n8n-cost-estimation
Automated Cost Estimation Pipeline
Business Case
Problem Statement
Traditional cost estimation requires:
- Manual work item lookup in price databases
- Time-consuming element classification
- Expert knowledge of pricing standards
- Repetitive data entry
Solution
Free open-source n8n pipeline that converts CAD (Revit 2015-2026) files into full cost and time estimates using AI (LLM) and vector database with 55,000+ work items.
Business Value
| Traditional Role | Automated Alternative |
|---|---|
| BIM Manager manually exports data | Pipeline auto-classifies elements |
| Junior Estimator searches databases | Vector search finds matches in ms |
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