CAD & BIM project cost calculator (2026)
Estimate what a CAD, Revit or BIM project should cost before you post it. Pick a discipline, scope and talent market and the calculator returns an hourly band, an hours estimate and a total project range built from TaskBider's 2026 rate data. Figures are estimates, not quotes.
$1,458 – $4,645
Total project range
$33 – $72
Hourly band
44 – 65 h
Estimated hours
How CAD and BIM project pricing works
CAD and BIM quotes are built from three numbers: an hourly rate set by the freelancer's market, an hours estimate driven by scope and level of detail, and a risk premium for deadline and revision uncertainty. Production 2D drafting spans roughly 2.5x between North America and North Africa, while senior BIM coordination narrows to about 1.4x because global supply is thin.
2D drafting
15–60 hours per set. $25–$70 per hour. Best sold fixed price once sheet counts are agreed.
LOD 300–400 BIM
60–150 hours. $35–$95 per hour. LOD 400 adds 60–80% hours over LOD 300.
Coordination
40–90 hours per phase. $40–$100 per hour. Bill hourly — clash volume is unknown upfront.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a freelance CAD drafting project cost in 2026?
A typical freelance CAD drafting project costs $450–$3,200 in 2026. A single 2D floor-plan set runs 15–25 hours at $25–$70 per hour, while a full permit drawing set runs 40–60 hours. Rates depend more on the freelancer's market than on the software used.
How much should I charge per hour for freelance AutoCAD drafting?
Freelance AutoCAD drafting bills $25–$70 per hour in 2026, with a global midpoint near $42. Price against your client's market rather than your own: delivering English documentation to a US or EU client supports 60–80% of that market's local rate.
What does a Revit LOD 300 BIM model cost?
A LOD 300 Revit model for a mid-size building typically costs $2,500–$8,000, based on 60–90 hours at $35–$95 per hour. LOD 400 fabrication-level modelling adds roughly 60–80% more hours because every connection and hanger is modelled to shop-drawing accuracy.
How accurate is this CAD and BIM cost calculator?
The calculator uses TaskBider's 2026 rate bands compiled quarterly from platform listings, direct freelance offers and public marketplace data across 13 countries. Output is an estimate range, not a quote — real bids vary with drawing standards, revision rounds and delivery deadline.
Is fixed price or hourly better for CAD outsourcing?
Fixed price suits well-defined scopes such as a 2D permit set, where deliverables and sheet counts are known upfront. Hourly suits BIM coordination and scan-to-BIM, where clash volume and point-cloud quality are unknown until work starts, and fixed bids then carry a 20–30% risk premium.
What raises a CAD or BIM project quote the most?
Deadline pressure raises quotes most: rush turnaround under 72 hours typically adds 25–50%. Unclear input drawings, more than two revision rounds, unfamiliar national standards and fabrication-level detail each add 10–30% to the same base scope.