New online cost-estimating service available to construction industry.

The McGraw-Hill Construction Information Group (McGraw-Hill CIG) and Marshall & Swift have announced the launch of their new online Commercial Construction Cost Estimator service. Located on the McGraw-Hill CIG web site, www.construction.com, this online service gives construction professionals the ability to calculate quick, more reliable and specific cost estimates for commercial construction projects.

With this new product, users can choose from four levels of cost estimating services customized to their needs, which include Preliminary, Conceptual, Schematic and Detailed Estimating and Custom services. The Preliminary and Conceptual services will provide instant online estimates based on such minimal criteria as square footage and geographic location. The Schematic service drills down even further to deliver a more extensive estimate via e-mail to the user. The Detailed Estimating and Custom service is ideal for construction professionals who need additional customized services ranging from feasibility studies to final estimates and value engineering.

"Revolutionizing the industry, this service provides users with the most accurate cost estimates available online," said Steve Fan, vice president of Online Services for the McGraw-Hill Construction Information Group. "This value-added service is another reason why construction.com is the fastest growing source of construction information on the Internet."

"Now construction professionals no longer need to rely on out-of-date software and guesswork to calculate their cost estimates," said Robert Crine, president of Marshall & Swift. "With our comprehensive and updated database, users have a simpler and faster way of calculating accurate and timely estimates."

The Commercial Construction Cost Estimator is the second product in a series of joint product introductions from McGraw-Hill CIG and Marshall & Swift. In 1998, these two powerhouses formed an alliance to provide innovative products and services to the construction community. The first product introduced was the Conceptual Estimating Service, a powerful resource which enables architects to receive the most accurate and timely cost estimates for construction projects in their conceptual stages via fax.

Based in Los Angeles and Princeton, New Jersey, Marshall & Swift has been a leading publisher and source of building cost data for the real estate, construction, appraisal and insurance industries for more than 60 years.

The McGraw-Hill Construction Information Group is comprised of a network of brands, which includes Architectural Record, Design-Build, Engineering News-Record, F.W. Dodge and Sweet's group. As the leading provider of industry information, project news and analysis to design and construction professionals, the McGraw-Hill CIG helps customers make the critical connections and decisions that build their business.