I-COSTWhat it does
- Send to I-Cost adds up the elements in your model by level and type, in metric units, and lets you choose what to send and how to group it.
- I-Cost opens Import BOQ with the quantities ready to preview. Nothing reaches an estimate until you check the preview and save it.
- From there you price the work, send quotation requests to suppliers, raise purchase orders and track cost and carbon, all in I-Cost.
1. Install
- Close Revit.
- Download the installer (a zip of about 220 KB), open the zip and double-click I-Cost-for-Revit-Setup.exe.
- If Windows says Windows protected your PC, click More info, then Run anyway. The beta is not yet signed by a known publisher, so Windows asks once.
- Click OK. It installs for your Windows account only and needs no admin rights.
IT teams can download the add-in bundle instead and unzip it into %AppData%\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins for one user, or %ProgramData%\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins for everyone on a computer.
2. Connect Revit to I-Cost (once)
- Start Revit and open a model. If Revit asks about the publisher of I-Cost for Revit, choose Always Load.
- On the Add-Ins tab, in the I-Cost panel, click Connect. Revit shows a short code and your browser opens I-Cost.
- Sign in to I-Cost if asked, check the code matches, and click Connect. Revit says Connected as … within a few seconds.
No password is typed into Revit. The link is kept on your computer, encrypted for your Windows account, and you can remove it any time in Revit (Connect) or in I-Cost under My Account > Connected apps.
3. Send quantities
- With the model open, click Add-Ins > I-Cost > Send to I-Cost.
- Tick the kinds of element to send and choose how to group the lines: by level, by kind of element, or by the type's Assembly code.
- Click Send. I-Cost opens Import BIM model showing Received from Revit with the model name and number of lines.
- Choose the project, click Send quantities to preview, arrange and check the lines, then save them to the estimate.
Quantities are only as good as the model. Compare a few totals with your Revit schedules the first time, for example the total area of a wall type.
What is measured
| Kind of element | Revit categories | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Walls (including curtain walls) | Walls | Area, m² |
| Floors and slabs | Floors | Area, m² |
| Roofs | Roofs | Area, m² |
| Ceilings and finishes | Ceilings | Area, m² |
| Foundations | Structural Foundations | Volume, m³ (or number) |
| Columns | Columns, Structural Columns | Number |
| Beams | Structural Framing | Cut length, m |
| Doors, windows, stairs and ramps | Doors, Windows, Stairs, Ramps | Number |
| Railings | Railings | Length, m |
| Furniture and fittings | Furniture, Casework | Number |
| Pipes, ducts and cable runs | Pipes, Ducts, Cable Trays, Conduits | Length, m |
| Services fittings and terminals | Plumbing, Lighting and Electrical fixtures, Mechanical equipment, Air terminals, Sprinklers | Number |
| Other building elements | Generic Models | Number |
Left out: parts nested inside other families, elements in secondary design options, and demolished elements. Each line is one family and type in one unit, so you can price it straight away.
If something does not work
- The browser will not download the installer. Use the zip download above; a new unsigned
.exeon its own is often held back by browsers. - There is no I-Cost panel. Look on the Add-Ins tab with a model open. If Revit asked about the publisher and you chose Do Not Load, email us and we will help you load it.
- The installer keeps asking you to close Revit. Close every Revit window and try again. If no Revit window is open, restart your computer.
- Revit says it is not connected. The link may have been removed in I-Cost. Click Connect again.
- The quantities say they are no longer available. Sent quantities are kept for 7 days and only for the person who sent them. Click Send to I-Cost again.
Using a Mac?
Revit only runs on Windows, so the add-in does too. If you run Revit in Parallels or another Windows virtual machine, install the add-in inside Windows. From ArchiCAD, Vectorworks or any other BIM tool, export an IFC model and use Cost Planning > Import BIM model in I-Cost: the model is read in your browser, on a Mac too.
Your data
The add-in sends only quantity information (model name, levels, element categories and types, quantities and units) to your own I-Cost account. Sent quantities are deleted after 7 days unless you save them into an estimate. It does not send drawings, geometry or the model file. The full details are in the I-Cost privacy notice.
Removing it
Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find I-Cost for Revit and choose Uninstall. Your I-Cost account and anything you have already imported are not affected.
Help
Email info@i-cost.co.uk with your Revit version and what you see. This is a beta: tell us what would make it more useful.
Questions
Which versions of Revit does it work with?
Revit 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027 on Windows. One installer covers all of them.
Does it work on a Mac?
Revit itself only runs on Windows, so the add-in does too. If you run Revit in Parallels or another Windows virtual machine, install it inside Windows. From ArchiCAD, Vectorworks or other BIM tools on a Mac, export an IFC model and use Import BIM model in I-Cost, which works in Safari and every other browser.
Does it upload my model?
No. It adds up quantities on your computer and sends only the results: the model name, levels, element categories and types, quantities and units. Drawings, geometry and the model file stay on your computer.
Do I need an I-Cost account?
Yes. The quantities go into your I-Cost account to be priced. If you do not have one, start a free 7-day trial; no bank card is needed.
Does it change my Revit model?
No. It only reads the model. Nothing in Revit is changed or saved.
Is anything added to my estimate straight away?
No. The quantities open in I-Cost's Import BOQ preview. You choose the project, check and arrange the lines, add rates if you want, and only then save them to the estimate.
How much does it cost?
The add-in is free. It works with any I-Cost plan, including the free trial.