Forecost · by Xenofan
Know what your next office will cost before you sign the lease.
Forecost turns your space needs into a preliminary budget: the total cost, what it includes and excludes, and a high-level schedule. In under 30 minutes, without waiting for drawings or a consultant.
No drawings needed · Free to start, no credit card · Your projects stay private to your organization
Until now, you had to choose between fast and detailed.
A cost per square foot is quick, but it says nothing about what's included. A preliminary estimate has the detail, but first you hire an architect and engineers to produce preliminary drawings and specs, then a cost consultant to price them. That takes months, and every option you want to test adds weeks.
Time to a first number you can defend
- Cost per sq ft
- Minutes, but one line and no detail
- Traditional preliminary estimate
- Months, with full detail
- Forecost
- Under 30 minutes, with full detail
| Cost per sq ft | Traditional preliminary estimate | Forecost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to a first number | Minutes | Months | Under 30 minutes |
| Comparing your options | Guesswork | Weeks per option | About 4 hours for all of them |
| What you need first | A rough area | Architect and engineers for preliminary drawings and specs, then a cost consultant | Your space needs and technical requirements |
| Level of detail | One line: a cost per sq ft | Breakdown by system and trade | Breakdown, assumptions, basis of estimate and a high-level schedule |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to compare.
From space needs to a defensible estimate in three steps.
- 01 · Describe
Describe the space
General project information (location, number of storeys), your space needs (workstations, offices, meeting rooms, amenities), technical requirements and project delivery approach. No space list? Give a headcount or a target area and Forecost generates the space programme.
- 02 · Estimate
Get the estimate
The total project cost with its accuracy range, a breakdown by category, what is included and excluded, and an indicative schedule.
- 03 · Review and share
Review, adjust and share
Adjust what you need, compare your options side by side, then export a report ready for your CFO or board.
Preliminary-estimate detail, at the speed of a rule of thumb.
An honest accuracy range
Every estimate states how precise it is, so no one mistakes a first number for a final one.
Nothing left out of the budget
Nine cost categories, from construction and building systems to technology, security, furniture and professional fees.
The assumptions in writing
What is included, what is excluded and the quality level behind the figure. Any change is recorded with its reason.
An indicative schedule
A first view of design and construction durations, alongside the cost.
Built for Canada
Provincial location factors, GST, QST and HST handled correctly, and escalation to your construction start year.
Ready for your CFO and board
A branded report, side-by-side options, an approval workflow and portfolio reporting across your projects.
Forecost does the math. The judgment is where we come in.
Every estimate has two parts. The mechanics: quantities, unit costs, taxes and escalation. The judgment: what the number means for your lease, your budget and your risks. Forecost automates the mechanics in minutes. When the decision is significant, Xenofan brings the judgment.
Forecost produces preliminary estimates for planning. It is not a quotation or professional advice. Before you sign a lease, approve a budget or hire a contractor, have the number reviewed by a professional.
Next step
Want the judgment too?
Xenofan reviews your Forecost estimate, or builds an independent cost opinion from your documents. Principal-led, with the same fee whether your project goes ahead or not.
Get a budget review →Pricing
Free to start.
Create an account and run your first estimate at no cost, with no credit card.
Create a free account →
Built by a cost engineer, not a software company.
Forecost was developed by Martial Youadjeu, ing., P.Eng., PMP, principal of Xenofan. It draws on more than 15 years in engineering and construction, and over $1 billion in cost estimates on the client side and the contractor side. Estimates come from Xenofan's own method and cost data, not from AI, and your project data is never sold or used to train AI.
Full background →Questions
How accurate is it?
Every estimate states its class and accuracy range, following AACE / ASTM E2516 and CIQS. A Class 5 estimate, for example, carries a range of about −30% to +50%. Estimates are preliminary by definition, which is why we recommend a professional review before any commitment.
Do I need drawings first?
No. Forecost starts from whatever you already have:
- a list of space needs (workstations, offices, meeting rooms, amenities);
- a preliminary layout or test fit;
- a headcount;
- or simply a target area.
With a headcount or a target area, Forecost suggests the space needs for you to review and adjust before it prices them. All of this happens before any architect or engineer is hired, while your options are still open.
What projects does it cover?
Office renovations and commercial fit-outs, with more than 200 space types.
Is my data safe?
Your projects stay in your organization's account, isolated from other users. We don't sell your data or send it to AI services. See the Forecost privacy policy.
Can my team use it?
Yes. Create an organization and invite colleagues.
Which devices does it work on?
Forecost runs in any web browser on desktop, laptop and tablet, so you can build the estimate at your desk and present it in the meeting room. There is also an Android app for site visits, and iPhone users can use it in the browser.
What if I need more than a first number?
Xenofan can review your estimate or prepare an independent cost opinion. Get a budget review →
Your own defensible number.
Not the landlord's allowance. Not the contractor's ballpark. Free to start, no credit card.