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TemplatePublished 15 Jul 2026Updated 14 Jul 20261 min readBy Kevin Jogincost managementestimatingworksheetproject management
Templates & Examples / Project Templates

Basis of Estimates Worksheet

A standard project management tool documenting the techniques used to derive activity cost estimates: parametric, analogous, three-point, and bottom-up.

1 min read · 5 sections
Project Title
Date Prepared

§1 Parametric Estimates

Utilised for activities where a statistical relationship exists between historical data and variables (e.g. cost per unit, square metres, output rate).

ID Cost Variable Cost per Unit Number of Units Cost Estimate
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§2 Analogous Estimates

Used when limited project detail is available, drawing on the actual cost of previous, similar activities as the basis for current estimates.

ID Previous Activity Previous Cost Current Activity Multiplier Cost Estimate
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§3 Three-Point (PERT) Estimates

Guidance: Utilises PERT (beta) weighting where the Expected Cost tE = (O + 4M + P) / 6. Recommended for activities containing significant uncertainty.
ID Optimistic (O) Most Likely (M) Pessimistic (P) Equation Expected Cost
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§4 Bottom-Up Cost Estimating

Decomposes selected work packages into detailed cost components. Activity-level reserve covers uncertainty in the individual estimate; project-level contingency is tracked separately.

ID Labour Hrs Labour Rate Total Labour Material Supplies Equipment Travel Other Direct Indirect Reserve Estimate
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§5 Summary Narrative

Approach

Source of Information

Assumptions

Constraints

Estimate Range & Confidence

Risks & Reserves

Approval

Contents

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