Airport Infrastructure
Airport construction represents some of the most complex and high-stakes projects in the built environment. Terminal expansions, runway infrastructure, and security systems must meet stringent FAA requirements while coordinating with active operations.
The Challenge
Multi-organizational involvement, 24/7 operational constraints, evolving security requirements, and long project timelines create estimation complexity that siloed approaches can't solve.
Why the Ecosystem Matters
Airport projects share common elements. The Construction Check ecosystem captures anonymized cost intelligence from terminal expansions and infrastructure upgrades, giving your team instant access to comparable project data.
"Airport construction projects are distinctively unique and complex compared to other infrastructure projects. Globally, they're often associated with large-scale cost and time overruns."
— Research Study on Airport Construction FactorsKey Stakeholders
Utilities Infrastructure
America's water and wastewater infrastructure faces a $1.25 trillion investment need over the next 20 years. Utilities must balance aging pipe networks, emerging contaminant regulations like PFAS, and affordability concerns while planning capital programs that span decades. The funding gap is widening—only 30% of wastewater infrastructure capital needs are currently being met.
The Challenge
Utility construction operates under rate case scrutiny, where every dollar must be justified to regulators and ratepayers. Asset management systems are incomplete—only 30% of utilities have fully implemented them. Meanwhile, one-third of the water workforce will become eligible for retirement this decade, taking institutional knowledge with them.
Why the Ecosystem Matters
Treatment plant upgrades, pipe replacement programs, and pump station construction follow patterns that can inform better estimates—if the data is connected. Construction Check aggregates cost intelligence across water, wastewater, and stormwater projects, helping utilities build defensible capital improvement plans that withstand regulatory review.
"What we're seeing is that investment allowed us to eat away some of the backlog, while new backlog was also being generated. We've also seen a very significant increase in operational costs."
— ASCE Committee for America's InfrastructureKey Stakeholders
Transportation Infrastructure
Transit systems, highways, bridges, and rail infrastructure form the backbone of economic mobility. These mega-projects operate under intense public scrutiny, complex federal funding requirements (FTA, FHWA), and multi-decade timelines that make initial estimates notoriously unreliable. Cost escalation on major transit projects often exceeds 40% from planning to completion.
The Challenge
Transportation projects must navigate environmental reviews, right-of-way acquisition, utility relocations, and construction in active corridors. Federal funding programs require rigorous cost estimation methodologies (like FTA's Standard Cost Categories) that demand specialized expertise. Few firms have the historical data to benchmark these unique project types accurately.
Why the Ecosystem Matters
Whether it's light rail extensions, bus rapid transit, highway interchanges, or bridge rehabilitations, transportation projects share cost patterns that improve estimates when aggregated. The ecosystem captures unit costs, productivity factors, and escalation trends specific to transportation construction across regions and project types.
"Despite hundreds of billions spent on infrastructure development—from roads and rail to airports—surprisingly little reliable knowledge exists about the performance of these investments in terms of actual costs, benefits, and risks."
— Infrastructure Performance ResearchKey Stakeholders
Healthcare Facilities
Healthcare construction costs have risen more than 20% in the past five years, with nearly half of health systems reporting cost increases and delays on 76-100% of their recent projects. Hospitals, medical office buildings, and ambulatory care centers require specialized systems—infection control, medical gases, imaging suites—that demand precise cost modeling.
The Challenge
Healthcare facilities must integrate rapidly evolving medical technologies while meeting stringent regulatory requirements (OSHPD/HCAI in California, Joint Commission standards nationally). HVAC and plumbing systems account for disproportionate cost increases due to supply chain constraints. The complexity of these systems makes healthcare estimating a specialized discipline.
Why the Ecosystem Matters
From surgery suites to patient rooms to imaging centers, healthcare construction follows patterns that experienced estimators recognize. The ecosystem captures cost intelligence across facility types, helping teams build accurate budgets that account for the unique MEP intensity, infection control requirements, and technology infrastructure healthcare demands.
"The last three years have just been a rollercoaster ride for health care construction. Every time you turn around there is an increase in cost, and projects take longer due to supply issues."
— 2024 Hospital Construction SurveyKey Stakeholders
Education Facilities
K-12 school construction is the nation's second-largest capital investment category, with $122 billion in ESSER funding alone driving projects nationwide. The average school building in America is now 50 years old, and one in three public schools teach students in non-permanent modular buildings. Rising construction costs have tripled the cost of building a new school over the past decade.
The Challenge
School districts operate under bond funding constraints and public scrutiny that demand accurate upfront estimates. State agencies (like California's Division of State Architect) enforce specific compliance requirements, while evolving pedagogical approaches—from STEM labs to career technical education facilities—require flexible designs. Cost escalation can kill projects mid-stream.
Why the Ecosystem Matters
Elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and higher education facilities each have distinct cost profiles. The ecosystem captures benchmarks for classrooms, gymnasiums, cafeterias, labs, and athletic facilities—helping districts stretch bond dollars further and avoid the "missed opportunity" of deferring critical projects due to budget surprises.
"The escalation of everything is weighing on K-12 construction. In some cases, planning dollars are far less than the project's final cost, and estimating can sometimes be daunting."
— K-12 Construction Industry SurveyKey Stakeholders
Energy Infrastructure
The energy transition is driving unprecedented construction activity—from utility-scale solar and wind installations to battery storage systems and grid modernization. The Inflation Reduction Act has unlocked billions in incentives, but the rush to build has outpaced the industry's ability to accurately estimate these evolving project types. Data center power demand alone is reshaping infrastructure requirements.
The Challenge
Renewable energy projects operate in a rapidly evolving technology and regulatory landscape. Equipment costs fluctuate with global supply chains, interconnection timelines are unpredictable, and few historical comparables exist for emerging technologies like grid-scale battery storage. Traditional estimating databases lag behind market realities.
Why the Ecosystem Matters
As more solar farms, wind installations, and battery storage projects complete, the ecosystem captures real cost data that improves estimates for future projects. Construction Check aggregates intelligence across renewable installations, transmission upgrades, and substation expansions—building the cost benchmarks the industry needs.
"Given the absurdly large power requirements of data centers, increased market share for electric vehicles, and a push to modernize the U.S. transmission network, this subsegment should remain strong for years."
— Associated Builders & ContractorsKey Stakeholders
Justice & Corrections
Detention facilities, courthouses, and justice centers represent highly specialized construction with unique security, life safety, and operational requirements. These projects must meet American Correctional Association (ACA) standards while designing for durability measured in decades. The specialized nature of detention-grade construction creates significant estimating complexity.
The Challenge
Corrections facilities require specialized security systems, detention-grade materials, sight-line considerations, and operational flow patterns that few estimators encounter regularly. County jails, state prisons, and federal detention centers each have different standards. The limited pool of qualified contractors and specialized subcontractors further complicates pricing.
Why the Ecosystem Matters
The corrections construction market is concentrated among a small number of specialized firms—which means cost intelligence is siloed. The ecosystem breaks down these barriers, capturing benchmarks for housing units, control rooms, intake areas, and support facilities that help owners and consultants develop more accurate project budgets.
"Justice facility construction requires understanding not just building codes, but operational philosophies, staffing models, and the long-term total cost of ownership that drives design decisions."
— Justice Facility Planning PerspectiveKey Stakeholders
Government Facilities
Federal, state, and municipal government construction follows procurement rules and cost standards that differ significantly from private sector work. GSA buildings, military installations (MILCON), and civic facilities must comply with specific cost guidelines, prevailing wage requirements, and sustainability mandates that shape every estimate.
The Challenge
Government estimators must navigate Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements, Buy American provisions, and agency-specific cost factors. Federal projects require compliance with UFGS specifications and GSA's P100 standards. The disconnect between appropriations timelines and construction markets creates budget uncertainty that private sector work doesn't face.
Why the Ecosystem Matters
Government construction cost data is often locked in agency silos or contractor bid files. The ecosystem aggregates cost intelligence across federal, state, and municipal projects—providing the benchmarks needed to develop competitive proposals and defensible independent government cost estimates (IGCEs).
"Accurate independent government cost estimates are essential for protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring fair competition. The challenge is accessing reliable cost data for specialized government requirements."
— Government Cost Estimating PerspectiveKey Stakeholders
Commercial Real Estate
Office buildings, retail centers, mixed-use developments, and industrial facilities operate in a market-driven environment where estimate accuracy directly impacts investment returns. Developers need reliable cost projections to secure financing, negotiate with tenants, and make go/no-go decisions. The margin between profitable and failed projects often comes down to construction cost control.
The Challenge
Commercial real estate development moves at market speed—deals close in weeks, not years. Developers need conceptual estimates fast, but those estimates must be reliable enough to underwrite multi-million dollar investments. The gap between early-stage cost projections and final construction costs kills deals and destroys returns.
Why the Ecosystem Matters
Commercial construction generates enormous amounts of cost data—but most of it stays locked in contractor files and developer spreadsheets. The ecosystem captures shell-and-core costs, tenant improvement benchmarks, and site development factors that help developers move faster with greater confidence.
"In commercial real estate development, the estimate IS the deal. If you can't trust your numbers at the front end, you're gambling with investor capital."
— Commercial Development Perspective