bring your design to life

2. How we calculate construction costs

Beams uses real data from thousands of UK renovation projects to break your build into clear ‘lines of work’ — from plumbing to wiring to flooring. Each line has an estimated cost, giving you a transparent view of where your money goes and what’s included.

These figures cover both labour and core materials like wiring, plumbing and sub-flooring. When you update your written room scope, Beams’ AI automatically interprets the changes and adjusts your estimate, so you can instantly see how design choices affect your budget.

3. How we calculate materials costs

Your materials estimate covers the fittings and finishes that bring your renovation to life — tiles, cabinets, taps, lighting and more.

Beams uses average prices from our curated product catalogue as placeholders. When you select real products, those prices update automatically. It’s a simple way to explore what’s possible and stay on budget as you go.

Every choice you make updates your estimate in real time — so you always know where you stand and what’s next.

4. Where our data comes from

Our data combines Beams’ own project history with verified market pricing from trusted sources such as BuildPartner, powered by real builder inputs. That means your estimate reflects genuine UK market rates — not guesses or averages pulled from elsewhere.

5. What to do next

Once you’re happy with your estimate, you can move towards a confirmed quote from a Beams builder:

Get free builder quotes through Beams to refine your construction costs. When Beams builders submit quotes, they use the same ‘lines of work’ structure that appears in your estimate. That means you can easily compare not only the total cost, but also the exact scope of work included in each quote — like-for-like.
Get a free design consultation to finalise your materials and finishes. Your designer will help you find the perfect balance of style, sustainability and cost.