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RICS

NRM 1

RICS NRM1, published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, sets out the New Rules of Measurement for order of cost estimating and cost planning for capital building works.

It provides a structured framework for preparing early stage estimates and detailed cost plans, ensuring consistency in how construction projects are measured, priced, and reported. NRM1 is widely adopted across the UK construction industry by quantity surveyors, estimators, and commercial teams working on building projects.

The standard supports all stages of pre construction, from initial feasibility and concept design through to developed cost plans. It enables better cost certainty, improved benchmarking, and clearer communication between stakeholders by standardising cost breakdown structures and measurement rules.

NRM1 forms a critical part of the wider RICS NRM suite, underpinning best practice in cost management and helping to drive consistency, transparency, and accuracy across construction projects.


Key Highlights

  • Industry standard for cost planning and estimating of building projects

  • Covers early stage estimates through to detailed cost plans

  • Provides structured cost breakdowns and measurement rules

  • Supports benchmarking and cost analysis

  • Widely used by quantity surveyors and estimators across the UK

  • Improves consistency, transparency, and cost certainty


Sterling enables organisations to implement NRM1 principles digitally, enhancing traditional cost planning with real time data and integrated workflows. Key areas of alignment include:

  • Structured cost planning, aligned to NRM1 cost breakdowns and project stages

  • Resource based estimating, linking labour, plant, and materials to cost items

  • Improved accuracy and transparency, replacing spreadsheets with auditable data models

  • Benchmarking and analysis, using historical project data for better decision making

  • Integration of cost and carbon, extending NRM1 into dual currency estimating

  • Lifecycle alignment, allowing cost plans to flow into forecasting and operational phases

By combining RICS NRM1 standards with Sterling’s SaaS platform, organisations can move from static cost plans to dynamic, data driven estimating that evolves throughout the project lifecycle.


Access RICS NRM1 via the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors:
https://www.rics.org/uk/upholding-professional-standards/sector-standards/construction/nrm/

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RICS