for Infrastructure
Public Works & Utility Feasibility Tool
You've got an infrastructure need.
Let's see if the budget holds up.
Plain language. No specs, no drawings. Describe the project — a water main, a lift station, a road, a treatment plant — and get a real cost range in 30 seconds. Then see the delivery paths that control cost and risk on public infrastructure.
Delivery path comparison
Traditional
Design-Bid-Build
- Designer hired first; documents completed before bidding
- Design fees paid before any bids received (8–12% of project)
- 12–18 months from design start to groundbreaking
- Changes after award handled through change orders, which can increase final cost
Worth a look for municipalities
BOT / P3 (Build-Operate-Transfer)
- Finance, build, and transfer. A private developer finances and builds the project; the public owner makes structured payments and takes clean title at the end — an alternative to a bond issue or a rate spike.
- A Guaranteed Maximum Price is locked before construction — cost certainty up front, not change-order surprises later
- You pick your own contractor and design team based on qualifications and trust — not lowest bid
- Authorized for public agencies under Indiana Code § 5-23, with statutory safeguards: competitive RFQ, public-hearing approval, payment and performance bonds, and owner approval at every design milestone
BOT is well-established for Indiana public infrastructure. Your counsel should advise on how it fits your procurement and funding alongside SRF loans and grants.
Key assumptions
How This Estimate Was Built
Building cost methodology...
Council / Board Briefing
AI-drafted points to help you bring this to your council or board. Review and edit before using — you know your board best.
Drafting your council briefing...
Estimated Project Timeline
From today through construction completion — with regional notes for your state.
Estimating project timeline...
Buyer's Advocate Guide
Questions to ask engineers and contractors before committing. Red flags to watch for.
Building buyer's advocate guide...
Email yourself this report
We'll send a complete summary to your inbox — cost range, methodology, timeline, council briefing, and buyer's guide.
What to Do With This Number
A preliminary cost range is the starting point, not the finish line. Here's how to move a real project forward from here.
-
Pressure-test the number internally.
Share this with your clerk-treasurer or finance officer before any outside conversations. Knowing your range early puts the municipality in a stronger position.
-
Understand your funding and delivery options.
How you fund and procure this project affects total cost, timeline, and risk — and your exposure to change orders. Review the delivery path comparison above, including BOT/P3 and SRF funding, before engaging design or construction professionals.
-
Bring it to your board.
Use the council briefing above to frame the conversation. A cost range with a confidence rating and a clear funding path gives your board or council what it needs to authorize next steps.
This is a preliminary feasibility indicator only, not a formal cost estimate. It is intended to support early internal go/no-go decisions and should not be used for budgeting, procurement, or board appropriations without professional verification. Actual costs depend on site conditions, design requirements, local labor markets, and material prices at time of bid.