# NirmanShastra

> NirmanShastra is an Indian construction quantity estimator. From a few plain answers about a plot and plan it works out, to the Indian Standards, how much concrete, steel, cement, sand, aggregate, bricks, wire and pipe a house needs, so homeowners know the quantities before they order or sign. It gives quantities only: no labour, dealer or contractor rates. It has 10 free calculators, paid quantity reports (StructurePro, MasonryPro, ElectricalPro, PlumbingPro, InteriorPro, Grand Total), Excel site templates and a free tool to compare a contractor's quantities with ours, in English and Hindi.

Site: https://www.nirmanshastra.in · Languages: English (default) and Hindi (https://www.nirmanshastra.in/hi) · Contact: nirmanshastraindia@gmail.com

Quantities follow the Indian Standards (IS codes) listed at https://www.nirmanshastra.in/is-codes-used. Quantities are estimates worked out from a few answers and are not a structural design; see https://www.nirmanshastra.in/disclaimer. No rates, labour or contractor prices are given. Written by the NirmanShastra founder, who holds a B.Tech in Civil Engineering. Not a structural design and not reviewed by a practising engineer.

Full text of calculators, guides, FAQ and IS codes in one file: https://www.nirmanshastra.in/llms-full.txt

## Free calculators

- [Bar Bending Calculator](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/bar-bending-schedule-calculator): Cutting length and weight of one bar: straight, L, U, 45° crank, stirrup and square tie. Bends taken off, 135° hooks added, length rounded up to 25 mm, weight d² ÷ 162.2 kg a metre; the same rules as the StructurePro model.
- [Water Tank Size Calculator](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/water-tank-size-calculator): The day’s water use and the underground and overhead tank sizes for a house, from the number of people and the water source (piped, borewell or tanker): 135 / 150 litres a person (IS 1172:1993) split between the tanks as in the NBC Part 9 draft, rounded up to ready-made sizes.
- [Concrete Mix Calculator](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/concrete-mix-ratio-calculator): Cement bags, sand and aggregate for a volume of concrete, by grade (M10 to M40) and site exposure. M20 and below are the CPWD nominal mixes (M20 = 1:1.5:3 = 400 kg of cement a cubic metre); M25 and above are an IS 10262 working within the IS 456 Table 5 limits.
- [Brick Calculator](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/brick-calculator): Brick count, order with breakage and joint mortar for a wall, for the red (230×115×75 mm), modular (190×90×90 mm) or 230×110×70 mm brick, one or half a brick thick, with openings taken out.
- [Wire Size Calculator](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/wire-size-calculator): Least copper wire for a circuit in a home (1.5, 2.5 or 4 mm²), or for the supply from the meter by load (4, 6 or 10 mm² up to 10 kW), with the breaker and conduit.
- [RA Bill Calculator (Retention, GST, TDS)](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/ra-bill-retention-tds-calculator): Net payable on a running-account bill after retention, advance recovery, GST and TDS. Defaults are 5% retention, 18% GST and 1% TDS, all editable.
- [Concrete Cube Test Calculator](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/concrete-cube-test-calculator): The least number of samples for a pour of one grade of concrete (IS 456:2000 clause 15.2.2, counting “or part thereof” above 50 m³) and the cubes to cast: three a sample, tested at 28 days.
- [Daily-Wage PF & ESI Calculator](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/daily-wage-pf-esi-calculator): Muster-roll style net payable for construction site labour: gross wages less employee PF (12%, capped at ₹1,800), employee ESI (0.75% of wages for a covered worker: basic of ₹21,000 or less, average day above ₹176) and advances.
- [Paint and Tile Calculator](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/paint-tile-calculator): Paint, putty and primer for a wall or ceiling, or tiles, boxes, grout and fixing for a floor or wall, from the area and the finish chosen, with wastage allowances.
- [Earned Value Calculator](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/earned-value-calculator): SV, CV, SPI, CPI, EAC, ETC, VAC and TCPI from Budget at Completion, Planned Value, Earned Value and Actual Cost.

## Other free tools

- [VastuPro](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/vastu-pro): Free Vastu check of a home plan: set where North is, mark your rooms, and get each one read by its zone among the 16, an overall score and a PDF of your findings. A traditional system, not an IS code.
- [Check a Contractor's Quantities](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/compare-quote): A free guide to the four quantities to ask a contractor for (concrete, steel, cement, shuttering) and how to read them. The line-by-line check against your own frame is inside the StructurePro report.

## Quantity reports (paid, one-time price per report)

- [StructurePro](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/structopro): RCC frame quantity report: concrete, steel (by bar diameter), cement, sand, aggregate and shuttering for footings, columns, beams, slabs and stairs, worked out to IS 456, IS 875, IS 1893 and IS 13920 from a few plain answers. Price: ₹999.
- [MasonryPro](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/masonpro): Masonry quantity report: brick or block counts, mortar and plaster quantities (cement and sand) for external and internal walls, per IS 1077 and IS 2212. Price: ₹699.
- [ElectricalPro](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/electropro): Points, circuits, boards, wire by size and colour, conduit and fittings for the wiring of a house, from the CPWD specification and the BIS draft of IS 4648. Price: ₹499.
- [PlumbingPro](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/plumbpro): Pipe lengths by size, fittings, tank sizes, pump size and fixture counts as a plumbing quantity report, per IS 1172:1993. Price: ₹499.
- [InteriorPro](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/interiorpro): Flooring, paint, false ceiling and kitchen quantities room by room, with wastage, as an interior quantity report. Price: ₹899.
- [Grand Total Report](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/tools/grand-total): Your paid frame, walls, wiring, plumbing and finishing reports added into one list of what to buy, with shared materials added up and nothing counted twice. Price: ₹999.

## Excel site templates (paid, instant download)

- [Residential Construction Cost Estimator](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/site-templates/cost-estimator): A 17-sheet Excel construction cost estimator for Indian homes: build a BOQ from IS-code rate analysis, generate a client quotation, compare up to 3 contractor quotes line by line, and track budget vs actual. Price: ₹2,499.
- [Construction Site Documentation Pack](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/site-templates/site-documentation): A 14-sheet Excel site documentation pack: drawing register, RFI register, NCR and test registers, procurement log, daily site log and snag list. Price: ₹1,699.
- [Billing & Measurement](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/site-templates/billing-measurement): A 9-sheet Excel billing and measurement workbook: measurement book, IS 1200 deductions, abstract against BOQ, and RA bills with retention, TDS (Section 393) and GST. Price: ₹2,299.
- [Bar Bending Schedule](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/site-templates/bar-bending-schedule): A 12-sheet Excel bar bending schedule template: shape library, cutting-length calculator with bend deductions and hook allowances per IS 2502, lap and development lengths, cutting optimiser and steel order note. Price: ₹2,099.
- [Labour & Statutory Compliance](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/site-templates/labour-compliance): A 16-sheet Excel labour payroll and compliance workbook: muster roll, wage register, PF/ESI and minimum-wage checks, wage slips and subcontractor compliance holds under India's four Labour Codes. Price: ₹1,999.
- [Planning, Progress & Delay Control](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/site-templates/planning-progress): A 17-sheet Excel project controls workbook: baseline plan, Gantt, value-weighted S-curve and earned value, cash flow, plus a delay and EOT register. Price: ₹2,299.
- [All 6 Toolkits — Bundle](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/site-templates): All six toolkits together. Price: ₹7,999.

## Guides

- [How to Verify Your Contractor's Quote Against IS 456:2000](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/verify-contractor-quote-is-456-2000): Most Indian homeowners accept contractor quotes on faith. IS 456:2000 gives you the numbers to push back — here is exactly how to check M20 concrete quantities and spot overcharging before it starts.
- [M20 vs M25 Concrete: Which Grade Does Your Building Need?](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/m20-vs-m25-concrete-grade): Using the wrong concrete grade is not just inefficient — it can be illegal under IS 456:2000. This guide explains exposure classes, when each grade is mandatory, and why your location matters more than you think.
- [Steel Theft on Construction Sites: How to Catch It](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/steel-theft-construction-sites): Rebar under-delivery is one of the most common forms of contractor fraud in India. IS 1786:2008 gives you weight tables to verify every bar on your site. Here is exactly how to use them.
- [Seismic Zones in India: What IS 1893:2016 Means for Your Home](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/seismic-zones-india-is-1893): India is divided into four seismic hazard zones. IS 1893:2016 mandates specific design requirements for each — and most Indian homeowners have no idea which zone they live in, let alone what it means for their building.
- [Per Square Foot Pricing: Why It Hides Contractor Fraud](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/per-sqft-pricing-contractor-fraud): A "₹1,800 per sq ft" quote sounds simple. It is actually the most effective way to conceal material substitution and quantity fraud. Here is what the number hides — and what to demand instead.
- [RCCB and Electrical Safety: What IS 732:2019 Requires](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/rccb-electrical-safety-is-732-2019): Electrical fires and electrocution kill thousands of Indians every year. IS 732:2019 mandates specific safety devices for every home — most contractors omit them to cut costs. Here is what you cannot afford to skip.
- [How Much Water Does Your Family Need? IS 1172:1993 Explained](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/water-requirements-is-1172-1993): Most Indian homes have undersized water tanks because no one calculated the actual requirement. IS 1172:1993 gives you an LPCD formula — and the answer will likely surprise you.
- [Ghar Banane Mein Kitna Maal Lagega: Rate Se Pehle Quantity Nikaaliye](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/ghar-banane-ka-sahi-cost-is-code): Aapka contractor ₹1,800/sqft bolta hai, doosra ₹2,200 — dono ke paas koi breakdown nahi. Rate ke peeche ek quantity list hoti hai: cement, steel, bricks, wire, pipe. Ye article batata hai ki wo list kaise maangein aur kya check karein. (Hindi, Roman script)
- [Vastu and Vedic Architecture: Understanding the 16 Zones](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/vastu-vedic-architecture-16-zones): Vastu Shastra is not superstition — it is a 3,000-year-old environmental design system. The Vastu Purusha Mandala divides your plot into 16 functional zones, each with specific directional guidelines. Here is how it works.
- [Construction Cost per Sq Ft in India: What the Rate Does Not Tell You](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/construction-cost-per-sq-ft-india): A per-sq-ft rate is a total divided by an area. Behind it sits a list of quantities: concrete, steel, bricks, tiles, wire, pipe and paint. How to ask for that list, and what to check on it before you compare two rates.
- [Cement, Sand and Aggregate for a 1,000 Sq Ft House: A Rule of Thumb and Where It Fails](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/cement-sand-aggregate-for-1000-sq-ft-house): The thumb rule people quote for a 1,000 sq ft house, how to turn it into the cement for a single pour, and why it stops being reliable. Treat it as a first guess, not a calculation.
- [How to Check a Contractor’s Quote: 7 Checks You Can Do Yourself](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/how-to-check-contractor-quote): You do not need to be an engineer to test a construction quote. Seven checks on concrete, steel, bricks, wiring, water, testing and payment, each with the IS-code number to compare against.
- [How Much Steel per Sq Ft? The Rule of Thumb, the Published Range and How to Check a Delivery](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/steel-required-per-sq-ft): The rule of thumb is about 4 kg of reinforcement per sq ft. See how it compares with a published range for built houses, what moves the real figure, and how to check a delivery by weight.
- [Bricks per Sq Ft of Wall: Red Brick and Modular Brick, Full and Half Thickness](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/blog/bricks-per-sq-ft): A 9-inch wall of the common red brick takes about 8.7 bricks per sq ft of wall, and a 4.5-inch wall about 4.6. How the numbers come from the brick size and the joint, how to deduct openings, and how much to add for wastage.

## Reference

- [IS Codes Used](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/is-codes-used): The Indian Standards behind every quantity and rate, with what each governs.
- [FAQ](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/faq): Questions about pricing, IS codes, accuracy and how reports work.
- [Glossary](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/glossary): Bill of quantities, bar bending schedule, cube test, M20/M25, curing and more.
- [About](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/about): Who builds NirmanShastra and why.
- [Contact](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/contact): Support, IS-code clarification and billing queries.

## Optional

- [llms-full.txt](https://www.nirmanshastra.in/llms-full.txt): complete plain-text version of the above.

Last updated: 2026-10-25