Construction Cost Predication Model Using Macro Economic Indicators
Estimating future costs of construction is an important component to the success of any contracting company. Traditionally a cost modifier has been utilized to offset cost escalations or volatility predictions. Construction estimators and contractors have also attempted to utilize a variety of prediction models. This paper establishes a basis for reliable forecasting and explores the possibility of developing prediction models using time series Neural Networks (NN) by utilizing historic data of three accepted macro-economic composite indicators (MEI) and two accepted construction industry cost indices. The use of these macro-economic indicators for NN-based models may be used to predict cost escalations for construction. Nonlinear autoregressive NN models are constructed through using the macro-economic data and the construction cost data to determine if a reliable time-series predictive model could be established. The results of these models indicated that there is a high correlation between the macro-economic escalations, independent factors, and the construction cost escalations, dependent factors, over time. Use and knowledge of these correlations could aid in the prediction of cost escalations during construction.