Data Centre Estimating Services UK
Optimar Precon provides data centre estimating services in the UK for main contractors and M&E specialists: NRM1 elemental cost plans, NRM2 bills of quantities and priced M&E packages for colocation, hyperscale and AI data centres.
Every estimate is priced in GBP, follows RICS measurement rules and separates DNO connection works, standby power and client-supplied equipment so your tender is easy to audit.
Send Your Cost Plan or Tender Pack
Share the RIBA stage, procurement route, trades and return date. We will confirm scope, fee and programme.
Group-wide figures across all Optimar Precon services.
Where Data Centre Cost Sits in an NRM1 Cost Plan
On a data centre, Group Element 5 (Services) carries most of the building cost. We break it down so the high-value elements are visible from the first cost plan.
| NRM1 element | Typical data centre content | What we measure |
|---|---|---|
| 5.6 Space heating and air conditioning | Chillers, CRAH units, chilled water distribution, liquid cooling CDUs | Plant by capacity; pipework by size and material |
| 5.7 Ventilation | Data hall air handling, battery room extract, plant room ventilation | Units, ductwork and dampers |
| 5.8 Electrical installations | HV and LV switchgear, transformers, UPS, busway, PDUs, small power | Equipment by rating; cable and containment by route |
| 5.9 Fuel installations | Generator bulk fuel storage, day tanks, fuel polishing and pipework | Tank capacity and fuel pipework |
| 5.11 Fire and lightning protection | Gas suppression, pre-action sprinklers, aspirating detection, lightning protection | Systems by protected zone |
| 5.12 Communication, security and control | BMS, EPMS, access control, CCTV, containment for structured cabling | Points, devices and containment |
| 5.14 Builder’s work in connection | Plinths, penetrations, fire stopping, plant supports | Items and allowances by area |
Preliminaries, overheads and profit, design fees, risk allowances and inflation are carried as separate cost plan items, so the services elements are never inflated by blended percentages.
UK Power Connection Scope That Changes the Estimate
Power is usually the longest-lead and most contested part of a UK data centre. We price it as its own set of packages.
Contestable vs Non-Contestable Works
Connection works that an Independent Connection Provider can deliver are priced separately from the DNO’s non-contestable works and charges.
HV Substations
On-site 132 kV, 33 kV or 11 kV substations, transformers and protection, with civil works and cable routes measured in full.
Standby Generation
Generator sets, enclosures, flues and acoustic treatment, with fuel systems priced for diesel or HVO as specified.
Environmental Permitting
Allowances for emissions abatement and monitoring where generator farms need environmental permits.
Temporary and Phased Power
Temporary supplies and phased energisation where the full grid connection arrives after the first data hall.
Heat Recovery Interfaces
Plate heat exchangers and connections where heat export to a local heat network is part of the brief.
From Cost Plan to Tender: Deliverables by UK Procurement Route
UK data centres are procured in several ways. The estimate is structured to match the route your client has chosen.
| Procurement route | What you need from preconstruction | What we deliver |
|---|---|---|
| Two-stage design and build | First-stage pricing, then an open-book second stage | Stage 1 cost plan, stage 2 package BoQs and market-tested rates |
| Single-stage design and build | A fixed lump sum against the Employer’s Requirements | Contractor’s Proposals pricing and a full priced BoQ |
| Construction management or packages | Trade package budgets and tender analysis | Package estimates and bid levelling reports |
| M&E subcontract tender | A priced M&E package to the main contractor’s format | NRM2 M&E BoQ with qualifications and exclusions |
| NEC4 delivery phase | Fast, auditable pricing of change | Compensation event quotations with defined cost build-ups |
UK Data Centre Estimating Deliverables
Elemental Cost Plans
NRM1 cost plans that track design development from RIBA Stage 2 to Stage 4.
M&E Bills of Quantities
NRM2-measured mechanical and electrical BoQs for main contract and subcontract tenders.
Tender Analysis
Side-by-side bid levelling of M&E subcontractor returns, with scope gaps flagged.
Value Engineering Register
Costed options such as busway against cable, or air against liquid cooling, logged with design impacts.
Cost Reports
Monthly cost reports and forecast final cost updates during design and delivery.
Change Pricing
NEC4 compensation events and JCT variations priced from measured quantities.
Related services: Estimating services UK, UK data centre preconstruction, UK data centre BIM modelling, US data centre estimating.
Tender Return Approaching?
Send the drawings, specification and return date, and we will confirm the NRM format, fee and programme for your estimate.
UK Data Centre Estimating: FAQs
What does a UK data centre estimate include?
A UK data centre estimate covers the building, M&E services, external works and power connection, structured to NRM1 for cost plans or NRM2 for bills of quantities. Preliminaries, overheads and profit, risk and inflation are shown separately, in GBP.
Which NRM1 elements carry the most cost on a data centre?
Group Element 5, Services, carries most of the building cost. Electrical installations (5.8) and space heating and air conditioning (5.6) are usually the largest elements, followed by fire protection and control systems.
Can you price DNO connection works?
Yes. We separate contestable works, which an Independent Connection Provider can deliver, from the DNO’s non-contestable works, and price on-site HV substations, cabling and protection as their own packages.
Do you support two-stage design and build tenders?
Yes. We prepare first-stage cost plans and second-stage package BoQs with market-tested rates, so the open-book second stage can be agreed quickly with the client.
Can you price NEC4 compensation events?
Yes. Compensation event quotations are built from measured quantities and defined cost, with clear assumptions, so they are quick for the project manager to assess.
How do you price standby generators fuelled by HVO?
Generator sets, enclosures and flues are priced with fuel storage and pipework sized for the specified fuel. Where HVO is specified, the fuel system is priced to suit, and emissions abatement is allowed where permits require it.
Win More UK Data Centre Tenders
NRM-structured cost plans and BoQs that your commercial team can check line by line.